B’klyn German Group Wooed by N. Y. Nazis

The United German Societies, sponsors of the anti-Jewish boycott organization, DAWA (Deutsch Amerikanischer Wirtschafts Ausschuss-German American Protective Alliance), yesterday inaugurated a move to bring German American societies of Brooklyn into their boycott phalanx which is doing battle on anti-Nazi boycotters.

On Tuesday a Brooklyn chapter of the United German Societies, was formed. It is expected that, like its New York affiliates, it will eventually control a large number of vereins in that borough. The Brooklyn United German Societies will seek immediate control of a number of the largest and most active societies across the East River.

Representatives from New York at the founding ceremonies included: Severin Winterscheidt, secretary of the League of Friends of New Germany; K. P. Froelich, president of the DAWA and a member of the North German Lloyd; Dr. I. T. Griebl, former president of the League of Friends of New Germany, and Dirk Voss, who at the same time suggested that the two chapters of the United German Societies celebrate jointly rather than separately, as in the past, German Day. All are connected with the United German Societies and the DAWA. They suggested a committee to rule both Brooklyn and Manhattan orders of the United German Societies.

Considerable debate, none of which directly opposed “gleichschaltung” of Brooklyn societies with the Manhattan Nazis, was undertaken, primarily by Fritz Kaelber, Max Sieckert, Theodore Scholle, and Martin Borst. It was finally decided to call the organization the United German Societies of Brooklyn and Environs.

SUPPORT FROM BROOKLYN

Some of the largest vereins in Brooklyn will announce their adherence to the new United German Societies on June 11, when officers of the new group will be appointed and further business be taken up.

The founding ceremonies, held in the Brooklyn Labor Lyceum, was attended by representatives from many vereins and leagues in that borough. The greater part of the session was taken up with the formation of plans for inducing vereins to join the new group and for the dissemination of information regarding the ambitions and operations of the United German Societies. The boycott of Jewish and all non-Jewish stores refusing to deal in Nazi goods appeared to be the most important aim of the new society, and the new DAWA movement is expected to be a covering organization for all adhering societies.

Among the societies reported to have representatives at the founding ceremonies were: the Plattdeutscher Volkstest Verein of Brooklyn, an organization of thirty-five vereins and eight auxiliary women’s groups; the United Singers of Brooklyn, embracing twenty-five large and active vereins; the Boys’ and Girls’ Choir, the Progressive Turnverein, Order of the Red Men, the Brooklyn Women’s Amusement Verein, the Workers’ Sick and Death Benefit, the Bavarian Central Verein, the Kings County District Councils of the Steuben Society of America, Schwaben Verein, and a number of others.

The history of the United German Societies in New York is closely identified with that of all Nazi activities during the last year. In September, 1933, the United German Societies were captured by the National Socialist party, which a short time earlier had changed its name to the League of Friends of New Germany. It was under the direction of Heinz Spanknoebel, who later gained absolute control of the United German Societies, and who subsequently disappeared when the authority of a war-time espionage act was invoked to secure his arrest. Jews either withdrew or were discharged from the United German Societies, and liberal organizations and individuals followed suit. The United German Societies then proceeded under the guidance of the Nazi agitator, Fritz Gissibl, a member of the German National Socialist party, to strengthen its position.

The United German Societies a few weeks ago announced it had regained its original 10,000 members in Manhattan and declared it was sponsoring a counter-boycott under a new organization of its creation, the DAWA.

Speakers at the founding of the DAWA indicated that it would become an “Aryan” enterprise, of a social, political and economic nature. It charges five dollars each to shopkeepers who would display the DAWA insignia, which means that it is not engaged in boycotting German goods, and one dollar each to consumers who pledge themselves not to buy from Jewish or Gentile owned stores boycotting Nazi goods. Through its organ, the Deutsche Zeitung, it has published a “Black List” of the most prominent department stores in the city and asks all adherents to boycott these establishments. A “White List” in the form of an economic guide, was recently distributed among members. It contains the names of almost one thousand shops supporters of the DAWA and asks adherents to patronize these concerns. The membership in the DAWA has risen above 15,000, and it is announced that within the next few weeks a second economic guide will be distributed containing more than double the number of lists of the first.