"Did a Nazi sympathizer once represent Minnesota in the U.S. Senate?"

[dflprincess]

Rachel Maddow's podcast inspired this "Curious Minnesota" article.

It's a very long article so a snip from it can't do it justice. One thing I learned, I believe Maddow referred to him as a Republican and he was originally was elected to the State House & Congress as one (he only served 1 term). But, per this article, when he ran for the Senate in 1936 he ran and was elected as a Farmer-Laborite. That party tapped him as its candidate after Floyd B. Olson died.

https://www.startribune.com/ernest-lundeen-george-sylvester-viereck-nazi-propaganda-world-war-2/600252419/

The catastrophic 1940 plane crash that killed U.S. Sen. Ernest Lundeen silenced one of the country's leading opponents of American intervention in World War II.

But it wouldn't be long before a sinister claim emerged about the longtime Minnesota politico: He was spreading Nazi propaganda.

Lundeen is the unlikely star of the opening episode of "Ultra," a hit MSNBC podcast hosted by Rachel Maddow that was released last fall. It's about efforts in the 1930s by extremist right-wing elements in the United States, aided and abetted by Nazis, to keep the nation out of World War II and perhaps even install a fascist regime in Washington.

"I've never heard this story, and I pretty much grew up here," she said. "Where was Lundeen from? Was he a spy? What he did — did that have something to do with the plane crash?"

It's a good question, since even the basic facts of the story sound like something out of a screenplay — enough that Steven Spielberg is pursuing a film based on the podcast....

[ramapo]

1. One of many in Congress

Ultra is an amazing story. I was completely unaware of the extent of support for Hitler in this country prior to Pearl Harbor. It sure isnt/wasn’t taught in school.

[Trueblue Texan]

2. Sadly during that period of time...

There were multiple members of Congress from both parties who were Nazi sympathizers and agents. Keep listening to Ultra...it's a fascinating and shocking report of how far fascism developed in our nation. Makes today's development growing right wing threat even more frightening.

[PostTruth]

3. Interesting story

Thanks.

[geardaddy]

4. Lindbergh was the face of American Nazi support

When are we taking his damn name off the MSP Airport?

[dflprincess]

5. At least a lot of the signs now say Terminal 1

But I agree his name should be removed completely.

I gather he really was an all around jerk