H. Keith Thompson

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Harold Keith Thompson (born 1922 in New Jersey^[1]) is a New York City-based corporate executive^[2] and a figure within American far right circles. Thompson is a graduate of Yale University.^[3]

Contents 1 Early life 2 Post-war activism 3 International ties 4 Republican Party and recent work 5 Writing 6 References

[edit] Early life

Thompson began his political career before America's entry into World War II when he campaigned against involvement as a member of the German American Bund and the America First Committee.^[4] In this role he came to the attention of Nazi Germany and was appointed as a Special Agent of the Sicherheitsdienst Overseas Intelligence Unit on July 27 1941.^[5]

After the war Thompson returned to Yale University in 1946 and completed his studies before embarking on an expedition to Antarctica.^[6] This was as part of Operation Highjump under the command of Rear Admiral Richard Evelyn Byrd.^[7] He would soon befriend Otto Skorzeny and worked alongside him in setting up ODESSA.^[8]

Alongside his political activities Thompson also found work in public relations and this remained his area of employment.^[9]

[edit] Post-war activism

Thompson became a close ally of Otto Ernst Remer and in 1951 when he registered with the United States Department of Justice as the American representative for the Socialist Reich Party, a position he held until the group was banned in 1952. Around the same time he also became involved with the National Renaissance Party.^[10] His political involvement brought him into contact with Francis Parker Yockey whilst both men were campaigning for Remer's release from prison during the 1950s. Thompson and Yockey remained close allies until the latter's death in 1960.^[11]

Thompson nailed his colours to the mast by writing an article entitled 'I Am an American Fascist' for Exposé magazine in 1954. In the article he praised the Third Reich and Adolf Hitler and condemned the Nuremberg Trials as 'vicious and vilely dishonorable'.^[12] As a result of this he became linked to the International Association for the Advancement of Ethnology and Eugenics and published a number of pamphlets on their behalf.^[13]

[edit] International ties

Seeking to expand international contacts, Thompson visited Cairo in an attempt to forge links with the Nasser regime.^[14] More concrete links were established with Mohammad Amin al-Husayni and Johann von Leers as part of a wider policy of building up contact with the Islamic world.^[15]

[edit] Republican Party and recent work

Along with a number of far right activists Thompson has also been involved on the fringes of the Republican Party. Independently wealthy, he has contributed to the campaigns of such radical right figures in the GOP as Jesse Helms, David Duke, Oliver North and Pat Buchanan. His activities for the party were such that he was awarded membership of their Presidential Legion of Merit as a result.^[16]

Thompson has largely disappeared from the scene in recent years due to his advancing age. In the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing he re-emerged to initially welcome the attack although he has since revised his position and instead denounced it as a government act designed to destroy the reputation of the far right.^[17]

[edit] Writing

Thompson's involvement in writing dated back to his early post-war years, whilst he also worked as a publisher and literary agent (where his clients have included Fulgencio Batista, Carol II of Romania and Hans-Ulrich Rudel).^[18] Alongside this he has since became a writer for Journal of Historical Review, his articles including Grand Admiral Karl Doenitz: Last President of a United Germany.^[19] A subsequent book Dönitz at Nuremberg: A Re-Appraisal was also edited by Thompson.^[20] Thompson was in fact offered a position on the board of policy of the Liberty Lobby, although he turned it down stating that he only wanted to take one loyalty oath in his life (to Hitler when he joined the SD).^[21]

[edit] References