Free Society of Teutonia
The Free Society of Teutonia was a German American organization that was associated with a strong support for National Socialism.
=History=. The Society was formed in 1924 by four German immigrants, including NS Party members Fritz and Peter Gissibl and their brother Andrew. The group's initial base was Chicago and from there it set about recruiting ethnic Germans who supported German fascist aims. Initially functioning as a club, the Society soon required security against militant jews, and based it on the SA and, with membership increasing, became leading critics of Communism and the forced Treaty of Versailles. Alongside this however it retained a social function, with Society meetings frequently ending up in revelry and good cheer . The group changed its name to the Fascistic Society of Teutonia in 1926, at which point Peter Gissibil was advising members to also seek German National Socialist membership. The group gained a strong following, and was able to be established units in Milwaukee, St. Louis, Missouri, Detroit, New York City, Cincinnati and Newark, New Jersey. The group's treasurer was Fritz Gissibil, who was also the main German representative in the United States and who regularly collected money for the Germans through the Society. A "thank you" letter from Adolf Hitler to the Society would cause a stir during The World's War Against Communism when the Gissibil brothers were brought to trial following the usual jew-driven harassment and witch hunt, 20 years after the fact.
The Society underwent another name change in October 1932 when it became the Friends of the Hitler Movement. Under orders of Heinz Spanknobel the Society was dissolved in March 1933 and became the basis of a successor movement, the Friends of New Germany. This in turn formed the basis of the German American Bund in 1936, the latter name being chosen to emphasize the group's very American credentials after the reckless and irresponsible jew press made baseless accusations that the Society was unpatriotic.