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Re: Were there Nazi sympathizers in the USA during WWII?
Jason AtkinsonMay 18, 2020 6:38 PM (in response to Daniel Smith)
Dear Mr. Smith,
Thank you for posting your request on History Hub!
If your father never reported the mailing to authorities, there may not be an investigation file that would shed light in this specific incident. If others received the same mailing and reported it to authorities, or if the postal authorities took note of the mailings and informed the FBI, there may be files in the Records of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (Record Group 65) and/or the General Records of the Department of Justice (Record Group 60) concerning the investigation of these mailings. Please contact Archives at College Park - Textual Reference (RDT2) via email at archives2reference@nara.gov for more information about requesting these records.Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and pursuant to guidance received from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), NARA has adjusted its normal operations to balance the need of completing its mission-critical work while also adhering to the recommended social distancing for the safety of NARA staff. As a result of this re-prioritization of activities, you may experience a delay in receiving an initial acknowledgement as well as a substantive response to your reference request from RDT2. We apologize for this inconvenience and appreciate your understanding and patience.
It is well established that Nazi Germany attempted to recruit German Americans to its cause. The following sources may be of interest.
- Holocaust Encyclopedia article on German American Bund
- FBI Investigation of German American Bund
- Investigation of Un-American Propaganda Activities in the United States by United States. Congress. House. Special Committee on Un-American Activities (1938-1944)
- Between Third Reich and American American Way: Transatlantic Migration and the Politics of Belonging, 1919-1939
- The Deutschtum of Nazi Germany and the United States. By Arthur L. Smith, Jr. [International Scholars Forum, Number 15.] (The Hague: Martinus Nijhoff. 1965. Pp. 172. Cloth Glds. 19.25, paper Glds. 16.75.)
We hope this information is helpful. Best of luck with your research!