History Unfolded: US Newspapers and the Holocaust

Headline: Wild Scenes Are Enacted In New York Bund Meeting
Sub-Headline: Fighting Breaks Out On Stage--"Storm Troopers" Beat Up Man Who Threatens Leader Fritz Kuhn During Speech

Publication Date: Tuesday, February 21, 1939
Historical Event: American Nazis Rally in New York City
This database includes 1,208 articles about this event
Tags: Gannett full page downloadable; Public Responses in America; Racism and Antisemitism in America
Article Type: News Article
Newspaper: The Burlington Free Press
Location: Burlington, Vermont
Page Section and Number: 1
Author/Byline: AP
Article Text: NEW YORK, Feb. 20. (AP)—Fighting broke out tonight on the stage of Madison Square Garden at a mass meeting of the pro-Nazi German-American Bund.

An unidentified black-haired man jumped to the stage while National Bund Leader Fritz Kuhn was speaking and advanced toward Kuhn.

Uniformed "storm troopers" knocked him to the floor and beat him severely. City policemen leaped to the platform, pulling the victim from the storm troopers. His clothing in shreds, he was hustled by police from the Garden.

In scarcely more than a minute the incident was over and Kuhn continued his speech almost immediately.

The fight was participated in by perhaps a dozen troopers, and at least an equal number of police were used to break it up.

The extent of the victim's injuries could not immediately be determined, but he appeared conscious as the police, moving in a running wedge, lifted him above their heads and rushed out with him.

Kuhn Attacks Jews
Kuhn had been bitterly attacking the Jews when the disturbance occurred.

The outbreak occurred in the presence of a crowd that packed the Garden. From the great throng shouts arose. But the audience generally kept to its places.

A few moments before, mounted police outside the Garden forcibly dispersed a lusty, quarrelsome crowd that waited nearby for the end of the rally.

Crowd Finally Routed
The crowd was routed after a 15-minute street fight that started when the demonstrators attempted to pierce tightly-held police lines to march on the Eighth avenue sports arena.

Advancing down 48th street, where the crowd was wedged, 20 mounted officers drove the men and women back for a block or more. Horses pranced even into doorways, driving the crowd along.

Several persons were knocked down and injured, some by policemen's fists. One man planted an American flag in the center of the street. A policeman dismounted to take the banner. Bystanders saw the man poke the patrolman with the pole.

"Save the flag," several persons shouted. The flag-bearer was struck down.

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History Unfolded Contributor: Ashley O.
Location of Research: Newspapers.com (https://www.newspapers.com)