31/03/2026
1939, thousands gathered inside
Madison Square Garden for a rally organized by the
German American Bund, a pro-National socialist movement active in
the United States before the country entered World War
II.
The event combined American and National socialist symbolism: a
large portrait of George Washington was displayed
between U.S. flags and swastikas. Supporters promoted
nationalist and antisemitic ideas while expressing
admiration for Adolf Hi**er and National socialist Germany.
Outside the arena, tens of thousands of protesters
gathered to oppose the rally. Today, the event remains
one of the most controversial political gatherings in
American history and a reminder that extremist
movements also existed within the United States during
the turbulent years preceding the war.
This historical footage documents that moment.