The Friends of New Germany, American pro-Nazi organization, met here last night in the grand ballroom of the Palmer House to celebrate the anniversary of the organization. More than 1,600 attended. The audience stood to attention as eight American and twenty swastika flags were carried into the room by a uniformed color guard. The Hitler salute was given at the opening and closing of the meeting.
Officials of the organization described the ceremonies as “purely for the promotion of friendship between the United States and Germany.” The program of the evening, which was of a marked military nature, opened with a parade through the ball room by men dressed in the uniforms of various Nazi organizations. In all cases, however, the brown shirt was replaced by a white shirt, black tie and Sam Browne belt.
Fritz Gissibl, “fuehrer” of the local Nazis, presided. Gissibl, who is known here as a fiery Nazi, refrained from his customary invectives.
Dr. Herbert Schnuch, national “fuehrer” of the organization, was the principal speaker and the only one to mention the Jews specifically. He condemned the “Jewish persecution of Germans in the United States” and called for a “unified force to counteract Jewish influence,” Dr. Schnuch, who spoke in English and in German, also referred to the Jews derisively as the “chosen people of the kosher” and again as “those who are supposed to be the chosen people. I wonder who chose them?”
CONGRESS PROBE A BURLESQUE
Referring to the Congressional Nazi investigating committee he said: “Dickstein and his burlesque show are turning the tables against the Jews themselves. He promised to skin our leaders alive, instead he and his people are being skinned alive. Despite Dickstein, Untermyer and Wise our movement is going ahead in this country,” Schnuch asserted.
Dr. J. R. Jaeger, German Consul General in Chicago, appeared for a few minutes, bringing greetings from Germany, expressing his interest in the organization and wishing it well.
Walter Kappe, editor of the New York Nazi weekly, Deutsche Zeitung, said: “I am glad to see the interest which has been awakened among Americans in our movement. They also are up against the so-called chosen people.” He echoed the “skin ’em alive” statement made previously by Schnuch.
Louis Zahne of New York, unbridled anti-Semite, addressed the meeting in English on the subject of promotional membership work for the organization. During his speech he referred to “five million garlic eaters who are trying to run things in the United States.”
Delegates from various cities, who are here for the DAWA convention, which opens tonight in the Stevens Hotel, were presented to the audience. A Brooklyn delegate declared that he was “looking forward to the day when we will have parades in every city in this country and thousands will carry our swastika banners through the streets of all American cities.”
MAYOR REGRETS ABSENCE
A letter from Mayor Edward J. Kelly of Chicago was read in which he stated that he was unable to attend owing to the press of city business and the necessity for leaving for the American Legion convention in Miami, Florida. “I am sorry that I cannot be at the Palmer House with the Friends of New Germany and hope you will have a pleasant and enjoyable evening,” the mayor’s letter concluded.
Despite a written pledge given to the Palmer House officials, the audience sang the Horst Wessel song and followed it with the German flag song.
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.
