American Nazi Party facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
American Nazi Party
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| Abbreviation | WUFENS (1959) ANP (1959–1966/1967) NSWPP (1966/1967–1983) |
| Founder | George Lincoln Rockwell |
| Founded | March 1959 |
| Succeeded by | American Nazi Party: • Matthias Koehl (1967–1983) • Rocky Suhayda (2014–present) New Order: • Matthias Koehl (1983–2014) • Martin Kerr (2014–present) |
| Headquarters | (Rockwell's headquarters) 928 North Randolph Street, Arlington, Virginia, U.S. |
| Newspaper | The Stormtrooper |
| Youth wing | NSLF (1969–1974) |
| Membership | 500 (c. 1967) |
| Ideology | Neo-Nazism White supremacy Ultranationalism Antisemitism |
| Political position | Far-right |
| International affiliation | World Union of National Socialists |
| Party flag | |
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The American Nazi Party (ANP) is a political group in the United States. It was started by George Lincoln Rockwell in 1959. The group's main office was in Arlington, Virginia.
When it first began, the party was called the World Union of Free Enterprise National Socialists (WUFENS). This name showed they were against the government owning businesses. Later that same year, they changed the name to the American Nazi Party. This was done to get more attention from the media.
Since the late 1960s, many small groups have used the name "American Nazi Party." Most of these groups were separate from each other. They often broke up before the year 2000. The party's ideas are based on Adolf Hitler's Nazi Party from Germany. They also used similar uniforms and symbols.
After Rockwell was killed in 1967, Matt Koehl became the new leader. The party faced disagreements among its members. In 1983, the group changed its name to the New Order. It also moved its main office. After Koehl passed away in 2014, Martin Kerr took over the New Order.
A former member of the original party, Rocky Suhayda, started his own group. He also uses the name American Nazi Party. This group has been active since at least 2008. Suhayda says Rockwell founded his group. However, there is no direct link between them.
Contents
Party Headquarters
The first WUFENS office was in a home in Arlington. It later moved to a house at 928 North Randolph Street. This spot is now a hotel and office building. Rockwell and some members also set up a "Stormtrooper Barracks." This was in an old house in the Dominion Hills area of Arlington. Today, this area is Upton Hill Regional Park.
After Rockwell's death, the main office moved again. It went to 2507 North Franklin Road. This building had a swastika symbol above the front door. It was easy to see from a busy road called Wilson Boulevard. Today, this address is a coffeehouse.
Party History
Name Change and Party Goals
Under George Lincoln Rockwell, the party used Nazi uniforms and symbols. Rockwell faced money problems for a few years. Then, he started earning money from speaking at universities. He was invited to share his ideas as part of free speech.
This led him to change the party's approach. He called it "Phase Two." The plan was to make the group seem like a real political party. They tried to reduce harsh attacks against non-white people. They changed their rallying cry from "Sieg Heil!" to "White Power!" They also showed the swastika less often in public. They even tried to have members run in local elections.
Rockwell's popularity was highest around 1965 and 1967. At that time, he had about 500 followers. In 1966 or 1967, Rockwell changed the party's name. It became the National Socialist White People's Party (NSWPP). This change upset some members who had stronger beliefs. The new name was meant to be like the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People. Rockwell wanted a more open approach. He felt the swastika symbol was stopping the group from growing.
Rockwell was killed on August 25, 1967. He could not finish his party changes. Matt Koehl, a strong supporter of Nazi ideas, took over as leader. This marked the end of Rockwell's American Nazi Party. After Rockwell's death, the party broke apart. Other groups started using the American Nazi Party name.
In 1962, a party member named Roy James was jailed for 30 days. He was also fined $25 for hitting Martin Luther King Jr.. King did not want to press charges. But the judge insisted on the trial.
Rockwell's Death
An attempt to kill Rockwell happened on June 28, 1967. Rockwell was driving home. He found his driveway blocked by a fallen tree. He thought it was a prank by local teenagers. As a party member moved the tree, two shots were fired at Rockwell. One shot hit his car near his head. Rockwell got out of his car and chased the shooter. He later asked for a gun permit, but nothing happened.
On August 25, 1967, Rockwell was leaving a laundromat. A former follower named John Patler shot him from the roof. Patler fired two bullets into Rockwell's car. One bullet hit his chest and hurt his heart. Rockwell's car rolled backward. He got out, pointed to the roof, and then fell down. He was declared dead at the scene.
Koehl's Leadership and Group Changes
After Rockwell's death, Matt Koehl became the leader. He was a strong follower of Hitler's ideas. Koehl continued some of Rockwell's changes. He stopped using negative words against minority groups. Koehl also started focusing on the good parts of Nazism. He talked about a future society with only white people.
Koehl kept the party's literature with swastikas. He also kept the "Storm Troopers" uniforms. These uniforms were like those worn by Hitler's original Sturmabteilung. In 1968, Koehl moved the party to a new office. It was at 2507 North Franklin Road in Arlington. He also set up a printing press and a bookstore.
In the 1970s, the party started having disagreements among members. In 1970, a member named Frank Collin left the group. He started the National Socialist Party of America in Chicago. This group became known for trying to march through Skokie, Illinois. Many Holocaust survivors lived there. This led to a famous court case. Other members left to support William Luther Pierce. They formed the National Alliance in 1974.
More members left as Koehl's ideas changed. He started saying that Nazism was more like a religion. He believed that Adolf Hitler was sent by a divine power. Hitler's job was to save the white race. Koehl saw Hitler's death in 1945 as a sacrifice. He thought it meant Nazism would rise again when the Aryan race needed it most. These ideas caused arguments with other groups. Koehl kept changing the party into a new religion. Public meetings became less common. In 1979, Koehl ended the party's "Storm Troopers" group. This was not popular with some members.
On November 3, 1979, some members of the NSWPP and a Ku Klux Klan group attacked a protest march. This happened in Greensboro, North Carolina. Five marchers were killed in the shootings. Sixteen Klansmen and neo-Nazis were arrested. The first trials found the defendants not guilty. However, in a civil lawsuit in 1985, the victims won money. The city, Klansmen, and neo-Nazis were found guilty of violating the marchers' civil rights. These shootings became known as the "Greensboro massacre."
In 1982, the government took action against the group's office. Koehl stopped printing the "White Power" newspaper. He sold the party's property in Arlington, Virginia. He moved the group's operations to Wisconsin and Michigan. A large rural property was bought in New Berlin, Wisconsin. It was used for living and for annual meetings.
The New Order Group
Koehl's group changed its name to New Order on January 1, 1983. They said people in the area were not looking to join revolutionary groups. They moved to a secret location in the Midwest. The new name showed the group's Nazi mysticism ideas.
The group got some media attention in October 1983. They held a private meeting at Yorktown High School. Members met inside without uniforms. Police kept counter-protesters away outside. This was the last public event for Koehl's New Order in Arlington. After that, the only sign of the group was flags flying. The swastika and Betsy Ross flags flew from their old office building. This happened every April 20, which is Hitler's birthday.
Today, the New Order works quietly. It avoids the public rallies it once held. It has a website and a post office box in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They share information and materials that promote Nazism. They do not have members. Instead, they have "registered supporters" who send monthly donations. They also earn money by selling books and other items. These are sold through a business called NS Publications. A newsletter called NS Bulletin is sent to supporters every three months. The group holds private meetings for events like Hitler's birthday.
New Order's Chief of Staff, Martin Kerr, says the group is no longer a white supremacist group. He claims they focus on supporting white people. He says they are not against other races. He states that white people are like a big family. Being for their own family does not mean hating other families. However, the Southern Poverty Law Center still calls them neo-Nazis. They also classify them as a "hate group."
Other Groups Using the Name
Since the late 1960s, several small groups have used the name "American Nazi Party."
- One of the first was led by James Warner and Allen Vincent. This group started on January 1, 1968. In 1982, James Burford formed another "American Nazi Party." This group was based in Chicago. It existed until at least 1994.
- A small American Nazi Party was in Davenport, Iowa. It was led by John Robert Bishop until 1985.
- The name "American Nazi Party" is also used by a group run by Rocky J. Suhayda. He was a member of Rockwell's original ANP in 1967. Suhayda's group says Rockwell founded it. But there is no direct link to Rockwell's original group. Suhayda's group sells old copies of Rockwell's magazine The Stormtrooper. They hold private meetings at his home. They also have a national meeting in California. His followers do not wear uniforms, except for a security group. They avoid public protests.
Well-Known Former Members
- David Duke was a member before starting the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan.
- Frank Collin founded the National Socialist Party of America.
- Harold Covington was an author.
- James Mason was an author and linked to Charles Manson.
- Joseph Tommasi founded the National Socialist Liberation Front.
- Kurt Saxon wrote The Poor Man's James Bond.
- William Luther Pierce founded the National Alliance.
- Arthur J. Jones was a political candidate.
See also
- German American Bund
- Nazism in the Americas
- Neo-Nazi groups of the United States
