Richard Rashke - Useful Enemies

55 “Appalling laxness”: Ralph Blumenthal, “Rep. Holtzman Calls U.S. Lazy on Nazi Inquiries,” NYT, May 21, 1974.

Artukovic. NA, RG 263, CIA Name Files, Boxes 1, 2, and 4; RG 65, FBI Name Files, Boxes 5 and 74–76.

Bolschwing. NA, RG 263, CIA Name Files, Box 7.

Breitman and others, U.S. Intelligence and the Nazis.

Feigin, The Office of Special Investigations. Final Report of the International Commission on the Holocaust in Romania, November 11, 2004.

Holtzman, author’s interview.

Maclean, Fitzroy. The Heretic: The Life and Times of Josip Broz Tito. New York: Harper, 1957.

Ruffner, Kevin Conley. “A Valuable Man We Must Control.” In Eagle and Swastika: CIA and Nazi War Criminals and Collaborators. History Staff of the CIA, Washington, DC, 2003. Draft Working Paper, Chapter Eight. NA, RG 263, CIA Subject Files, “CIA and Nazi War Criminals and Collaborators,” Box 29, folders 1 and 2.

Ryan, Quiet Neighbors.

Saidel, The Outraged Conscience.

Simpson, Blowback.

Summers, The Arrogance of Power.

This is Artukovic! New York: Yugoslavian Information Center, 1958.

Trifa. NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files, Boxes 158–160.

United States of America: In the matter of Valerian Trifa, a/k/a, Viorel Trifa. File No. A 7819396. Proceeding transcripts, October 4, 1982.

57 Most of the important documents referenced in CIA Record Group 263 and FBI Record Group 65 are still classified. Some photocopies that are available are impossible to read.

57 “Some Ustachi collected”: Maclean, 125.

57 “Catholic priests were”: Ibid., 125–26.

57 No one knows for sure how many Serbs were murdered. Estimates run from 300,000 to 700,000. The latest research places the number between 300,000 and 400,000.

57 The commandant of Jasenovac was “the most notorious butcher” Father Franc Miroslav Majstorovic-Filipevic. The quote comes from This is Artukovic!, which took it from survivor Dr. Nikola Mikolic’s memoir, Jasenovac. When the Yugoslavian embassy published the booklet, the U.S. government dismissed it as communist propaganda.

57 Other Ustashi priests included Zvonko Brekale, Culina (first name unknown), Zvonco Lipovac, Krunoslav Dragonavic, and Simic (first name unknown). After the war, communist Yugoslavia convicted Croatian archbishop Stepinac of war crimes. In Catholic circles, he is considered a martyr.

57 “Himmler of Croatia”: The term was used by the government of Yugoslavia to describe Artukovic’s crimes.

58 According to the CIA, John Artukovic was a founder of the Iron Guard organization in California. NA, RG 263, CIA Name Files, CIA report 5990 JICAME, April 14, 1944.

58 He and his rich friends: The bill, HR-2185, was repeatedly introduced by California representative James Utt. See NA, RG Group 65, FBI Name Files, “Andrija Artukovic Internal Security-YU,” March 10, 1961.

59 The quotations from the Trifa manifesto are taken from a copy of the leaflet handed out at the January 21 demonstration. The handout contains the entire text of the manifesto and ends with the words “Viorel Trifa, President of the National Union of Christian Romanian Students.” Researchers found a copy of the leaflet in Romanian archives.

60 “The wretched victims”: Final Report, 8.

60 According to an eyewitness: This and following allegation are from: NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files. FBI interviews with George Muntean, a student leader in the Iron Guard, Nov. 18, 1955, and Nicholas Martin, Oct. 5, 1955. The eyewitnesses testified during the trial of Trifa in absentia in Yugoslavia after the war. The accounts have not been independently verified by OSI or others. Also see: Washington Field Office/SAC to Director, Subject: “Viorel Donise Trifa,” NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files, May 5, 1955. The FBI made no attempt to verify the accounts.

60 Trifa either taught at Rosano or Pesaro under the alias “Chiacu.” FBI letter from Detroit SAC to Director, NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files, April 4, 1952.

62 Ukrainian Metropolitan archbishop John Theodorovich consecrated Trifa bishop in Philadelphia in the Church of the Descent of the Holy Ghost in April 1952. The archbishop acted despite a court injunction against the ordination filed by Bishop Moldovan. Trifa eventually won the lawsuit and was legally recognized as the head of the U.S. ROC. Moldovan’s parishioners in Akron expelled him. Moldovan died in 1963.

62 At the recommendation of: Summers, 498, fn 2. For the text of the prayer see Congressional Record, May 11, 1955.

62 Trifa was a friend of Malaxa: FBI report from the Washington Field Office to the Director, NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files, May 26, 1954.

62 The Charles Kremer story is based on Blum, Saidel, Ryan, and Ralph Blumenthal, “Dr. Charles Kremer, 89, Dies; Pressed Trifa War Crime Case,” NYT, May 28, 1987.

62 Moldovan whispered: Saidel, 32.

62 Saidel also names Father Gucherie Moraru as someone who told Kremer about Trifa’s true identity. Moldovan got an injunction against Trifa’s ordination but he lost: “Judge Cites Bishop for Court Contempt,” NYT, May 1, 1952.

62 Princess Ileana of Romania testified before Congress against Moldovan, whom she considered a communist collaborator: “Princess Tells of Romanian Plot,” CT, May 17, 1956.

62 “These charges were”: The December 22, 1971, letter is quoted by Saidel, 37–38.

62 Kremer fed the story to the NYT: Ralph Blumenthal, “Bishop Under Inquiry on Atrocity Link,” Dec. 26, 1973.

63 Bishop Trifa admitted: Hillary H. Ward, “Bishop Admits Past Pro-Fascist Ties,” DFP , Aug. 27, 1972.

65 Keep communist Romania from: Hoover was worried about communists infiltrating the Iron Guard in America. FBI report 105–478, SAC Detroit to Director, NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files, Jan. 18, 1955.

65 Iron Guard priests as pastors: “Was attempting to infiltrate the Romanian Orthodox parishes in the United States with priests who were former members of the Iron Guard so that the Church would eventually become a political rather than an ecclesiastical entity.” FBI Report by Detroit office, G. Maylon Miller, NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files. April 6, 1955. Also, SAC/ Washington Field Office report 105–2153 to Director, May 1, 1955, ibid.

65 “Invaluable information”: FBI report, SAC Detroit to Director, NA, RG 65, Oct. 20, 1954.

65 “Trifa is not”: Justice Department Memorandum, “Re: U.S. vs Valerian Trifa,” NA, RG 65, FBI Name Files, April 6, 1979. This memo is in response to an OSI request for information about the FBI’s use of Trifa as a confidential source. See also NYT: Ralph Blumenthal, “Bishop is Facing Expanded Inquiry,” April 5, 1974; Ralph Blumenthal, “U.S. Accuses Michigan Bishop on Naturalization,” July 1, 1975; Ralph Blumenthal, “U.S. Challenging Bishop As Citizen,” March 29, 1975; “Rumania Gives U.S. Data in Case Against Bishop Called Ex-Fascist,” June 24, 1979; Ari L. Goldman, “Valerian Trifa, an Archbishop With a Fascist Past, Dies at 72,” Jan. 29, 1987. See also DFP: Aug. 27, 1972; July 6, 1979; July 17, 1983. Philadelphia Inquirer: April 30, 1952. Detroit News: June 2, 1974. WP: April 29, 1983.

65 The Kremer FBI file consists of 136 pages. The quotes dealing with the FBI investigation of Kremer come from those documents. They are referred to in these chapter notes as “FOIA papers.”

65 “Mr. President”: Letter to President Johnson from Kremer is dated Jan. 30, 1967. A copy of the letter was in Kremer’s FBI file. FOIA papers.