Nazi Town, USA (2024) | Full Documentary | AMERICAN EXPERIENCE

 

Nazi Town, USA is a compelling historical documentary that originally premiered on January 23, 2024, as part of the 36th season of the acclaimed PBS series American Experience. Directed by Peter Yost, the 53-minute film chronicles the rise and fall of the German American Bund, a domestic pro-Nazi organization that gained significant traction across the United States during the 1930s.

Core History Covered

The documentary tracks how fascist subversion nearly took root in mainstream America before World War II:

• The German American Bund: Led by Fritz Kuhn, this group sought to meld traditional American patriotism and symbols (such as George Washington) with virulent anti-Semitism and Nazi imagery.
• Youth Summer Camps: The Bund operated dozens of indoctrination camps across the country—most notably Camp Siegfried in Yaphank, Long Island, Camp Nordland in New Jersey, and Camp Hindenburg in Wisconsin. In these towns, streets were even named after prominent Nazi figures like Adolf Hitler and Hermann Göring.
• The 1939 Madison Square Garden Rally: The movement culminated in a massive "Pro-American Rally" in February 1939, where over 20,000 American Nazi sympathizers packed the arena.
• Klan Collaborations: The documentary highlights how the Bund cross-pollinated with other domestic extremist movements, even holding joint rallies with the Ku Klux Klan.