“Jewish Problems, Jewish Fists”: The Case for Including Jewish Gangsters in the Historiography of America’s Struggle Against Fascism, Lessons Learned 1919-Present

• In Event: Gangsters, Aliens and Other Philosophies of Judaism

Abstract

As Nazism and fascism bled through 1930’s Europe, the American political landscape was marred by isolationist sentiments and the specter of Nazi sympathizers and collaborators. By 1933, more than one-hundred antisemitic groups were operating in major cities across the United States, led by a network of Nazi activists and resourced by agents from the highest echelons of government and society (Maddow 2023; Norwood 2004). This tumultuous period birthed an unlikely cohort of antifascist fighters: Jewish gangsters. While operating at the margins of legality, their clandestine operations became pivotal in combating fascist ideology, tracking bund operations, and ousting Nazi operatives who had infiltrated their communities (Joselit 1983; Rubin 2002; Silver 1981). Propelled by personal and familial brushes with antisemitism, iconic figures such as Meyer Lansky, Bugsy Siegel, Moshe “The Hammer'' Goldberg, and Myron “Sugie” Sugerman leveraged their underground networks to provide intelligence to the Office of Strategic Services (OSS); further underwriting the legendary post-war Nazi hunting efforts Simon Wiesenthal and his associates (Benson 2022; Cohen 1998; Feldberg 2019; Fried 1993; Gopnik 2020; Keefe 2008; Kraus 1955, 2019; Sugerman 2023; Yoked 2023).

This research illuminates the paradox of their existence – criminals in peacetime who emerged as unconventional heroes in wartime. Their efforts challenge conventional notions of patriotism and justice; while offering a provocative look at the role of organized crime in upholding wartime morale, bolstering US defense, and spurring the Jewish diaspora’s continued resistance against tyranny (Barr 1999; Orbits 2008; Rockaway 1994). This retrospective further provides a contrasting glance at the historic U.S. veer toward authoritarianism and its present resurgence, as reflected in the fissures of democratic institutions, repeal of constitutional rights, shadow-funded fringe movements, and widespread platforms of misinformation and propaganda; and further considers what lessons and applications might be gleaned and applied across the realms of policy, academia, and activism (Bergoffen 2007; Refael 2022; Ribak 2014; Ruttenberg 2022).

Author

• Lorrie Lynn King, Gratz College