American Nazi front groups with names like the "German American Bund" and "The Hitler Club" wanted to hold a big rally at Madison Square Garden right before WWII started. They called it a "Pro-American rally" and dressed the whole event in American flags. Go figure.

20,000 Americans packed Madison Square Garden NYC to listen to pro-Nazi speeches on February 20, 1939. You'll have to keep reminding yourself while you read this thread, these people were *Americans.* This happened right here.

They started their Nazi rally with a performance of the Star Spangled Banner... because of course they did. Next up, a speaker said "If George Washington were alive today, he would be friends with Adolf Hitler." And there was plenty of this behavior, as you might expect:

There were an estimated 100,000 anti-Nazi protestors outside during the rally. Five times the rally attendance! The protestor's slogan? "Be American, Stay Home." A small army of police protected the Nazis inside @TheGarden , and trampled some counter-protestors with horses.

One speaker at the 1939 US Nazi rally decried fake news, saying journalists were untrustworthy: "Everything inimical to those Nations which have freed themselves of alien domination is 'News' to be played up and twisted to fan the flames of hate in the hearts of Americans."

The 1939 Nazi rally in NYC was the beginning of the end for their movement. The leader of the group was arrested for embezzling rally funds and spending them on his mistress. The next leader was a German spy who had to flee. The final group leader killed himself during WWII.

The 1939 Nazi rally was timed to coincide with George Washington's birthday. Anyway, the next time you hear someone overzealously commandeering the memory of George Washington, or using him as a backdrop for racist apologia, your ears should perk up. Because you know history.

@arlenparsa @threadreaderapp please unroll

@arlenparsa @readwiseio save thread

@arlenparsa @threadreaderapp unroll please

@arlenparsa Holy moly! How am I just now seeing this for the first time?

@arlenparsa @NeilKBrand Bigger turn out too!

@arlenparsa So George Washington was the original nazi? Sounds fair and reasonable.

@arlenparsa George is as used as a .. what bill his mug on? Yeah, that one .. he had his first slave at age eleven .. take it anyway you want

@arlenparsa Next up, a speaker said "If George Washington were alive today, he would be friends with Adolf Hitler."

@arlenparsa The best thing I learned on twitter from @shaunking ’s grifting was about @arlenparsa . These snapshots of history are an absolute treasure and have been a great way to educate my family. Thank you Arlen.

@arlenparsa @Beefry13