German Nazism In The United States

by Zoltanous

Contrary to popular belief, the German American Bund was not the inaugural National Socialist organization in the United States. Before its existence, there were already groups in America that espoused Nazi-like ideologies. Many of these organizations have since faded into obscurity, such as the American National Socialist League, which holds the distinction of being the nation's first National Socialist party. Primarily composed of German immigrants in New York, it played a significant role in the early stages of this movement.

Among these Nazi-inspired organizations, the most prominent emerged as early as 1924 with the establishment of the Free Society of Teutonia under the leadership of Fritz Gissibl. Notably, it was after Rudolf Hess granted Heinz Spanknöbel the authority to form an American Nazi organization that he exerted considerable influence on this society. Subsequently, the society underwent a transformation, merging with smaller National Socialist groups and adopting the name National Socialistic Society of Teutonia.

Free Society of Teutonia with Heinz Spanknöbel giving a speech

The National Socialistic Society of Teutonia experienced remarkable success, witnessing a substantial growth in its membership across the Mid-Western regions of the United States. In 1932, the movement boldly decided to alter its name, adopting the title of the Friends of Hitler Movement.

Following Adolf Hitler's ascension to the position of Chancellor in Germany, the organization underwent another name change, this time assuming the moniker of the Friends of New Germany.

In 1934, Fritz Gissibl, the leader of the Friends of New Germany, returned to his homeland and assumed the role of State Secretary of the Propaganda Ministry for Southern Germany. Consequently, the leadership of the organization passed to Fritz Kuhn, who was elected as its new leader. In 1936, the movement underwent its final name change, officially becoming known as the German-American Bund.

A picture of Bund leader, Fritz Julius Kuhn

The Stonemason's March, anthem of the German-American Bund

In 1933, Adolf Hitler expressed a specific request to American journalists, urging Americans to personally witness the cultural richness and beauty of Germany. The German-American Bund took up this call and organized large groups of tourists to visit Germany, serving as a platform to showcase the perceived glory of the Nazi regime.

The text in the bottom left says: “A picture of the unlimited love of German people from German-Austria and from America for the leader (...) of the Sangerfest in Breslau on July 31, 1937.”

American tourists who ventured to Nazi Germany were graciously received by the Führer himself, Adolf Hitler. Notably, the backdrop of these encounters often featured both the American flag and the Nazi flag, symbolizing a desire for peace, coexistence, and mutual understanding between the two nations, a vision Hitler held dear.

Ideologically, the German-American Bund represented a unique fusion between American classical liberalism and Nazism. In its program, the organization advocated for a pro-American constitutionalist government led by "white gentiles" and labor unions under gentile control, free from the influence of Jewish and Communist forces. It may sound absurd, but the Bund even went as far as considering George Washington, the revered American statesman, as the first fascist.

Despite its self-proclaimed identity as an American German organization, the Bund did not seek to Germanize America and held respect for the various ethnicities present in the country. While the Bund recognized the significant influence of German culture on American society, membership in the organization was not restricted to individuals of German descent. Meetings were primarily held in areas with a majority German population, but interestingly, 40% of the membership consisted of individuals from non-German backgrounds, including Irish, Italians, Ukrainians, Hungarians, and even Native American Indians who attended Bund gatherings.

‘'...in August [1938] the German-American Bund House in Los Angeles featured Winslow J. Couro, National Treasurer of the Federation, as a guest Speaker at a meeting which an undetermined number of American Indians attended.”

— Jerè B. Franco, Crossing the Pond: The Native American Effort in World War II

Notably, within the German-American Bund, there were two distinguished individuals who played significant roles as spokespersons and actively advocated for Native American rights. These individuals were Elwood Towner and Thomas Dixon. Their involvement in the organization demonstrates a commitment to addressing and promoting the concerns and rights of Native American communities.

Two photos of the Native-American Nazi Elwood Towner

Elwood Towner‘s pro-Nazi Indian propaganda

During the 1930s, Elwood Towner embarked on extensive travels across various cities in the United States, including Seattle, Spokane, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Phoenix, Washington, DC, and even ventured to Alaska, Mexico, and Canada. His primary objective was to raise awareness about the perceived threats posed by Communism, Capitalism, and international Judaism to both America and Native American communities. Towner garnered admiration from American fascists like William Dudley Pelley, whose Silvershirt Legion sought to find common ground with Native Americans.

In 1939, an editorial in The New Republic titled Red Indians, Brown Shirts cautioned against Towner's efforts, suggesting that he aimed to mold Native Americans into obedient storm-troopers for potential future emergencies. Towner frequently made claims that George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benjamin Franklin had intended to keep Jews out of America but were hindered in their efforts by Alexander Hamilton, preventing the inclusion of such provisions in the U.S. Constitution, which Towner regarded as a Native American-inspired document. Notably, Towner's speeches occasionally featured readings from The Protocols of the Elders of Zion.

The German-American Bund proudly emphasized its connections with Native Americans, highlighting the swastika as an ancient indigenous symbol. The organization published editorials in its publications asserting a role as protectors and "wards" of American Indians against the perceived threats of "anti-Christian Communism." Remarkably, the Nazis even declared that American Indians were of Aryan descent. German anthropologists, students, and filmmakers were dispatched to document the conditions of American Indian reservations, utilizing the harsh treatment of Native Americans to undermine American claims of moral superiority associated with democracy.

Following the establishment of the "Pact of Steel" alliance between Italy and Germany in 1939, Italian-American and German-American groups, as well as supporters of Italian Fascism and Nazism, began to come together. The Lictor Federation, led by Italian-American Joseph Santi, and the Italian War Veterans, headed by Dr. Salvatore Caridi, joined forces at a Bund gathering in New Jersey in 1937, where more than 500 Italian-American Fascist Blackshirts were present. These Italian-American Fascist organizations were also actively involved in activities at the Bundist Camp Siegfried. In a notable event in 1938, The New York Times documented a significant turnout of 40,000 individuals participating in the annual Bund camp events.

Italian-American Fascists at Camp Siegfried

Additionally, the German-American Bund, in collaboration with various Italian-American organizations, joined forces with William Dudley Pelley's Silvershirts for a joint meeting in support of the Nationalists during the Spanish Civil War in Spain. A significant event took place on February 20, 1939, when the German-American Bund organized a meeting at Madison Square Garden in New York City to celebrate the birthday of George Washington. The gathering attracted an estimated audience of over 22,000 individuals. During this meeting, Fritz Kuhn, the leader of the Bund, derided President Franklin D. Roosevelt as "Frank D. Rosenfeld," mocking his New Deal policies as the "Jew Deal." Kuhn vehemently denounced what he perceived as a Bolshevik-Jewish American leadership.

"The Bund is fighting shoulder to shoulder with patriotic Americans to protect America from a race that is not the American race, that is not even a white race... The Jews are enemies of the United States."

— Fritz Kuhn February 20, 1939

Madison Square Garden rally 1939

Small clip of the Madison Square Garden speech

It is worth noting that Father Charles Coughlin, a prominent figure at the time, was in attendance at this renowned German-American Bund meeting. In his newspaper, Social Justice, he would go on to express his support for the Bund, dedicating an article titled The Irishman Defends Bund to praise the organization and its activities.

A picture of the Social Justice article

In 1939, Mayor Fiorello La Guardia of New York City initiated an investigation into the taxes of the German-American Bund, aiming to undermine and weaken the organization. The investigation revealed that Fritz Kuhn, the leader of the Bund, had embezzled over $14,000 from the group, using some of the funds on a mistress. District Attorney Thomas E. Dewey, who later became a presidential candidate, pressed charges against Kuhn and successfully obtained a conviction. Consequently, on December 6, 1939, Kuhn was sentenced to two and a half to five years in prison.

With the outbreak of World War II in Europe, pro-Axis aligned organizations, including the German American Bund, generally advocated for American neutrality. Recognizing that the United States would not side with the Axis Powers, these organizations focused on pushing for a position of staying out of the conflict.

The German American Bund claimed to have disbanded on December 8, 1941, the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor. However, in October 1942, the Justice Department launched a nationwide effort to revoke the American citizenship of naturalized members of the Bund, leading to the internment of many Bund members in camps alongside Italian and Japanese Americans. Properties, homes, and businesses associated with the Bund were seized, and media outlets critical of the government were shut down. Americans suspected of supporting the Axis Powers were arrested. Elwood Towner, at this point, was considered a non-threat and faded into obscurity.

Despite becoming a naturalized United States citizen in 1934, Fritz Kuhn's citizenship was revoked in 1943 due to his status as a foreign agent of the Nazi government. He was subsequently deported in 1945. Upon returning to Germany, Kuhn initially desired to go back to the United States but ended up working as an industrial chemist in a small chemical factory in Munich for more than two years as a free man. However, German authorities eventually decided to subject him to the country's de-Nazification laws. Kuhn managed to escape on February 4, 1948.

Here Kuhn and his family are reunited in Munich, Germany. From left to right: his son Walter, wife Elsa Kuhn, and daughter Waltraut

Fritz Kuhn passed away on December 14, 1951, in Munich, Germany, under unknown circumstances. Although his direct influence had waned by that time, his legacy continued to have an impact in the United States. New organizations emerged, aiming to carry on the ideals of National Socialism, albeit as a mere reflection of what could have been.