Introducing Nazi iconography to American children was central to the mission of the camp (Associated Press photos, August 1934)

Camp Wille und Macht ("Camp Will and Might") was an American Nazi summer camp for approximately 200 German-American boys that was operated by the Friends of New Germany along the Delaware and Raritan Canal in the Griggstown section of Franklin Township, Somerset County, New Jersey, in 1934.[1][2]

Campers were between ages eight and 16 and came from New York, Brooklyn, Buffalo, and Philadelphia.[3] The Associated Press distributed several photos of the camp in 1934 with the caption: "As much conversation as possible is carried on in German, the 200 students wear brown shirts and drill in 'goose-step', and fly the Nazi flag alongside the Stars and Stripes. The leader, H. Haas, is shown drilling the boys."[4] Haas denied that the brown color of the camp uniform had anything to do with the Brown Shirts.[2] Haas also stated, "We are not Nazis in the accepted sense of the word. We are exactly what our name implies, friends of a new-found order in the Fatherland. Nazism is only part of that new order. We teach these boys the spirit and principles of true citizenship, self-reliance, and obedience. We teach them to speak the language of their mother country and to sing the songs their fathers loved to sing in their youth."[2]

Rep. Samuel Dickstein of the House Un-American Activities Committee opened an investigation and summoned Harry Haas and Gregory Lochner, administrators of the camp, for questioning.[5] He found that the campers were mostly ages six to 12 and most of the camp counselors were foreign nationals.[5] He described it as "an out-and-out Hitler camp" and was also concerned about the quantity of poison ivy on the campgrounds.[5]

The camp opened around July 7, 1934,[2] and closed on August 27, 1934.[6] On August 8, 1934, the camp held a memorial service for Paul von Hindenburg.[2]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "A Princeton-Area Nazi Boys Camp and Civil Liberties in New Jersey in the 1930s". University Archives. 2021-06-23. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 "NAZIS OPEN CAMP IN JERSEY FOR BOYS; Swastika and American Flags Side by Side on Tents at Site Near Princeton". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  3. ↑ "German Boys Drill in Nazi Camp in New Jersey". Press of Atlantic City. 1934-08-13. p. 10. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  4. ↑ "Transcript-Telegram 10 Aug 1934, page 14". Newspapers.com. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  5. 1 2 3 "Dickstein Questions Nazi Camp Leaders; ' I Would Not Keep a Dog There,' His Comment Before Hearing on Jersey Children's Centre". The New York Times. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
  6. ↑ Special to the New York Times (1934-08-27). "Nazi Boys Quit Camp At Griggstown, N.J.; New Yorkers Return Home in Three Trucks -- Leader Haas Criticizes Dickstein". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-07-17.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.