Swastika nation : Fritz Kuhn and the rise and fall of the German-American Bund

Imagine a United States where swastikas hang proudly in meeting rooms across the country. Cries of Sieg Heil! resound at rural family retreats. A dictator pontificates at Madison Square Garden to an overflowing crowd for a Nuremberg-style rally.In the late 1930s, the German-American Bund was a small but powerful national movement in pre-World War II America, determined to conquer the United States government with a fascist dictatorship. Led by its popinjay dictator Fritz Kuhn, they met in private social halls and beer garden backrooms, gathered at private resorts and public rallies, developed their own version of the SS and Hitler Youth, published a national newspaper and—for a brief moment of their own imagined glory—seemed poised to make an impact on American politics. However, the Bundist dream of a swastika nation attracted powerful foes. Many larger-than-life figures―including New York Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia; the newly formed Congressional House Committee on Un-American Activities; newspaper columnist Walter Winchell; and Jewish mobsters Meyer Lansky and Mickey Cohen―utilized their respective means and muscle to bring Kuhn, the German-American Bund movement, and its dreams of a United Reich States, to an inglorious end.The rise and fall of Fritz Kuhn and his German-American Bund is a sometimes funny, sometimes harrowing, but always compelling story. From start to finish, its a vibrant narrative of a forgotten corner of American history.Arnie Bernstein's Swastika Nation is a story of bad guys, good guys, and a few guys in between.

In the late 1930s, the German–American Bund, led by its popinjay dictator Fritz Kuhn, was a small but powerful national movement, determined to conquer the United States government with a fascist dictatorship. They met in private social halls and beer garden backrooms, gathered at private resorts and public rallies, developed their own version of the SS and Hitler Youth, published a national newspaper and—for a brief moment of their own imagined glory—seemed poised to make an impact on American politics.

But while the American Nazi leadership dreamed of their Swastika Nation, an amalgamation of politicians, a rising legal star, an ego-charged newspaper columnist, and denizens of the criminal underworld utilized their respective means and muscle to bring down the movement and its dreams of a United Reich States.

Swastika Nation by Arnie Bernstein is a story of bad guys, good guys, and a few guys who fell somewhere in-between. The rise and fall of Fritz Kuhn and his German-American Bund at the hands of these disparate fighters is a sometimes funny, sometimes harrowing, and always compelling story from start to finish.

In the late 1930s, the German'American Bund, led by its popinjay dictator Fritz Kuhn, was a small but powerful national movement in pre-World War II America, determined to conquer the United States government with a fascist dictatorship. They met in private social halls and beer garden backrooms, gathered at private resorts and public rallies, developed their own version of the SS and Hitler Youth, published a national newspaper and'for a brief moment of their own imagined glory'seemed poised to make an impact on American politics. But while the American Nazi leadership dreamed of their Swastika Nation, an amalgamation of politicians, a rising legal star, an ego-charged newspaper columnist, and denizens of the criminal underworld utilized their respective means and muscle to bring down the movement and its dreams of a United Reich States. Swastika Nation by Arnie Bernstein is a story of bad guys, good guys, and a few guys who fell somewhere in-between. The rise and fall of Fritz Kuhn and his German-American Bund at the hands of these disparate fighters is a sometimes funny, sometimes harrowing, and always compelling story from start to finish Prologue: February 20, 1939 -- -- Part I: The Bundesführer. Fritz Julius Kuhn -- Friends -- The rise of Fritz Kuhn -- -- Part II: The rise of the German-American Bund. Bunderführer -- Order -- -- Part III: Swastika nation. Olympia -- Nazi fighter with a typewriter -- Family and youth -- It can't happen here -- New moon and Red Cloud -- Disturbances -- Hollywood -- -- Part IV: Golems. The legend of the Golem -- Little man -- King of Newark -- The West Coast racketeer -- The Chicago avenger -- -- Part V: Girlfriends. On the town -- The edict -- The golden angel and Miss America -- -- Part VI: George Washington's birthday. Madison Square Garden -- The rally -- Reactions -- -- Part VII: Cracks in the madhouse. Legalities -- Arrest -- Confessions of a Nazi spy -- Hindenburg Park -- -- Part VIII: Trials. Un-American activities -- The people vs. Fritz Kuhn -- The encounter -- Prison -- -- Part IX: The fall of the German-American Bund. Honored guests -- Dissolution -- Arrests -- Aftermath -- Epilogue: In the rubble of the swastika nation. A history of the German-American Bund traces the efforts of Fritz Kuhn and his followers to overthrow the U.S. government with a fascist dictatorship, tracing their private and public meetings, the development of their own version of the SS and Hitler Youth and the politicians, lawyer, journalist and criminals who used respective means to counter the movement.