German American Bund

The German Bund America ( DAB), also America German national union or German - American Bund, was a Nazi organization in the United States before the Second World War. He is not to be confused with the still existing German - American Association ( German American League).

Formation and structure

The DAB began in 1933 as Friends of New Germany under Heinz clamping Knöbel in Chicago, a union of the Free Society of Teutonia and the National Socialist Party, both of whom had been active since the 1920s. Added to this was the swastika League. With the assumption of power by the National Socialists in Germany, the organization grew rapidly. 1936, they named themselves as a result of investigations by the " Committee for Un-American activities" in order to DAB, chose Fritz Julius Kuhn's " League Leader " and declared himself " 100% American " than.

The federal government divided the United States into three geographic districts, which he called nomes. Los Angeles was the headquarters of the " Western Gau ", which according to FBI estimates at the peak had about 6,600 members, including 500 in the city itself in the German House in Downtown LA " Gauleiter " Hermann Schwinn controlled the actions, Financial Secretary was Arno cracks. The other centers were Milwaukee (Mid West, George Frobose ) and the Central in New York City with " Gauleiter " Rudolf Markmann. A " German - American Youth " with church youth and " girls shank " was modeled after Hitler Youth and BDM. Their leaders also traveled for the purpose of training to Germany. The theme of " Women's Organization Division " was " Speak, sing, think, buy, act German " ( "Speak, sing, think, buy, act German " ).

Objectives

DAB pled to the ( own ) " Constitution, the flag, and a steered by white non-Jews, truly free America." He pursued several objectives, including the fight against Samuel Untermyer initiated, Jewish boycott of Nazi Germany, the formation of a primary cell for a new U.S. Army in the fight against communism and the adoption of the parts of the Nazi economy, one for recovery after the global economic crisis for meaningful thought. DAB was organized under the leadership principle under the " League Leader " as a "historic personality." After the Nazi idea that blood is more important than nationality or place of birth, all German Americans ( the one " German in America " called ) connected thus the "Fatherland". The Hitler salute, blood and honor - belt, swastika flags were Adapted among others

Actions

The federal government sales literature, the German newspaper wake-up call and observers maintained under the direction of federal- Press Warts Walter cap, held public meetings, beer nights, coffee hours and patriotic celebrations; such as the German House in Los Angeles and in Hindenburg Park in La Crescenta, California. It was celebrated Hitler's birthday, the connection ( Austria ) in 1938 and the "liberation" of the Sudetenland in 1939. Purpose speakers of other fascist organizations such as the Silver Legion and the Militant Christian Patriots were invited to reach a larger audience. With American black shirts, Ukrainian separatists, Russian monarchists and the Ku Klux Klan is held joint meetings. Nationally, 27 recreation areas have been set up as a tent camp in the summer, so "Camp Sutter " in Hindenburg Park, "Camp Siegfried" in Long Iceland, " German Horst" in Pennsylvania, " Efdende North " in Michigan, "North Country " in Andover and "Camp mountain forest " in Riverdale, New jersey, "Hindenburg" in Wisconsin, " Windham " in the state of New York, which, however, were often attacked and later, depending on the state, even forbidden.

Berlin 1936

The Hitler government and its U.S. Ambassador Hans Heinrich Dieckhoff held officially Distance to DAB. 200 Bundists traveled to the 1936 Summer Olympics to Berlin and FJ Kuhn met briefly Hitler, to whom he handed a golden book with the signatures of donors for the winter relief agency of the German people. On another visit in Berlin in 1938 Kuhn supposedly led extended conversations with Goering and Goebbels, but this proved to be untrue. On request of the Ambassador Dieck Hoff told the Foreign Office, Kuhn had been received only from the People Mittelstelle, where he was told that the Reich leadership, the way he leads the federal government could not approve. The Foreign Office came to the conclusion that Kuhn was probably - deviated from the truth in order to strengthen its position among his followers - as in other cases.

Opponent

The DAB was from the beginning a strong opponent in the American legislature. Samuel Dickstein prompted in 1934 the establishment of an anti- Nazi Committee on Un-American machinations, forerunner of the anti- Communist Committee for Un-American Activities, and interviewed them in person Kuhn, and other representatives of the Confederation, was accused of sabotage and espionage and to the newly created Foreign Agents Registration Act after 1940 also detained. A case of espionage by Kurt Frederick Ludwig, who had recruited members of the youth organization of the covenant, accelerated the process. Dickstein estimated the DAB to 480,000 people, including 200,000 under arms, but probably there were a total of only 25,000. Some early leaders of the League went to Germany, where they received most political functions, as Fritz Gissibl ( Ministry of Propaganda Southern Germany ), Heinz clamping Knöbel, Josef Schuster, Hugo Haas, Ernst Vennekohl, Carl Nicolay and Walter cap.

Madison Square Garden 1939

Reached its climax in DAB on 22 February 1939, a gathering of 22,000 people at Madison Square Garden, which was drawn on the edge of violent clashes with opponents. Kuhn criticized President Franklin Delano Roosevelt and called him repeatedly, "Frank D. Rosenfeld "; the New Deal, he called " Jew Deal" and explained that in America held a Bolshevik- Jewish conspiracy. End of 1939, Kuhn was arrested and the movement thus lost her "American Fuehrer ". She pulled away after a number of further arrests of senior management in December 1941.

Media DAB

• Literature America German People's League (newspaper)
• German Alarm Clock ( regional editions in New York, Philadelphia, Chicago and Los Angeles., Where California wake-up call from 1 January 1936)
• Schley, Matilde B.: German America. Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Westside Printing Co. 1935.
• Letts, Malcolm: Nazi Germany: " I Lived with the Brown Shirts. " Los Angeles, October 1933.

• A film of the life and bustle of the DAB Youth ( 1937)
• Construction of community building through voluntary labor service (1939 )
• The Recreation Center of DAB in Riverdale, New Jersey