This Fascist Racket-

by Pat McGrady Author of Fascism in America

Gradually the true nature of the Nazi movement in this country is coming to light. Instruments in exposing the un-American essence of the movement, the sources of revenue, the paid propagandists of the Hitler philosophy, and the unwholesome secrets of the movement are the McCormack Congressional Committee to Investigate Un-American Activities, the press, and disgruntled elements of the movement who have been ejected or have resigned from the Nazi camp.

The basic facts of Nazi organization, which have been discussed in a previous series of articles published under the title, “Fascism in America,” I shall not bother with here. Nor shall I discuss at any length the testimony given the Congressional Committee. Rather, I propose to include in the last articles of this series only the more astounding facts which have been brought to my attention by a number of Nazis who have been excommunicated from the group or who have quit in disgust.

In the earlier series of articles I stated that representatives of the Nazi Secret Police of Germany were active in this country. In the opinion of the writer, this constitutes the most fearful element of the entire movement. The activities of the Nazi secret police, as I have excellent reason to know, make Germans in Germany responsible for the political behavior of their relatives and friends in the United States. The homes of German Jews and “Aryans” have been ransacked; some have gone to concentration camp and others live under a constant threat of violence and imprisonment because of indiscretions of their relatives and friends in this country. The Germans and German Americans here fear to cry out against this outrage for two reasons: (1) the exposure would result in harm to their families in Germany, and (2) they fear instant and violent reprisal from Nazis here.

“USCHLA” A SPY UNIT

That the Friends of New Germany and their affiliate organizations are responsible for this shameful state of affairs there is every reason to believe. That the Uschla, the secret trial committee within the Friends of New Germany, maintains contact with secret police in Berlin, Hamburg and Munich has been professed by a number of Nazis. That innocent children belonging to the Deutsche Maedchenschaft (German Girlhood) organization similar to a Nazi youth group in Germany is being used in this nefarious occupation is admitted by a former Hitler Youth Movement leader here.

Friedrich Karl Kruppa, who has been with the Friends of New Germany in New York almost since the organization’s inception and who has played an important part in first propagandizing the movement through Nazi organs, is no longer with the Nazis. He gives as his reason for being through with the Friends of New Germany the fact that: “The racketeering that has crept into the movement, the exploitation of the ideals of German Americans, the un-American nature of the movement, and the corruption which has recently set in have sickened me.”

Kruppa was asked for information after he had published a small pamphlet decrying the corrupt state of affairs within the Bund. His legitimacy was promptly denied by the holy fathers of the Nazi movement and he was forced to cease publication of a small monthly, the Jungsturm, which was the organ of the Deutsche Jungenschaft, America’s reproduction of Germany’s Hitler Youth. Until the Friends of New Germany disowned him, Kruppa earned a modest living from this sheet, the advertising of which was supported by Yorkville concerns sympathetic to the Nazis.

According to Kruppa, who was present on a number of occasions when the Uschla “tried” members of the Bund, minutes of the Uschla hearings have been turned over to secret police here and carried to Germany.

TIPS NAZI SECRET POLICE

Kruppa points to Wendel del Monteroca, a former “mystery man” of the League of Friends of New Germany as the principal communication link between the Friends and the secret police in Germany. Del Monteroca left for Trieste about two weeks ago aboard the S. S. Vulcania. He was the head of the Bunaste (Bundes Nachrichten Dienst—Association Information Service) which kept the German government informed on the public and private utterances of all who spoke on Germany.

Members of the Friends of New Germany and others served the Bunaste by clipping news items containing remarks on Germany. In this manner the political attitudes of every person in the United States might be made known to the Nazi regime. Bundles of these clippings were sent off on German ships, according to Kruppa.

“The Deutsche Maedchenschaft, which was part of my Deutsche Jungenschaft, did the best job. They turned in the most and neatest clippings in this regard,” Kruppa said proudly.

SPIED ON HOTELS

It is understood that this Nazi Bunaste organization extended to espionage in hotels. One prominent New York hotel in particular has as its Bunaste watchman a former German nobleman now serving the hotel in a minor capacity. It is reported reliably that he has confiscated letters from the rooms of important guests. He worked with Wendel del Monteroca, according to reliable informants.

I have reported before that virtually all American Jewish leaders and Jews active in German American society have been reported to Germany by the Bunaste. I have knowledge of the identities of some of the reporters, but because of the difficulty in confirming this, it is impossible here to mention their names. I have encountered some documentary evidence of their having reported to Germany and of the secret police there having visited the families of the American offenders, but the evidence is not actionable.

Del Monteroca is said to have been an old comrade of Hitler. He is said by those who know him to have been with Hitler as early as 1919 or 1920. There has come into my hands two mutilated papers, one Del Monteroca’s appointment by Heinz Spanknoebel as leader of the Bunaste here; the other a communication from Wilhelm Brueckner, Hitler’s adjutant at the Munich Brown House, informing del Monteroca that Hitler was out of town and could not be interviewed.

ASKED FOR ARMED AID

Kruppa has told me that a certain leader of the Friends of New Germany, who departed for Germany shortly fter having been summoned to testify before the last open hearings of the McCormack Congressional Committee, invited him to take arms for the cause. “He said,” Kruppa declared, “I know you have the courage to fight for what is best for America and Germany. I want you to swear to take up arms against the entire line of traitors to our movement.”

Kruppa said he promised this at the time, but now, overcome with the sordid significance of the oath he had taken wishes to rid himself of any responsibility.

Kruppa further stated that a former boxer, now a member of the local Nazi storm troops, had been appointed to “get him” after he had broken faith with the League of Friends of New Germany. Kruppa said that because he had once befriended the storm trooper, his appointed assailant made a clean breast of the matter to him and refused to act.

According to Kruppa, Walter Kappe, one of the “Big Three,” all alien Germans controlling the Friends of New Germany, wrote to a Mr. Barnhart in Cincinnati demanding that Heinz Spanknoebel be driven from his position of absolute leadership over the Friends. This, Kruppa said, was done by secret police here.

KAPPE DENIES STORY

I have talked with Walter Kappe with reference to Kruppa’s information. Kappe said that he knew Barnhart in Cincinnati, was a friend of his, in fact, but he denied that Barnhart, now in Germany, had anything to do with the secret police or that Spanknoebel was forced to leave the country by influence of German government operatives here.

Kappe recognized the existence of the Bunaste, but he said that this has not been in operation for many months. He said that many bundles of clippings are gathering dust at the Friends’ headquarters because there is no place to send them. Kappe expressed the opinion that there are no German secret police in this country, but he said that it is possible that individuals, operating independently of the League of Friends of New Germany, reported cases of treason to the fatherland. He professed to have no knowledge of this, however.

Kappe said that del Monteroca was ousted from the Friends of New Germany after an Uschla had found him guilty of misappropriating organization funds. He said that to his knowledge del Monteroca had no connections with the Nazi secret police nor did he appear to believe that such agents were in this country.

Kappe and his organ, the Deutsche Zeitung, have gone on record as expressing doubt as to Kruppa’s responsibility, despite the fact that Kruppa has been active as on organizer and speaker in the League of Friends of New Germany.