Gangsters vs. Nazis: How Jewish Mobsters Battled Nazis in Wartime America by Michael Benson is essential reading for American or Jewish history buffs.

I heard about the book when I was pitched on Moguls, a biography about the Schenk brothers co-written by Benson. However, I didn’t respond to the May 2024 pitch until December 2024, at which point I also put in a request for Gangsters vs. Nazis so that I could review it. I honestly thought nothing about it until after watching Nazi Town, USA. Reading this book is what would lead me to watch both Lansky and All Through the Night. How there are not more films in the Gangsters vs. Nazis subgenre of movies is beyond me. Bruce David Klein has already acquired the film rights with plans to make a documentary.

I’ve read books that touched on the Nazis and Hollywood. But to read a book on how Jewish gangsters fought Nazis on American soil? It’s exciting to say the least. Obviously, there were ground rules set by Judge Nathan D. Perlman, who later served as chairman of the American Jewish Congress executive committee. Perlman called Lansky to set up a meeting in which they were joined by Rabbi Stephen Wise. This was in 1938. During their meeting, Perlman cave Lansky and his Jewish army permission to do everything but kill Nazis. Lansky was willing to do it for no pay and Perlman offered legal assistance and help with staying out of the press, if necessary.

By now, you’d have to be living in a cave to not know about the isolationist American First Committee and its efforts to keep America out of World War II. Chances are likely that you’re also familiar with the German American Bund’s Madison Square Garden rally on February 20, 1939. To set the context for what was happening stateside is that over 100 openly antisemitic groups were operating in the United States. There was a foothold in Los Angeles and of course, New York and New Jersey. Chicago and Middle America were not immune either.

When it came to gangsters vs. Nazis, Meyer Lansky, Longy Zwillman and Murder Inc. led the charge in Manhattan. In Newark, a prizefighter and bootlegger led the efforts when The Minutemen battled the Newark Nazis. Mickey Cohen was holding down the fort on the west coast. How much his efforts combined with Leon Lewis’ spy ring, I’m not sure. Jewish gangsters, prizefighters, and journalists were essential in taking the battle to the Nazis on American soil and I’m all the more grateful. The epilogue, following seven thematic parts, informs readers as to what happened to everyone featured throughout the book.

When it came time for the Chicago edition of Gangsters vs. Nazis, Judge Perlman reached out to Al Capone’s right-hand man, Jake “Greasy Thumb” Guzik. A few calls later, Herb Brin was asked to see Richard Gustadt, who headed up the ADL’s Chicago branch. Because of Brin’s light hair and blue eyes, he could go undercover and join Chicago’s German American Bund chapter. Davey Miller’s pool hall was a key location because it was next door to Miller’s boxing club. Brin’s contact at Miller’s club was Jacob “Sparky” Rubstein but everyone knows him better as Jack Ruby, the guy who murdered Lee Harvey Oswald in response to the JFK assassination. Sparky brought on boxer Barney Ross to join their efforts.

The main gangsters vs. Nazis battle in Chicago went down at the Germania Club. Bund PR director Wilhelm “William” Kunze was delivering his usual shpiel when Eric von Schroetter heckled him from the audience. von Schroetter led the Action Committee of German Progressive Organizations (ACGPO), an anti-Nazi organization in Chicago. As von Schroetter was being dragged out, the boys from the pool hall were spotted and things soon ensued. Arrests were made, charges were dropped, and as all this went down, Ernst Wilhelm Meyer resigned his role as First Secretary to the German Embassy in Washington, DC.

The Jewish gangsters were active in Chicago through at least 1939. There were eleven Jews arrested in 1938 when another gangsters vs. Nazis riot ensued as Bund members were watching a movie. While Judge Charles S. Dougherty “appreciated the motive,” he felt the best way to make Nazis go away was to ignore them. Ignorance is never the answer. If history has shown us anything, Nazis will not just walk away when ignored. The last incident came in 1939 when Fritz Kuhn came to town. There would have been more of a fight but the Chicago police had their own spies in place.

Michael Benson leaves no stone unturned in Gangsters vs. Nazis: How Jewish Mobsters Battled Nazis in Wartime America. People often talk about how they would punch a Nazi but I see too many of the same people outright dismiss left-wing antisemitism. Their silence and indifference to what happened on October 7 speaks volumes. They might talk a fine talk but they surely don’t walk the walk. As things stand, this is a rather important book that reminds of us a time when Jewish gangsters let Nazis know they were not welcome in America.

Gangsters vs. Nazis: How Jewish Mobsters Battled Nazis in Wartime America is available in bookstores.

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