The story of the German American Bund, a pro-Nazi group active across the US in the 1930's.The story of the German American Bund, a pro-Nazi group active across the US in the 1930's.The story of the German American Bund, a pro-Nazi group active across the US in the 1930's.
Photos
Father Coughlin
- Self - Canadian-American Catholic priest
- (archive footage)
Martin Dies
- Self - U.S. Congressional Representative from Texas
- (archive footage)
- (as Martin Dies Jr.)
Isadore Greenbaum
- Self
- (archive footage)
Bradley W. Hart
- Self - Historian
- (as Bradley Hart)
J. Edgar Hoover
- Self - FBI Director
- (archive footage)
Fritz Kuhn
- Self - German American Bund leader
- (archive footage)
Vladimir Lenin
- Self - Leader of the Soviet Union
- (archive footage)
Charles A. Lindbergh
- Self - US Aviator Hero
- (archive footage)
Benito Mussolini
- Self - Italian Dictator
- (archive footage)
Franklin D. Roosevelt
- Self - U.S. President
- (archive footage)
Dorothy Thompson
- Self - American Journalist
- (archive footage)
Stephen Wise
- Self - American Rabbi
- (archive footage)
Leah Wright-Rigueur
- Self - Historian
- (as Leah Wright Rigueur)
- Director
- Writer
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- Quotes
Self - Cultural Historian: The history of the German American Bund reminds us that fascism is ultra-nationalist. In other words, there is no such thing as foreign fascism. Fascism is always home-grown.
Featured review
Never forget 'Star Spangled Fascism'
Although many today would find this hard to believe, but Fascism wasn't just a think in Germany. Many countries had their own Fascist movements...such as in France and the United States. This episode of "The American Experience" is specifically of the German American Bund...the Fascist organization that gained a lot of traction and was quite mainstream in the 1930s.
Before the show specifically addressed the German American Bund, it laid the groundwork for the organization--putting it in context. Various hate groups, such as the KKK, and famous Americans, such as Henry Ford and Father Coughlin, were advocating the same ideals as the Bund. In other words, antisemitism and racism were already open and institutional before the Bund came about and this explains the organization's rapid growth and acceptance. Add to this the Depression and its economic uncertainty, and you can understand how the public accepted these hateful people.
This documentary is pretty much what you'd expect from "The American Experience"...a few bits of film, lots of photos and interviews with various experts who talk about this organization. And, considering how successful this formula is and how interesting this episode is, I think it's very much worth seeing.
.
Before the show specifically addressed the German American Bund, it laid the groundwork for the organization--putting it in context. Various hate groups, such as the KKK, and famous Americans, such as Henry Ford and Father Coughlin, were advocating the same ideals as the Bund. In other words, antisemitism and racism were already open and institutional before the Bund came about and this explains the organization's rapid growth and acceptance. Add to this the Depression and its economic uncertainty, and you can understand how the public accepted these hateful people.
This documentary is pretty much what you'd expect from "The American Experience"...a few bits of film, lots of photos and interviews with various experts who talk about this organization. And, considering how successful this formula is and how interesting this episode is, I think it's very much worth seeing.
.
helpful•31
- planktonrules
- Feb 27, 2024
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