Fritz Kuhn (Nazi)
Fritz Kuhn (
May 15,
1896 -
December 14,
1951) was the leader of the
German-American Bund, prior to
World War II. Kuhn himself was a naturalized citizen and follower of
Adolf Hitler. Kuhn was controversial in his time. As head of the Bund he claimed to be the "American Führer" In 1939, seeking to cripple the Bund,
New York City mayor
Fiorello La Guardia had the city investigate the Bund's taxes. It found that Kuhn had
embezzled over $14,000 from the Bund, spending part of that money on a mistress. Although the Bund did not seek prosecution, District Attorney
Thomas E. Dewey pressed charges and won a conviction. This seriously crippled the Bund. During World War II, Kuhn was held by the federal government at an
internment camp in
Texas. In 1946 he was released and
deported to
Germany.