After three weeks’ inquiry into the operations of Heinz Spanknoebel, creator and chief of the League of Friends of New Germany, leading Nazi body in the United States, the federal grand jury Friday handed down an indictment against the fugitive Hitlerite, who dropped from sight almost three weeks ago when it was learned a warrant had been drawn up for his arrest.
Spanknoebel can be arrested only if he is found in the United States, since the indictment charges a political crime which does not come under extradition treaties.
Meanwhile the extensive search for the missing Nazi leader has thus far proven unavailing. No clues to his whereabouts have been disclosed following presentation of a letter written by Spanknoebel to Dr. Ignatz T. Griebl, recently resigned president of the local cell of the Friends of New Germany, in which Spanknoebel announced his departure.
The most recurrent and plausible advice received by this paper is that Spanknoebel has been in hiding in the German Embassy in Montreal.
Spanknoebel is charged in the indictment with having violated Section 233 of Title 22 of the United States Code. The statute provides maximum penalties of $5,000 fine, five years’ imprisonment, or both for persons acting as agents of a foreign government without registering with the State Department in Washington.
It is charged that Spanknoebel acted in the United States as the agent of the Pressabteil of the German Ministry of Propaganda without having announced his mission to the American State Department.
Captain Georg Schmitt, recently arrived emissary of Hitler for the purpose of coordinating the American branch of the Steel Helmet organization with that of the Nazi Steel Helmets, was questioned for more than an hour yesterday in an effort to link his activities to those of Spanknoebel.
Cong. Dickstein, who is carrying on an investigation of Nazi affairs in this country, requested that Immigration Commissioner Corsi# question Schmitt at Friday’s hearing with a view toward ascertaining the mission of the Hitlerite delegate.
Dickstein has threatened to take action in the event that Schmitt operates beyond the intentions expressed in his certificate of entry, which describes his visit as concerned with calling on a friend in Milwaukee.
It was said that Schmitt may appear before the grand jury when hearings are resumed on Wednesday.
Also called to report to the grand jury Friday was Benno von Stulpnagel, formerly a major-commander in the German Army during the World War and now head of the American and Canadian Stahlhelm organization. He declared he had the intention of becoming an American citizen. During the last few days he has held conferences with Schmitt, his superior officer, regarding the “gleichschaltung” of the American Stahlhelm with the mother organization in Germany.
Judge Frank J. Coleman has issued a bench warrant for the arrest of Spanknoebel.
United States Attorney George Z. Medalie and his assistant, William Prager, have handled the investigation for the government.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
