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This photograph was taken at the German-American camp, Camp Siegfried at Yaphank on Long Island. The photograph was dated September 15, 1937, but may have been taken a little earlier during the summer. Yaphank is a small town on Long Island. Camp Upton was opened nearby after America ebntered World War I as a boot camp (1917). More than 30,000 soldiers were trained there. Interestinglym the most famous person to train there was Irving Berlin, one of the most famous American song writers. He composed the musical comedy revue Yip Yip Yaphank, which had a brief run on Broadway. One of the best known songs was the 'Buggle Song' with the refrain, 'Oh how I hate to get up in the morning'. He is of course best known for 'America the beautiful'. Less savory was the activity of the German American Bund at Yaphank. The German American Settlement League (an organization sympathetic to the Bund) purchased a property at Yaphank (1935). Ernst Mueller, head of the German American Settlement League, disguised the nature of his organization and the plans for the site when he made the purchase (1935). Mueller after the purchase publicized the purchase and invited League, Bund, and other members to visit the beautiful lake side property as a weekebd ctrio from New York. upon completion of the property transfer prepared a letter that was sent to members of the League, the German American Bund and other organizations of German Americans, inviting all to visit this beautiful lakeside property. Most of those Mueller appealed to were post-Wiorld War I German immigrants, a very small part of the German-American community. A Long Island Railroad special train was arranged from Flatbush Ave., Brooklyn. A nearby propertu was subsequently purchased for youth activities, but it did not have a lake front. Here Hitler Youth-tyoe activities were staged. Both boys abnd girls participated. The German swastuca flag was often flown. Ironically, after World War II, the U.S. War Department transferred the Camp Upton site to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). It is now used for the Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Yaphank is a small town on Long Island, a short drive from New York city..
Camp Upton was opened nearby after America ebntered World War I as a boot camp (1917). More than 30,000 soldiers were trained there. Interestinglym the most famous person to train there was Irving Berlin, one of the most famous American song writers. He composed the musical comedy revue 'Yip Yip Yaphank', which had a brief run on Broadway. One of the best known songs was the 'Buggle Song' with the refrain, 'Oh how I hate to get up in the morning'. He is of course best known for 'America the beautiful'.
Less savory was the activity of the German American Bund and relared groups at Yaphank. The German American Settlement League (an organization sympathetic to the Bund) purchased a property at Yaphank (1935). Bundists purcghased adjacent land for a youth camp.--Camp Siegfried.
Ernst Mueller, head of the German American Settlement League, disguised the nature of his organization and the plans for the site when he made the purchase (1935). Mueller after the purchase publicized the purchase and invited League, Bund, and other members to visit the beautiful lake side property as a weekend trip from New York. upon completion of the property transfer prepared a letter that was sent to members of the League, the German American Bund and other organizations of German Americans, inviting all to visit this beautiful lakeside property. Most of those Mueller appealed to were post-Wiorld War I German immigrants, a very small part of the German-American community. A Long Island Railroad special train was arranged from Flatbush Avenue, Brooklyn. After it was reealized just what was going on at the camp, many locals were not pleased with the weekend German meetings.
A nearby property was subsequently purchased for youth activities (1035). It did not have at first have a lake front. It was called Camp Siegfried. The first accomodations were tented platforms. Bund members purchased some land adjacent to the lake (1937). The land was owned by Georgia Hammond and was situated on the Middle Island Road between the Heywood Shannon and Daniel Neger properties. The parcel totaled 11 acres, inclusing 3 acres underwater. A two story house was at this site on Middle Island Road. The price paid was $8,500. The house was used for living quarters for some of the camp leaders, providing much improved facilities. The plot was hilly and overgrown with brush. As a result, a great deal of work was needed to create a functioning camp. The campers themselves were put to the task. Some parents complained about the grueling work. Some trees had to be cut down and the brush cleared. This created an area for platforms and tents which served as accomodations for the campers. As the camp was organized, the children were separated by gender and age groups. Here Hitler Youth-type activities were staged. Both boys and girls participated. [Neuss] The NAZI swastica flag was often flown. The children has uniforms similar to the Hitler Youth,. The boys had brown shirts, but the short pants varied. Some boys did not have the black corduroy shorts like the ones worn by the HJ boys in Germany, The girls had white blouses. This photograph was taken at the German-American camp, Camp Siegfried at Yaphank on Long Island. The photograph was dated September 15, 1937, but may have been taken a little earlier during the summer. The camp program included indoctrination in Nazi idelogy, with a heavy emphasis on race pride and the need to build the Aryan race. The camp was on the east shore of the Upper Lake, but there was no beach. The German Youth thus marched en masse to the beach. This often irritated the locals because it was not a large beach. Three of the boys involved were arrested and convicted of espionage. More served honorably in the armed forces after Pearl Harbor.
Ironically, after World War II, the U.S. War Department transferred the Camp Upton site to the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). The American atomic bomb program had been a priority target of tGerman espionage during the War. It is now used for the Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Miller, Marvin D. Wunderlich’s Salute.
Neuss, Gustave. "The German American Bund" (November, 2002). Neuss father collected information on the Bundists and turned it ovedr to the localm police who nfowarded uit to the FBI.
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