Hans Schmidt (Waffen-SS)

Hans Schmidt was a German-born naturalized American citizen, member of the Waffen-SS during World War II, and founder of the German-American National Political Action Committee (GANPAC). He was primarily known for his promotion of White separatism, National Socialism, antisemitism, and Holocaust denial. Schmidt was arrested in Germany on hate charges in 1995, but avoided standing trial by returning to the USA while released on bail. Early life: Schmidt was born on 24 April 1927, in Völklingen. During Nazi rule, he was a member of the Hitler Youth, and, by his own account, joined the Waffen-SS in 1943 at the age of 16, and served as a corporal in the SS Division Leibstandarte. Schmidt was wounded twice during campaigns in Hungary, Austria, and the Battle of the Bulge. He left Germany in 1947, arrived in the United States in 1949, and became a naturalized citizen in 1955 in Chicago. Political activism- GANPAC: In 1983, Schmidt founded the German-American National Political Action Committee (GANPAC), which published the GANPAC Brief in English and the USA-Bericht ([U.S.A. Report]) in German. GANPAC was characterized as "pretending to represent the 52 million Americans of German descent" by the German magazine Der Spiegel, as "openly anti-Semitic" by The New York Times, and as "virulently anti-Semitic" by the Anti-Defamation League. GANPAC was also accused of promoting Holocaust denial. Between 1983 and 1985, GANPAC raised about $55,000 in contributions, but, unlike other political action committees, did not make any financial contributions until the late 1980s, when it began donating money to the election campaigns of conservative Republican candidates. When U.S. Senator Steve Symms gave a $1,000 contribution from GANPAC to the Anti-Defamation League of B'nai B'rith and the Idaho Holocaust Council, Schmidt complained to the Federal Election Commission GANPAC also made a contribution to Democrat Bob Edgar who was running against Jewish Republican candidate Arlen Specter. The Santa Monica offices of GANPAC were fire-bombed in 1985, causing $50,000 in damage. Schmidt claimed the Jewish Defense League carried out the attack, a claim the JDL rejected. The GANPAC Brief was published out of Washington, D.C. (1983-1989), Santa Monica, California (1990-1993), Burke, Virginia (January–March 1994), and Pensacola, Florida (April 1994-July 2004). GIEA: Schmidt also founded the German-American Information and Education Association (GIEA), which is presided over by E. Stanley Rittenhouse, a known anti-Semite, who "served as chief legislative representative for the Liberty Lobby, a far right organization founded by Willis Carto, whom the Anti-Defamation League calls "perhaps the most influential professional anti-Semite in the United States". National Alliance: In one of his last speeches, William Luther Pierce briefly discussed a longtime friendship with Hans Schmidt. Arrest: On 9 August 1995 Schmidt was arrested at the Frankfurt airport by German authorities after copies of his newsletter, USA-Bericht, were discovered. He was charged with "incitement to hate" (Volksverhetzung in German) as a result of a letter he had sent to a German state legislator in Schwerin. Schmidt came to regard the German government as treasonous and controlled by "Oberjuden" ("top Jews"), and claimed the U.S. embassy provided false information to Germany to persecute him. The ADL applauded his arrest. Due to poor health, he was released on bail in January 1996. He fled Germany and returned to the US to avoid further persecution. He wrote a book about this experience, titled Jailed in 'Democratic' Germany (1997). Later life and death: Schmidt continued anti-Semitic campaigns, first by calling for a repeal of the Kosher tax (specifically addressing the Adolph Coors Brewing Co.), and later by writing a book entitled End Times/End Games (1999) where he listed all the ways "Aryans" were more accomplished than Jews and begged all Jews to voluntarily leave white-majority countries on their own accord. His influence waned as his friend Ernst Zundel's career withered, and he died in 2010. He had no known survivors.