Was there a connection between the Germans and the KKK ???

[dark_fang]

I wonder . . . was there a connection between the Nazi's at europe
to the KKK or other Nazy group in America , in WW2 ?

[LEVE]

With the KKK, there was no bond.

With the German American Bund, there was quasi political bond.

A google searches on the following topics:

Friz Kuhn
Waldemar Lindemann
Ernst Mueller
German American Bund
German American Settlement League
Camp Siegfried
Capt. Ulrich von der Oster
Alien Property Custodian

will provide a great deal of reading material.

[dark_fang]

Thanks LEVE

[ckleisch]

Trust me when I say that in 1940s and earlier most Americans had no dealings with or much knowledge of and about the Jewish faith and individuals of that faith except in the Northern States. The Klan mostly active within the South and Midwest were concerned only with those of Afro-American descent and debaising them or expunging same from the communities within the Klan was active. The Klan in 1940 was just as likely to shot a Nazis of german descent as he was not a Southern White Man with roots generations deep in the community. The german would have been a foreigner not considered of Anglo-Saxon descent by locals and God help him if he was not a protestant ie methodist or Baptist in faith. He would have been hung in the same tree as the local person under duress. The Klan was more active towards maintaining Southern heritage ie traditions: purity of the Southern white race and of course the sanctity of Southern White women and their marriage to respectable generations deep white men.

[CHRISCHA]

I suppose the point is also that during WW2 the Klu Klux Klan were still patriotic to America. Their patriotic racism would mean they wanted the US to win the war.

[ckleisch]

I suppose the point is also that during WW2 the Klu Klux Klan were still patriotic to America. Their patriotic racism would mean they wanted the US to win the war.

Yes Mamm. Although, times have changed their posistions have not.

[CHRISCHA]

Mamm?

[ChristopherPerrien]

The KKK was isolationist and opposed to all of Roosevelt"s liberal agenda.
In this light the KKK did support the Nazi party , and their constant backing of isolationism is what actually cause their fall from real political power in America when the Japs bombed Pearl Harbor and Germany immediately declared war,

I think you could look at the KKK America First connections and then America first connection with any American German political movements
like the Bund.

Politics makes strange bedfellows.

Remember that before Pearl most Americans did not want to fight the Nazi's, So the KKK was part of a majority until Dec7.

[DarExc]

Even after Pearl harbor maybe as well because the Americans never declaired war on the germans???

[ChristopherPerrien]

Hitler honored his alliance with Japs by declaring war on the USA Dec11,
I believe Congress declared war on Germany the next day, I think it was one vote short of unanimous.

[ckleisch]

Mamm?

Sir, i humbly apologized I saw your post and assumed your a female as my son dated a Christa. again, sorry.

[DarExc]

Why would the USA vote to declare war on Germany if Germany already declared war on it? Once war is declared by one country you are both at war.

[ChristopherPerrien]

Not true , The USA is not automatically at war just because somebody declares war on the USA. Congress has to pass a declaration of war for the USA to be at war.

This is necessary for the government to use various "war powers" . It is also in accordance with international law. for example it legitimizes blockades, and privateers , also P.O.W. status- this
is one thing that made life harder for our Vietnam POW's - because techically they were not protected by the Geneva convention since congress never passed a formal declaration of war against North Vietnam,
many people don't realize this or give it much thought, including the US Government. This could really bite us in the ass one day during an undeclared war. It did in Vietnam and Korea.

Perhaps it does seem like a redundant and superfulous given all the "wars" since then but, America has not declared a war since DEC 12 1941, therefore by law America has not fought a war since WWII!!

[Matthew]

It is my understanding that many members of the KKK shunned the German American Bund, due to anti German feelings left over from WWI.

[Karl da Kraut]

My (former) host-grandfather (in Reno) told me he got beaten up by Klansmen in 1941. They told him to consider it a warning that he'd better behave as a loyal American citizen. Actionally, he doesn't even speak German... But a German name was apparently enough to legitimize a sound trashing.