Search JTA's historical archive dating back to 1923

Nazis Send 2 Army Men to U. S to Develop Stormtroop Cells

June 21, 1934
See Original Daily Bulletin From This Date
Advertisement

Reports that three Hitlerite emissaries are on their way to New York to assume control of the American Nazi organization could not be verified yesterday. However, it was learned, that the League of Friends of New Germany will hold a national convention in Chicago soon to elect officers. It is believed unlikely that the election will take place without first having those to be “elected” nominated by German Nazi authorities.

According to a dispatch from John Steele, London correspondent for the Chicago Daily Tribune, on June 18, two former army officers “under instruction from the Munich Brown House and a Herr von Holtzhausen, who has been in charge of the foreign section of Dr. Goebbels’ Ministry of Propaganda, will arrive here without visas but with assurances from Nazi agents in this country of gaining entrance.

REVEALS SAILINGS

Major Hans vom Dombski, one of the officers, was reported by the Tribune correspondent to have sailed early last week from Cherbourg. Capt. Ernst von Wernicke, the other, was reported to have sailed on June 12 from Boulogne on a Hamburg-American ship. Von Holtzhausen was said to be waiting for the first White Star liner to leave for New York.

The dispatch mentions William Kern and Albert Roemmer, reputed to be German-American members of the New York National Guard, as supporters of von

It is also reported that the Ministry of Propaganda has obtained $95,500 through secret sources for the formation of stormtrooper bodies in the United States, which, it was said, will be paid through three officials in the New York and Chicago German consulates.

“It is reliably reported,” the article goes on to say, “that $764,000 has been set aside since May 9 by Dr. Goebbels for Nazi propaganda in the United States and for the formation of Nazi organizations in America.”

From October, 1933, to May, 1934, $1,719,000 has been spent on National Socialist propaganda here, the article mentions.

18 NAZI OFFICERS SAIL HERE

“In April and May eighteen Nazi officials sailed for the United States from foreign ports with the Ministry’s instructions, chiefly on Hamburg-American and North German Lloyd liners. It is reported that 3,000 uniforms were forwarded for storm troop organization,” states the dispatch, which also adds that Dr. Kurt von Jaschek, who arrived here from Munich on May 7, is allied with American sympathizers, who are said to have financed him to the extent of $4,000 to $5,000 a month. Eugene Korwin accompanied von Jaschek to New York and Dr. Erich Roes-sler and Emanuel Orlik are named as being at the head of the Bos-ton Nazi cell, according to the advice.

A local spokesman for the Friends of New Germany yesterday announced that the national convention of the association will take place at the Medina Temple in Chicago, from June 25 and 30. It is believed that Reinhold Walter, present national commander of the body, who revealed before the McCormack Committee in Washington that he is merely a “straw man” to cover the operations of alien leaders of the Friends of New Germany, will not run for reelection.

Recommended from JTA

Advertisement