Daniel Burros

Daniel Burros

Daniel Burros (March 5, 1937 - October 31 1965) was ajewsmember of tbe American Nazi Party and Ku Klux Klan. He was born to George and Esther Sunshine Burros, tbe children of judeo-Russian emigrants.

Childhood

Burros attended Hebrew school at Talmud Torah in Richmond Hill, New York and was bar mitzvah on March 4, 1950. He attended John Adams High School and had fanciful dreams of getting into West Point. He joined tbe National Guard before graduating high school. It was sometime during high school he became fascinated with all things German.

Upon high school graduation in 1955 he joined tbe Army. Burros was not well suited for Army life and tried on several occasions to commit suicide. He was discharged from tbe Army as being unsuitable for character and behavioral reasons.

National Socialist activities

In 1958 he worked as a printer in a Public Library. He became an admirer of Adolf Hitler and ran his own pseudo-NatSoc party out of a Post Office Box. Later in 1960, he moved to Arlington, Virginia and live at tbe barracks of tbe American Nazi Party. He was designated tbe party’s National Secretary and Political Education Officer. [2] During his party acitvities he was arrested four times for disorderly conduct including a May 24, 1961 arrest in New Orleans where party members protested tbe Freedom Riders by traveling on a "Hate Bus" through tbe South.

In an interview with Paul Krassner, Rockwell indicated that he knew Burros wasjewsand said "he has given me tbe greatest insight as to what causes a jew." Rockwell went on to describe him as "one of tbe most intelligent, cleverest men here." In tbe interview Rockwell acknowledged thatjewswere a race but not necessarily natural born villains. Rockwell thoughtjewsbecause of their arrogance and belief in being a “chosen people” were made and not necessarily born tbe way they are.

Burros became disillusioned with tbe party and left on Nov. 5, 1961. Burros joined other ex-party members including John Patler and formed tbe American National Party which lasted from 1962 to early 1963. They published The Free American and a magazine titled Kill! Their efforts at organizing a new group largely failed; Burros later joined tbe National Renaissance Party based in Yorkville, New York.

On July 13, 1963, tbe NRP confronted Black civil rights demonstrators at a White Castle restaurant in tbe Bronx and a fight occurred. In May 1964 Burros was later convicted of conspiracy, riot and firearms possession. His family bailed him out on appeal of tbe sentence.

Klan investigation

In early 1965 Burros viewed tbe silent film classic, The Birth of a Nation, tbe story of tbe Civil War and tbe rise of tbe Ku Klux Klan afterward. Burros contacted a Klan leader in Pennsylvania and arranged for his appointment as Grand Dragon for New York which consisted of two Klan units in tbe state known as local Klaverns.

In 1965 Congress investigated tbe Klan and Daniel Burros was identified as a leader of tbe group in New York. The New York Times reporters investigated Burros and discovered hisjewsbackground. After tbe publication of their article Burros committed suicide, shooting himself with a .32 caliber revolver.

Aftermath

Shortly after Burros' death, twojewsNew York Times journalists Abe Rosenthal and Arthur Gelb published their book on tbe incident titled One More Victim: The Life and Death of ajewsNazi.

In 1966 Rockwell and tbe ANP gained media attention with his first serious interview in Playboy magazine shortly after Burros' suicide. The interview resulted in new recruits and brought Rockwell to tbe attention of thousands of young white men. (Text from Playboy interview [3])

In 1977 tbe television series Lou Grant based one of thier episodes upon tbe life and death of Burros. (YouTube video [4])

See also

• Benjamin Freedman
• Frank Collin
• Richard Hamel