American Nazi Party
The American Nazi Party (ANP) was a political organization founded in the United States in 1959 by George Lincoln Rockwell. The party advocated National Socialism adapted to an American context and was active until Rockwell's assassination in 1967, after which it continued under different names. The ANP was based in Arlington, Virginia, and remained a small organization throughout its existence.
Founding and early history
George Lincoln Rockwell, a former U.S. Navy commander and commercial artist, had been involved in far-right and antisemitic activism for several years before founding the party. In March 1959 he established the World Union of Free Enterprise National Socialists (WUFENS), which was soon renamed the American Nazi Party.[1] The group established its headquarters in a converted house in Arlington, Virginia, which members called the "Hatemonger Hill" or "Hate House"; the building displayed a swastika and was used for meetings, publications, and storage.[2]
The ANP adopted the swastika, brown-shirt style uniforms, and other symbolism associated with the German NSDAP, while framing its message for an American audience. Rockwell argued that National Socialist principles could be applied in the United States and that white Americans faced threats from communism and from what he described as Jewish influence.
Ideology and program
The American Nazi Party's platform was based on National Socialist ideology as developed in Germany, adapted by Rockwell for the United States. Key positions included opposition to communism and the Soviet Union, support for racial segregation and white supremacy, antisemitism, and hostility to the civil rights movement. The party favored strong government action against communism and called for the deportation of groups it deemed undesirable.
Rockwell distinguished his movement from what he saw as merely conservative or patriotic groups; he openly identified as a Nazi and argued that only National Socialism could effectively oppose communism and preserve what he called the white race. The party published newspapers and pamphlets, including The Stormtrooper (later The Rockwell Report), to spread its views.
Activities and public presence
The ANP staged demonstrations, pickets, and rallies in various cities. It attracted attention for provocative actions such as picketing the White House and demonstrating in support of racial segregation, often in uniform and with swastika banners. These events frequently drew counter-demonstrators and sometimes led to arrests or violence. Membership remained small; estimates from the period typically place active members in the dozens or low hundreds, with a larger number of sympathizers or one-time supporters.
Rockwell sought to build alliances with other right-wing and segregationist figures, though many distanced themselves from his open Nazism. The party also attempted to recruit on college campuses and through the mail.
Leadership and organization
George Lincoln Rockwell served as commander (Führer) of the American Nazi Party from its founding until his death. He exercised direct control over strategy, propaganda, and membership. The party was organized along a hierarchical model with a small core of dedicated members and a larger circle of supporters. After Rockwell's death, leadership passed to Matt Koehl, who had been a close associate.
Assassination of Rockwell and aftermath
On August 25, 1967, George Lincoln Rockwell was shot and killed in the parking lot of a shopping center in Arlington, Virginia.[3] The assailant was John Patler, a former member of the ANP who had been expelled by Rockwell. Patler was convicted of murder and sentenced to prison.
After Rockwell's death, the party was reorganized. Under Matt Koehl it was renamed the National Socialist White People's Party (NSWPP) in 1967, and later other names were used. The organization continued for a number of years but never regained the level of public attention it had received during Rockwell's lifetime.