Anti-Nazi Freedom Movement

The Anti-Nazi Freedom Movement (German: Antinationalsozialistische Freiheitsbewegung, abbreviated ANFB) was a German anti-fascist organization based in Colombia during the Second World War.^[1] The group was set up in 1942 by Erich Arendt and Otto Weiland as a united front initiative.^[2][3] It was formed at a meeting at Barranquilla airport and the residence of Walter Rosenthal in Barranquilla in March 1942.^[4]

ANFB gathered trade unionists, liberal democrats, social democrats and communists, albeit dominated by the latter two groups.^[5][2] Leading figures in Bogota were the communist Arendt and the social democratic trade unionist Otto Priller.^[5] Another prominent figure was Conrad Togger, a bourgeois opponent to Hitler.^[4]

Weiland served as chairman of ANFB.^[4] Arendt served as the secretary of ANFB.^[6] Walter Rosenthal was the leader of ANFB in Barranquilla on the northern coast.^[7] ANFB published Europa Libre ('Free Europe').^[8]

ANFB was banned in January 1943, with Colombian authorities charging its members with disloyalty to their host country.^[9][4] In November 1943 the Democratic Committee for a Free Germany was founded as a continuation of the ANFB.^[4]