The Nazi rally in New York City in 1939, organized by a group called the German-American Bund, was a shocking event during a time when Hitler’s Germany was aggressively expanding its territories. The rally, held at Madison Square Garden, brought together around 20,000 pro-Nazi supporters, many of whom were American citizens of German descent.
The Bund, a dangerous group promoting hateful ideologies, was active on American soil and used propaganda to spread their message. Their slogan, “America for the Americans,” emphasized the idea of an all-white, “purely” Germanic country. During the rally, prominent members of the Nazi party, including Wilhelm Gustloff, spoke before the crowd. Gustloff, a high-ranking Nazi official, would be assassinated by a Jewish refugee just a few months later.
As the rally was heavily promoted and met with little opposition, anti-fascist activists bravely protested the event outside. They recognized the dangerous ideology being promoted and fought against it. However, inside the rally, spectators raised their right arms in a Nazi salute and shouted their support for the fascist regime in Berlin.
This Nazi rally in New York City serves as a reminder of the dangers of hate and bigotry. It is a warning against the normalization of extreme views and a call to stand up against any form of hate in our communities. Historically, it highlights the presence of dangerous groups promoting hateful ideologies on American soil, and their influence that must be addressed.
image sources
