Detroit Stalhelm Chieftain Denies Organization Anti-semitic or Linked with Nazis

Arthur Link, first commander of the Detroit branch of the Stalhelm (steel helmet), the nationalist German war veterans’ association, in a statement to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency today denied that his organization is anti-Semitic, repudiated connections with the local branch of the Hitlerites and outlined the objects of his organization.

“In regard to the Jewish race,” Mr. Link stated, “I want to say that there is nothing whatever in our program against this race, except that membership in the Stalhelm is limited to the Germanic race only. The Stalhelm has as its main object the fight against the Treaty of Versailles, which contains in one of its paragraphs the statement of the ‘sole guilt of Germany for the beginning of the World War.’

“The Stalhelm further is strictly opposed to the international preachings of Marxism, Bolshevism and pacifism. It is a fight for the recognition of Germany as a free power compared to the present state of affairs. The mighty convention of the Stalhelm on May 30 and 31 at Breslau, Germany, where close to 150,000 men of this organization paraded, showed how strongly the German people are following this idea.”

Mr. Link said he is “only slightly informed of the objects of the Hitlerite organization” and denied any connections with the Detroit group of the Nazi, also known as Teutonia, of which Walter Hentschel is commander. Nevertheless the Verposten, the organ of the National Socialists, with editorial offices in Chicago, is published by the Stalhelm, and the Teutonia, the emblem of the latter being the Swastika.

A prominent local German newspaperman, however, has informed the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, that in German circles it is generally accepted that both the Stalhelm and Teutonia are anti-Semitic and that they are closely interlinked. He added, however, that they are generally subjected to ridicule and are not taken seriously.