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On February 20, 1939, Madison Square Garden in New York City was like a German Oktoberfest, except that there were no beer and sausages, and in its place were 22,000 enthusiastic members of the German-American Alliance, and the crowd of protesters outside was bustling with people, as if it were a big party that anyone could attend.
In 1939, the American Nazi organization held a rally at Madison Square Garden
The German-American alliance was one of the most prominent Nazi organizations in the United States at the time, shouting Adolf Hitler's slogans and praising Nazi Germany for its greatness.
Their mission was like a long shopping list: anti-Semitic, anti-Communist Soviet Union, and the neutrality of the United States in the conflict in Europe. Truth be told, this list seems even more difficult to fulfill than a child's Christmas wishes.
Rudolf Walter Richard Hess, Nazi German politician
In May 1933, Rudolf Hess, the deputy head of Nazi Germany, like a German version of a "secret agent", ordered Heinz Spankernobel, a member of the Nazi party who emigrated to the United States, to set up a Nazi organization in the United States. It didn't take long for the "Friends of the New Germany" to be founded, and the name sounded like they had an old friend in Germany called the "New Germany".
Rather than start from scratch, Spanker Nobel merged two smaller pro-German groups with the help of the German consulate in New York, making a meal out of the kitchen. Each organization has only a few hundred people, but together they have enough "popularity".
The leaders of the German-American alliance who walked into the venue
The "Friends of New Germany" is headquartered in New York, but it also has a strong presence in Chicago. Their male members are dressed in black shirts, black pants and black hats, like a group of magicians ready to perform on stage. The female members wore white shirts and black dresses, looking like they were going to an elegant dinner.
As soon as it was founded, the organization began to find fault, pointing the finger at the Jews, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, and the Treaty of Versailles. They also had open support from Nazi Germany, but by 1935 the German hierarchy realized that the organization was operating in the United States in a way that was more like a discrediting of Germany.
A fanatical member of the German-American alliance
In December 1935, Hess ordered all German citizens in the United States to withdraw from the "Friends of New Germany" and recalled all leaders to Germany. The organization, which had lost its backing, soon fell apart, like a sand castle built by a child, and collapsed when it came into contact with the sea.
The following year, the German-American alliance came into being, replacing the "Friends of the New Germany". The reason why they chose this name is to emphasize that they are inextricably linked to the United States, so as not to be criticized by the media as "unpatriotic".
Looking down at the rally site, the Colossus of Washington was particularly dazzling
The main task of this organization, which only accepts Americans of German ancestry, is to create a positive image of the Third Reich in the United States, like children trying to perform in school, hoping to be praised by their teachers.
The big boss of the German-American alliance is a male classmate with a story - Fritz Julius Kuhn, the German-American big brother, who was a member of the Bavarian infantry during World War I, and he was a "veteran" in the Nazi Party earlier, which can be described as a long history.
Fritz Julius Kuhn
As soon as Big Brother Kuhn took office, the German-American alliance rose as quickly as chicken blood. The gathering of Madison Square Garden was like their highlight moment, but it also became their "Waterloo".
The venue was really lively that day, and all kinds of elements were mixed and matched, like a visual feast. In the center hangs a huge portrait of George Washington, the swastika flag of the Nazi Party, which flutters in the air along with the American flag. In his speech, Brother Kuhn scolded President Roosevelt as an accomplice between the Bolsheviks and the Jews.
Members of the semi-military organization of the German-American alliance, they fought with the anti-Nazi elements who had infiltrated the venue
Order was maintained by 3,000 members of the paramilitary wing of the German-American alliance, who fought with anti-Nazi activists who had infiltrated the venue. However, this "fierce battle" is more like a boxing match in which old fists fight each other, and neither side moves the real guys, which can be regarded as a civilized brawl.
When it comes to hanging a portrait of Washington in the venue, this operation is really confusing. If you were to choose a portrait of the founding father of the United States, wouldn't it be better to have a portrait of Thomas Jefferson or James Madison?
Hitler
In fact, fascism values action and heroism, and is not very interested in intellectual and philosophical speculation. So Hitler's perfect Aryan was the strong, handsome, healthy type, not the civic-minded person.
Fascism also emphasizes extreme patriotism, which is not the same as interracial communism. They prefer to establish in each country the image of a patriotic representative of the native fascists.
In the early years of World War II, a large number of American Nazi groups prevailed, and some people even held large-scale demonstrations with swastika flags and Hitler's portraits, and teenagers wore Nazi uniforms
It is a pity that Washington is the only representative of the founding fathers of the United States who has both heroism, patriotic enthusiasm and good character, so he was praised by the American Nazis as an idol of American fascism. It's like a kid who has to take Superman as his idol, which makes people laugh and cry.
Not long after the gathering, New York's District Attorney Thomas Dewey, like a shrewd accountant, arrested Kuhn on charges of theft and forgery. The New York City tax department also found out that Kuhn had quietly taken $14,000 from the German-American alliance, which is not a small amount, enough for children to buy toys for several years.
Seeing that the situation was not right, the German-American alliance quickly stood up and demanded his release, and also complained that Kuhn, as the leader of the organization, had the right to use the money, so it was not considered embezzlement. But Prosecutor Dewey was not so easy to fool, he made it clear that he was looking for an excuse to rectify the German-American alliance and ignored their complaints.
On December 5, 1939, Kuhn was convicted and sentenced to five years in prison. He remained imprisoned until the end of the Second World War and was deported back to Germany. It is said that he died there in obscurity in 1951, like a dim meteor falling quietly.
A rally of Nazis in the United States in 1938 at which they declared Washington to be the first Nazi.
After Kuhn was imprisoned, the German-American alliance began to decline, as if it had lost its backbone. The following year, Pearl Harbor broke out, the United States declared war on Germany, and the leaders of the German-American alliance were hunted down, just like the police caught thieves.
Gerhard Conze, who succeeded Kuhn as leader, fled to Mexico and was also arrested and sentenced to 15 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to subvert the state. Another 24 leaders of the German-American alliance were imprisoned for evading military service, and the German-American alliance was really demoralized.
Some of the remaining leaders at all levels committed suicide, some were deported from the country, and some were imprisoned in enemy camps. But fortunately, the vast majority of ordinary members were not held accountable, and they were like small fish that escaped and returned to the embrace of the sea.
This history, the whole process is high-energy, and it is jaw-dropping. The story of the German-American alliance is not only a dusty history, but also a spiritual script about humanity, power and loyalty.
This story tells that power is a thing that is the king if you play it well, and if you play it badly, you are the dead. Brother Kuhn holds a lot of power and unlimited scenery, but unfortunately he is finally planted under the temptation of power. As the old saying goes, "Power is like seawater, the more you drink, the thirstier you get." Kuhn's story is the best way to describe it.
And ah, the characters in this story are particularly vivid. Imagine that the members of the German-American alliance are full of ideals, some seek interests, and some are swept up in the tide of history.
They are like a group of actors on the stage of life, each interpreting their own joys and sorrows. This makes people deeply realize that human nature is like a colorful color palette, and everyone has their own unique colors and stories.
"If I had been one of those people, what choice would I make?" This sense of immersion makes for a more engaged understanding of this history. This story leaves a lot to think about.
For example, what is the definition of the word "patriotism"? Is it true to be patriotic to follow the leader, or is it true to be patriotic to stick to one's own beliefs and principles? For example, in the face of the temptation of power, how can one maintain a clear head and firm conviction?
The story of the German-American alliance is like a mirror that allows people to see the brilliance and darkness of human nature. This is a historical story worth sharing and discussing, and I believe everyone who has read it will gain something and understand. So readers, what do you think?
History is a never-ending stage, with endless stories unfolded