HUDSON COUNTY — The London Times printed a historical article on Tuesday saying that pockets of society in Hudson County and elsewhere held birthday celebrations for then-German dictator Adolph Hitler on April 20, 1942, even though by then, America was at war. Law enforcement officials rounded up illegal immigrants at some of the parties.
The Times writes: “A fascinating news report from New York, at the height of the Second World War: 150 police and federal agents swooped on birthday parties being held all over New Jersey for Adolf Hitler.
The biggest party was in Union City, where the delightful August Klapprott and his cronies whooped it up with Nazi songs. Any illegal immigrants at the parties were sent to Ellis Island, but Klapprott, as an American citizen, was released after questioning.”
Klapprott was a leader of a German-American bund on the East Coast. He was among dozens indicted in 1944 and set to stand trial for sedition, but a mistrial was declared.
For more from the Times, click here.