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Dan Burros

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Daniel Burros
Black and white photo of Burros sitting; he is in Nazi uniform, and in the wider image he is visibly sitting in front of the "Hate Bus", being briefed on the Hate Bus plan by Rockwell.
Burros in 1961
Born(1937-03-05)March 5, 1937
The Bronx, New York, U.S.
DiedOctober 31, 1965(1965-10-31) (aged 28)
Reading, Pennsylvania, U.S.
Cause of deathSuicide by gunshot
Political party
Other political
affiliations		Ku Klux Klan (1965)

Daniel Burros (March 5, 1937 – October 31, 1965) was an American neo-Nazi who was a member of several far-right organizations, until The New York Times revealed he was Jewish, after which he killed himself. With his Jewish heritage hidden from the group, Burros was an integral member of the American Nazi Party as a printer and propaganda creator. In November 1961, Burros left the ANP, along with his close friend John Patler. This was due to either a dispute over the way they edited the group's magazine, or him viewing party leader George Lincoln Rockwell as "too moderate".

Patler and Burros then moved to New York and founded a splinter group, the American National Party, and a racist magazine, Kill! Within the year, they had a falling out, their group and magazine ceased, and Patler returned to the American Nazi Party. Burros later joined James H. Madole's neo-Nazi National Renaissance Party, before having a falling out with Madole, ultimately becoming the King Kleagle and the Grand Dragon for the New York chapter of the Ku Klux Klan's United Klans of America.

On October 31, 1965, Burros' Jewish heritage was exposed to the public by American journalist McCandlish Phillips, who published an article about Burros in The New York Times. The New York Times had been tipped off about his heritage, probably by a local Jewish group. Some hours after the article was published, Burros fatally shot himself in the home of Grand Dragon Roy Frankhouser.

Early life

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Daniel Burros was born to Jewish parents George and Esther Sunshine Burros in the Bronx, New York, on March 5, 1937. The family moved to Queens a few years later and Burros attended Hebrew school at Talmud Torah in Richmond Hill, where his bar mitzvah was held in 1950.[1][2]

Military career

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Burros expressed a desire to enter the United States Military Academy at West Point, which never came to fruition. However, he enlisted in the National Guard while still in high school and wore his uniform to class on drill days. He enlisted in the United States Army in 1955.[2]

He was one of the soldiers who forcibly integrated Little Rock Central High School in 1957.[3] While he claimed he quit in disgust after this incident, he was actually honorably discharged after a suicide attempt involving the ingestion of large amounts of aspirin and non-fatal cuts on his wrists.[2][3] His suicide note was signed "Heil Hitler". His discharge was ascribed to "reasons of unsuitability, character, and behavior disorder".[4] He later claimed to members of the American Nazi Party that he had underwent psychological treatment for (according to Rockwell) "sadistic tendencies and Nazi leanings", after strangling an eagle.[5]

Political activity

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By December 1958, he had become interested in neo-Nazism, and began contact with several neo-Nazi groups. He began to sign his letters with a red swastika, in addition to the name of a neo-Nazi party that did not exist, the American National Socialist Party.[6] He was known his especially violent antisemitism,[7] to a degree author Kevin Coogan called "almost psychotic".[8] His physical and behavioral manners often seemed eccentric to others.[9]

American Nazi Party

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In June 1960, Burros joined the American Nazi Party and moved to their barracks at the headquarters in Arlington County, Virginia.[6][10] According to the recollection of the party's leader, George Lincoln Rockwell, Burros had made contact with the party in 1960, first contacting member James K. Warner. He was especially interested in the Nazi uniforms, and claimed on the application form that he was ethnically German.[10] He was jailed with several members of the party following a fight a month later during a Rockwell speech. He became an integral member,[11][6] eventually becoming their national secretary.[12][5] He was an editor of the party's newsletter, The Stormtrooper.[9] Rockwell appreciated Burros, impressed by his fervent Nazism and artistic and mechanical skills; he was seen as too fanatical, but unlike many members had skills valuable to the party.[13] Burros worked as the ANP's printer for their propaganda, including bumper stickers, antisemitic soap wrappers, largely sold through mail-order in the National Socialist Bulletin magazine. Among the merchandise printed by Burros was the "Jew Pass" (which was given to a Jew who would be last in line for the gas chamber).[14] He was the author of the ANP's Official Stormtrooper's Manual.[15][14] It was the ANP's official manual, distributed to all group recruits, dedicated to Horst Wessel.[16][17]

When John Patler joined the party, his printing and fighting skills impressed Burros.[18] Both men became close friends.[19] Later both asked Rockwell to take control of the National Socialist Bulletin from Warner, which failed but made Warner incensed. As revenge, Warner told Burros a photo of his would be removed from the Bulletin because his uniform was not compliant with their regulations. This resulted in a fit of rage from Burros, who had to be calmed down by Rockwell telling Warner to wait for a replacement photo.[18] Both Patler and Burros went to the Anti-Defamation League headquarters on July 26, 1960, where they asked for copies of the ADL Bulletin and placed a swastika sticker in the elevator. A member of the ADL called the police and a warrant was issued for their arrest for defacing the ADL's private property.[6][20]

After several Nazis complained the ANP members were worse fed than their party dog, Gas Chamber, Burros suggested that they eat him, which some members believed was a genuine threat. A former Nazi claimed that Burros tortured dogs, including Gas Chamber.[9][21] In another telling of this story, academic Jeffrey Kaplan claimed that Burros had strangled or attempted to strangle Gas Chamber, resulting in his expulsion from the group and the barracks.[5][22] He at times disgusted other members of the group, particularly due to his torture fantasies.[5] Burros carried a bar of soap labeled with "Made from the finest Jewish fat", and often talked about torture, particularly creating torture devices to use on Jews. A specific, favorite fantasy of Burros involved the keys of a piano being modified to deliver electric shocks via wires attached to the Jewish victim of their choice, where one could "play the organ and make the victims scream in various keys".[21][5]

His heritage was unknown in the ANP, but members were suspicious of him.[11] ANP member Matthias Koehl later claimed he had not looked Jewish, and said he probably had some amount of "Aryan blood".[23] It is unknown if Rockwell knew that he was Jewish, and simply did not care, or was unaware.[11] When the ANP's security officer Roger Foss conducted background checks on all ANP members (with Rockwell saying refusal would meaning being kicked out of the party) Burros told Foss he could neither give his background information or home address, even if confidential.[24] Party secretary James K. Warner suggested he be removed from the party in response. Both went to Rockwell, who refused, saying he needed Burros as his printer, and that they had to make an exception, leading to protests from Foss and lengthy arguments; Foss called this a security risk, and Burros a "sadist" and a "nut" who was obviously Jewish. Rockwell nevertheless refused to kick out Burros.[15]

After Rockwell was briefly involuntarily committed to a mental institution, Burros, Roger Foss and Patler all picketed the White House advocating for him to be freed. Patler and Burros were arrested due to the warrant while they tried to leave, and were imprisoned. Patler's wife raised bail from a Jewish bondsman.[25] Rockwell was released after only 10 days, after which he suspended both until the outcome of their trial, before reinstating them due to his conviction in their innocence. Come their trial September 20, they were found guilty and sentenced by a jury to an $100 fine or a 10 day jail sentence, choosing the fine.[26] Following a disorderly conduct conviction over a July 24 rally, Burros and Foss were sentenced to a fine of $20 or a 10 day jail sentence.[27] In May 1961, he was one of the ANP members to tour in the party's Hate Bus protesting the Freedom Riders.[6]

American National Party

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Both Burros and Patler caused unity problems in the party.[28] In 1961, the party's unity fractured, with Ralph Grandinetti, Patler, and Burros constantly accusing other members of being spies for the Jews. Foss grew to dislike the three, and Patler and Burros later got Foss demoted over a disciplinary infraction. Burros then became printing director.[29] Following an incident over the Official Stormtroopers Manual, with Burros and Patler editing it in a manner Rockwell viewed as overly self-promotional, they left the party in November.[30][6] Another telling says he quit the party because Rockwell was "too moderate".[9] Following his exiting from the group, Burros was replaced as party secretary by Matthias Koehl.[31]

They both moved to New York, where they launched a magazine called Kill! (also stylized KILL!)[32], a magazine "dedicated to the annihilation of the enemies of the white people".[6] The magazine was an outlet for attacking other right-wingers,[30] and was described by Jeffrey Kaplan as "viciously racist and anti-Semitic".[5] One edition of Kill! displayed a noose on its back cover and the words "Impeach the Traitor John F. Kennedy for Giving Aid and Comfort to the Enemies of the U.S.A."; the same issue also featured a Burros-written editorial entitled "The Importance of Killing".[32] He attacked Rockwell in the magazine, saying that "without the swastika, Rockwell would be nothing" and calling him a "nigger loving liberal".[33] With Kill! they founded their own splinter group, the American National Party.[30][34] Their party was effectively a duplicate of the ANP.[19] The American National Party dissolved less than a year later, never had more than a few members, and the magazine ended after four issues.[35] Patler returned to the ANP; Burros and he had a falling out when Burros decided to watch football instead of picketing Eleanor Roosevelt's funeral with him. Burros stayed in New York.[35]

National Renaissance Party and Ku Klux Klan

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After leaving the ANP, Burros became highly influenced by American far-right theorist Francis Parker Yockey, who advocated the establishment of a pan-European empire, and was especially fond of his book Imperium. He read the work repeatedly, calling it "the Bible of the American right-wing".[36][9] He joined the neo-Nazi National Renaissance Party in spring 1963, from which he hid his ethnic background. While in the party he met Frank Rotella, a future Klansman. The leader of the party, neo-Nazi James H. Madole, was also fond of Yockey; impressed by Burros's ideological fervor, he promoted him to the party's elites.[37][6] He wrote for the group's National Renaissance Bulletin.[38]

In July 1963, Burros and other NRP members were jailed for getting into a fight with African Americans at a diner.[6] They were convicted of trying to incite a riot. Each of them, including Burros, was sentenced to one to two years in prison.[39][40] Madole and Burros soon had a falling out due to Burros's dislike of Communist China (to the point of wanting to nuke them), contrary to Madole's growing appreciation of China and leftist figures.[37]

During the investigation into the assassination of John F. Kennedy, it was found that Lee Harvey Oswald had Burros listed in his address book, in addition to Rockwell.[9][36] This is printed in exhibit Volume XVI of the Warren Commission. They are the only far-right figures in his address book.[36] This is likely due to a Communist publication incorrectly linking Burros' American National Party to Rockwell's, misinterpreting the news of its foundation as Rockwell relocating to Queens, leading Oswald to think Burros' group was Rockwell's.[34] Following the assassination, Burros wore a button emblazoned "Lee Harvey Oswald Fan Club".[9]

Burros then joined the Ku Klux Klan, in July 1965, recruited by Roy Frankhouser.[6][14] He also became an Odinist,[9][14] before saying that Jesus "was cool and everything".[41] Burros was, by 1965, both the King Kleagle and the Grand Dragon of the New York City United Klans of America.[6][12] He lead two Manhatten klaverns.[42]

Suicide

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Burros's Jewish background was made public in a New York Times article written by reporter McCandlish Phillips, after A. M. Rosenthal received a tip that he was Jewish. Rosenthal enlisted reporter Philips, a fundementalist Christian, to investigate.[1] The tip off was probably orchestrated by a local Jewish group investigating the Ku Klux Klan.[23][5] Rockwell also believed this theory.[5] After discovering evidence of his bar mitzvah and Jewish schooling Philips attempted to contact Burros, trying and failing repeatedly before succeeding October 29 after spotting him outside his apartment. Burros threatened to kill him if he printed that he was Jewish, saying it was all he had before leaving. Burros then repeatedly called the paper threatening Phillips, before leaving for the house of a friend, Roy Frankhouser, a former ANP sympathizer Ku Klux Grand Dragon, in Reading, Pennsylvania.[6][1][9] The article, titled "STATE KLAN LEADER HIDES SECRET OF JEWISH ORIGIN", was printed the 31st.[1]

Upon reading the article, Burros returned to Frankhouser's house, kicking his furniture, destroying Frankhouser's bed, and yelling "like a madman" before finding Frankhouser's revolver.[9][43] He yelled "Long live the white race! I've got nothing to live for!" before shooting himself in the chest, then shooting himself again in the head. He was 28.[43] He died from three gunshot wounds, which led to a suspicion from the FBI that Frankhouser had finished him off; thirty years after his death, the bloodstains and bullet holes were still visible in his house, Frankhouser having never removed them.[9] Frankhouser was also a government informant.[7][38]

Legacy

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Rockwell eulogized him in one of the group's magazines.[a] A morose Rockwell praised Burros's dedication, saying that he had been "steeped in racist revolutionary causes" and "ended his miserably sad life of lies". He took the opportunity to rail against Jews, whom he referred to as "a unique people with a distinct mass of mental disorders" and ascribed Burros's instability and suicide to "this unfortunate Jewish psychosis" which had "cost him his life".[43][7] Privately, outside of the magazine, Rockwell was saddened by Burros's death and viewed him as a "righteous Jew" and "brilliant young man", and believed that had he lived he could have continued to work for them in some capacity anyway.[23] He did wonder how Burros could have failed to predict that people would find out about his ethnic background.[5] In this eulogy, Rockwell wrote thus:[44]

Burros hated himself and his Jewishness, and went a step further, planning to MURDER them all.
It killed him.

In response to his suicide, NRP leader James H. Madole wrote an article for the National Renaissance Party bulletin entitled "The Historical and Metaphysical Roots of the Conflict between Jew and Gentile", where he defended Burros as a genuine Nazi despite his ethnicity,[45] praising him for a willingness to "blast himself into oblivion as final proof of his loyalty."[6] The United Klans of America also refused to disavow him, and held a memorial service;[46] Klansmen burned a cross in his honor in Rising Sun, Maryland, a week after his death.[6] Following his suicide, Burros was replaced in the UKA by William Hoff.[42]

The Deguello Report on the American Right Wing, a pseudonymously written, conspiratorial, insider neo-Nazi document dated to 1976 distributed among some members of the movement,[47] alleges that Burros's actual last name was "Sonnstein", that Burros and Frankhouser were homosexual, that they were having a gay affair, that Frankhouser may have murdered him, that Warner had known he was a Jew the entire time and that Warner and Burros "spent their time discussing hideous ways to torture and kill Christians".[48]

Following his death, journalists A. M. Rosenthal and Arthur Gelb wrote a book on his story, entitled One More Victim: The Life and Death of a Jewish Nazi.[44] Academic Jeffrey Kaplan described Burros as perhaps "one of the most tragic yet instructive cautionary tales to arise out of American National Socialism".[7]

Notes

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  1. ^ Kaplan says it was in The Rockwell Report, while Schmaltz says it was in The Stormtrooper.

References

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  1. ^ a b c d Schmaltz 1999, pp. 261–262.
  2. ^ a b c Bryk, William (February 25, 2003). "Old Smoke: The Death of Daniel Burros: A Jewish Klansman who did more than just hate himself". New York Press. ISSN 1538-1412. Archived from the original on February 4, 2009.
  3. ^ a b Newton 2007, p. 60.
  4. ^ Newton 2007, pp. 60–61.
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kaplan 2000, p. 34.
  6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n Newton 2007, p. 61.
  7. ^ a b c d Kaplan 2000, p. 33.
  8. ^ Coogan 1999, p. 49.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Lee 1997, p. 163.
  10. ^ a b Kaplan 2000, pp. 33–34.
  11. ^ a b c Schmaltz 1999, p. 82.
  12. ^ a b Schmaltz 1999, p. 262.
  13. ^ Schmaltz 1999, p. 79.
  14. ^ a b c d Kaplan 2001, p. 48.
  15. ^ a b Schmaltz 1999, p. 80.
  16. ^ Kaplan 2000, pp. 2, 33.
  17. ^ Kaplan 1997, p. 186.
  18. ^ a b Schmaltz 1999, p. 81.
  19. ^ a b Simonelli 1999, p. 135.
  20. ^ Schmaltz 1999, p. 90.
  21. ^ a b Schmaltz 1999, pp. 81–82.
  22. ^ Kaplan 2022, p. 282.
  23. ^ a b c Schmaltz 1999, p. 264.
  24. ^ Schmaltz 1999, pp. 79–80.
  25. ^ Schmaltz 1999, pp. 91–92.
  26. ^ Schmaltz 1999, p. 93.
  27. ^ Schmaltz 1999, p. 96.
  28. ^ Schmaltz 1999, p. 129.
  29. ^ Schmaltz 1999, pp. 110–111.
  30. ^ a b c Schmaltz 1999, pp. 129, 168.
  31. ^ Kaplan 2000, p. 154.
  32. ^ a b Kellman 1963, p. 141.
  33. ^ Kaplan 2000, pp. 34, 154.
  34. ^ a b Coogan 1999, pp. 616–617.
  35. ^ a b Schmaltz 1999, p. 168.
  36. ^ a b c Coogan 1999, p. 616.
  37. ^ a b Lee 1997, pp. 91, 163.
  38. ^ a b Kaplan 2001, p. 49.
  39. ^ "Six get jail terms in Bronx diner case". The New York Times. July 17, 1964. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  40. ^ "Neo-Nazis given stiff prison terms, denounced as 'hatemongers'". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. July 20, 1964. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
  41. ^ Newton 2007, p. 42.
  42. ^ a b Newton 2007, p. 214.
  43. ^ a b c Schmaltz 1999, p. 263.
  44. ^ a b Kaplan 2000, p. 35.
  45. ^ Coogan 1999, pp. 49–50.
  46. ^ Drabble 2007, p. 69.
  47. ^ Kaplan 2000, p. 375.
  48. ^ Kaplan 2000, p. 402.

Works cited

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Further reading

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