Above, two-time AcadÂeÂmy Award nomÂiÂnee MarÂshall CurÂry presents A Night at The GarÂden, a film that revisÂits a night in FebÂruÂary 1939 when “20,000 AmerÂiÂcans ralÂlied in New York’s MadiÂson Square GarÂden to celÂeÂbrate the rise of Nazism — an event largeÂly forÂgotÂten from U.S. hisÂtoÂry.” As we described it back in 2017, the film docÂuÂments the folÂlowÂing scene:
What you’re lookÂing at is the 1939 “Pro-AmerÂiÂcan RalÂly” (aka Pro-Nazi RalÂly) sponÂsored by the GerÂman AmerÂiÂcan Bund at MadiÂson Square GarÂden on George Washington’s 207th BirthÂday. BanÂners emblaÂzoned with such sloÂgans as “Stop JewÂish DomÂiÂnaÂtion of ChrisÂtÂian AmerÂiÂcans,” “Wake Up AmerÂiÂca. Smash JewÂish ComÂmuÂnism,” and “1,000,000 Bund MemÂbers by 1940” decÂoÂratÂed the great hall.
New York City MayÂor FiorelÂlo LaGuardia—an EpisÂcoÂpalian with a JewÂish mother—considered canÂcelÂing the event, but ultiÂmateÂly he, along with the AmerÂiÂcan JewÂish ComÂmitÂtee and the AmerÂiÂcan CivÂil LibÂerÂties ComÂmitÂtee decreed that the Bund was exerÂcisÂing its right to free speech and free assemÂbly.
A crowd of 20,000 filled the famous sports venue in mid-town ManÂhatÂtan to capacÂiÂty. 1,500 police offiÂcers were present to renÂder the GarÂden “a fortress impregÂnable to anti-Nazis.” An estiÂmatÂed 100,000 counter-demonÂstraÂtors were gathÂerÂing outÂside.…
The most disÂturbÂing moment in the short film comes at the 3:50 mark, when anothÂer secuÂriÂty force—the Bund’s OrdÂnungsÂdiÂenst or “Order SerÂvice” pile on Isidore GreenÂbaum, a 26-year-old JewÂish workÂer who rushed the podiÂum where bunÂdesÂfĂĽhrer Fritz Julius Kuhn was fanÂning the flames of hatred. Valentine’s men evenÂtuÂalÂly pulled them off, just bareÂly manÂagÂing to save the “anti-Nazi” from the vicious beatÂing he was underÂgoÂing.
Made entireÂly from archival footage filmed that night, A Night at The GarÂden “transÂports audiÂences to this chillÂing gathÂerÂing and shines a light on the powÂer of demÂaÂgoguery and anti-SemiÂtism in the UnitÂed States.” You can learn more about the film and the 1939 ralÂly at MarÂshall CurÂry’s web site.
Any simÂiÂlarÂiÂty to actuÂal perÂsons, livÂing or dead, or othÂer xenoÂphoÂbic ralÂlies being held this weekÂend in MadiÂson Square GarÂden is pureÂly coinÂciÂdenÂtal, of course.
RelatÂed ConÂtent
Toni MorÂriÂson Lists the 10 Steps That Lead CounÂtries to FasÂcism (1995)
Rick Steves Tells the StoÂry of Fascism’s Rise & Fall in GerÂmany
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