Finding Aid to the National Socialist League Collection, 1928-2011
Coll2013.024
Finding aid prepared by Kyle Morgan as supervisor
Processing this collection has been funded by a generous grant from the National Historical Publications and Records Commission.
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
909 West Adams Boulevard
Los Angeles, California, 90007
(213) 741-0094
askone@ONEarchives.org
(c) 2013
Title: National Socialist League collection
Identifier/Call Number: Coll2013.024
Contributing Institution:
ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC Libraries, University of Southern California
Language of Material:
English
Physical Description:
0.4 linear feet.
1 archive carton
Date (inclusive): 1928-2011
Abstract: The collection consists of periodicals, correspondence, manuscripts, clippings, flyers, catalogs, brochures, subscription
forms, greeting cards and mass mailings created by the National Socialist League (NSL) and other related organizations, 1928-2011.
The NSL was a Los Angeles based organization of gay nazis from the 1970s to the mid-1980s run mainly by Russell R. Veh.
creator:
National Socialist League (U.S.).
creator:
Veh, Russell R.
Processing Information
Supervised by Kyle Morgan, 2013.
Historical Note
The National Socialist League (NSL) was a Los Angeles based organization of gay nazis from the 1970s to the mid-1980s. NSL's
main goal was to promote both (certain) gay rights and national socialist ideology. It was founded in the early 1970s by Jim
Cherry and was taken over by Russell R. Veh (pseudonym Russell R. Patton) in 1974. Though starting from Los Angeles, NSL opened
chapters in cities throughout the United States. The NSL published flyers and periodicals, mailed radical right-wing greeting
cards, organized nazi film screenings and tried to get involved in gay activism. However the organization was not well received
by the community and Russell Veh was forced to move out of Los Angeles (Echo Park) in 1980 and to thereafter hide his place
of residence.
The NSL published the quarterly periodical
NS Kampfruf until 1974 when the name changed to
NS Mobilizer. The publications contain self-written short articles about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories, anti-communism, historical
misrepresentation, current political nazi topics and "hero" worship. Besides the NSL, Russell Veh also ran World Service,
a mail order firm that sold nazi propaganda material, books and films including those about anti-Semitic conspiracy theories
and the Holocaust denial. The NSL periodical was later continued under the name
Race and Nation by the World Service.
Scope and Content
The collection consists of periodicals, correspondence, manuscripts, clippings, flyers, catalogs, brochures, subscription
forms, greeting cards and mass mailings created by the National Socialist League and other related organizations. It includes
issues of the periodicals published by the NSL,
NS Kampfruf and
NS Mobilizer, as well as materials about NSL member Russell R. Veh's World Service organization and its publication
Race and Nation. The collection contains material about NSL's attempt to participate at the Christopher Street West parade as well as NSL
advertisements, articles and interviews in gay newspapers. The collection includes some reprints of German Nazi propaganda
from 1928-1943.
Acquisition
The collection comprises two anonymous donations in 1979 and 2007 and a donation by Donald E. Smith in 2011.
Preferred Citation
[Box/folder #, or item name] National Socialist League Collection, Coll2013-024, ONE National Gay & Lesbian Archives, USC
Libraries, University of Southern California.
Arrangement
This collection is arranged in alphabetical order.
Conditions Governing Access
The collection is open to researchers. There are no access restrictions.
Conditions Governing Use
All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the ONE Archivist. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of ONE National Gay and Lesbian Archives at USC Libraries as the owner of the physical
items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained.
Separated Materials
Separated to the ONE Periodicals Collection
Entertainment West, no.119.
Separated to the ONE Subject Files Collection
Leathermen promotional materials.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
Hate speech--United States
Homophobia
Periodicals
White supremacy movements
Box 1, Folder 1
Christopher Street West correspondence and articles
1977-1978
Box 1, Folder 2
Clippings about the NSL and general nazi topics
1974-1983
Box 1, Folder 3
Correspondence and manuscripts
1943-2011
Box 1, Folder 4
Flyers and subscription forms
undated
Box 1, Folder 8
NS Mobilizer issues
1974-1983
Box 1, Folder 9
NS Mobilizer classified ads
undated
Box 1, Folder 10
Race and Nation issues
1985-1990
Box 1, Folder 11
Related organizations
1970-1974
Box 1, Folder 12
World Service advertisements, newsletters and catalogs
undated
Box 1, Folder 13
World Service brochures and flyers
1928-1976
