View source for Franz K. Ferenz

'''Franz K. Ferenz''' (November 25, 1889 - February 24, 1956) was a [[California]] member of the [[German American Bund]] and a defendant in the [[Great Sedition Trial of 1944]]. He later became a noted California artist.<ref>[http://www.askart.com/askart/f/franz_k_ferenz/franz_k_ferenz.aspx Franz K. Ferenz on Ask Art]</ref> 

Conflicting reports claim he was born in [[Vienna, Austria]] or in Burgenland, a German minority enclave in Hungary. He came to the United States in October, 1914 and later became a US citizen.

Ferenz was an avid  promoter of [[National Socialism]] in southern California. He ran the [[Continental Book Shop]] at 2509 West 7th Street, Los Angeles and published a collection of essays titled ''Hitler: What Every American Should Know About the Man Whose Influence is Felt the World Over''.<ref>[http://www.ajcarchives.org/AJC_DATA/Files/THR-AF12.PDF Subversive Activities in the America First Committee in California]</ref> He leased several theaters where he showed films from [[NS Germany]].

Ferenz joined the [[Friends of New Germany]] in September 1933, and later became a member of the German American Bund.

Ferenz worked with fellow accused seditionists [[William Dudley Pelley]] in [[Hollywood]] and with [[Robert Noble]] and [[Ellis O. Jones]] leaders of [[The Friends of Progress]].<ref>''American Political Trials'', by Michal R. Belknap, p. 185</ref> Ferenz was also a defendant in the [[Friends of Progress subversive trial]]. He was convicted of violating California's sedition law and served time in San Quentin Penitentiary.

One of those who monitored the activities of Franz Ferenz was [[Joseph Roos]] a Jewish immigrant from Vienna who reported on National Socialist activities in southern California. Roos prepared an unpublished manuscript on Franz  Ferenz.<ref>[http://www.usc.edu/libraries/finding_aids/records/finding_aid.php?fa=0313 Finding Aid of the Joseph Roos papers]</ref> 

Franz K. Ferenz is buried in Grand View Memorial Park alongside his wife Dorothy (1902-1984) in Glendale, California.<ref>[http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=pv&GRid=16311171&PIpi=57202365 Franz K. Ferenz at Find a Grave]</ref>
==Notes==
<small>{{Reflist|2}}</small>
[[Category:Fascists]]
[[Category:Great Sedition Trial]]


[[Category:Artists]]
[[Category:Bookstore owners]]
[[Category:Friends of Progress]]