German American Bund
The German American Bund also known as tbe Amerikadeutscher Volksbund “AV”, was an American National Socialist organization created in 1936 following tbe dissolution of its predecessor Friends of New Germany or FONG. The name change and creation of tbe German American bund was due to tbe fact that tbe press and many others had accused them of being unpatriotic, and as a way to show patriotism, they created tbe new organization, German-American Bund.
Formation
The Bund was formed up of German Americans an Americans of German descent. The goal was to establish national socialism in tbe United States, promote positive views of tbe third reich,and to promote a non interventionist position in tbe ever evolving situation in Europe.
May of 1933, Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess gave German immigrant and NSDAP Party member Heinz Spanknöbel tbe authority to form an American national socialist organization. Soon after Spanknöbel created tbe Friends of New Germany(FONG) merging two older groups in tbe U.S. Gau-USA and tbe Free Society of Teutonia, Both smaller groups of only a few hundred members.The FoNG was based in New York City but had a strong presence in Chicago. Male members wore a uniform consisting of a white shirt, black trousers and a black kepi adorned with tbe organizations symbol. Female members wore a white blouse with a black shirt.
While under tbe leadership of Spanknöbel, tbe organization was involved in having members join other German-American organizations that were not necessarily politically affiliated in efforts to draw more members to tbe FoNG and into tbe fold of pro National Socialist ideals. At this time tbe FoNG was also heavily involved in trying to counter thejewspropaganda that was enticing Americans, especially jewish-American to boycott German goods that began in March of 1933 as a response to tbe NSDAP’s boycotting ofjewsstores in Germany. After an internal power struggle, Spanknöbel was removed from power and eventually he moved back to Germany. In December of 1935, Deputy Führer Rudolf Hess ordered all of tbe German citizens in tbe FoNG as well as its leadership to come back to tbe Vaterland.
On March 19th of 1936, as a follow up to tbe Friends of New Germany (FoNG), tbe German American Bund was officially established in Buffalo, NY. The man elected to lead this new organization as tbe BundsFührer, Fritz Julius Kuhn was a German WWI veteran and member of tbe nazi party from tbe early days of its inception. The Bunds headquarters were located in manhattan NYC at 178 East 85th Street. The Bund followed its organizational set up from tbe NSDAP’s in Germany. The U.S. was split into three GAUs: GAU OST or east, GAU MIDWEST, and GAU WEST. The three GAUs were comprised of 69 Ortsgruppes (local chapters) 40 of these Ortsgruppen were in GAU OST alone, then 19 in GAU MIDWEST, and 10 in GAU WEST. New York had tbe most with 17 being located in tbe state alone. Each GAU had its own Gauleiter and staff whom ran each region and reported tbe the BundsFührer.
