Alan Berg

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Alan Berg (born January 1, 1934 in Chicago , Illinois , † June 18, 1984 in Denver , Colorado ) was an American lawyer and radio host . Berg was known for his liberal views and for his confrontational interview style.

On June 18, 1984, Berg was shot dead by members of the far-right terrorist group The Order in the driveway of his Denver home .

Life

Childhood and youth

Alan Berg grew up in a Jewish family in Chicago . He attended the University of Colorado Denver and then moved to the University of Denver . At 22, Berg was one of the youngest to pass the Illinois State Bar Association exams. He began working as a criminal defense lawyer in Chicago, but suffered a series of epileptic seizures and subsequently became an alcoholic . His then wife Judith Lee Berg (née Halpern) persuaded him to quit his law firm and seek help. The two moved to Denver and Berg underwent an opioid withdrawal . Although he successfully completed his treatment, he continued to have seizures. A brain tumor was eventually found that was surgically removed. Alan Berg from then on wore a pony to cover up the surgical scars.

Career as a radio presenter

Alan Berg initially worked as a shoe salesman and later opened a clothing store in Denver. There he met KGMC-AM presenter Laurence Gross. Gross, who liked Berg's style, had him appear several times on his show. When Gross left KGMC for San Diego , California , he made sure that Berg succeeded him.

KGMC later changed its name to KWBZ . Berg left the station and worked for the competing broadcaster KHOW . There he was released and returned to KWBZ , which shortly afterwards established itself as a pure music broadcaster. The now unemployed mountain was courted by KTOK in Oklahoma City , Oklahoma and Detroit , Michigan . He was eventually signed by KOA (AM) , made his debut on February 23, 1981, and stayed there until his death.

Its broadcasts have been received in more than 30 US states. Berg, who represented liberal social and political views, was known to annoy callers until they got angry. Berg then began to abuse them.

On March 5, 1982 Berg tried to conduct a telephone interview with Ellen Kaplan, a supporter of the Lyndon LaRouche movement who had recently become publicly known because of a dispute with the Kissinger couple . On February 7, 1982, Kaplan recognized the politician Henry Kissinger at Newark Airport and provoked him with an insulting question. Kissinger was on his way to Boston to undergo a bypass operation. His wife Nancy Kissinger then physically attacked Kaplan and touched her on the neck without injuring her too seriously. During his broadcast, Berg called Kaplan introducing her as a "disgusting person" and praising Nancy Kissinger's attack on her. After Kaplan hung up after a short time, Berg continued to insult and ridicule her for the rest of the show. After that, KOA received complaints from his listeners and Kaplan's friend. The lawyers of General Electric , the owner of the station, advised the station to take action and so Berg was suspended for a few days. With the resumption of his broadcasts, Berg moderated his style somewhat.

death

At 9:30 pm on June 18, 1984, Alan Berg returned to his Adam Street mansion from a meal with his ex-wife Judith. When Berg got out of his VW Beetle , he was shot at. Berg was hit twelve times by an Ingram MAC-10 that had been illegally converted into an automatic firearm. The weapon was later from a Hostage Rescue Team of the FBI of a member of in the apartment The Order ensured.

Four members of The Order were eventually arrested and charged by the federal government : Jean Craig, David Eden Lane , Bruce Pierce and Richard Scutari. Only Lane and Pierce were convicted, both not of murder , but of smuggling , conspiracy and violating Alan Berg's civil rights . There were practical and formal legal reasons for this somewhat unusual indictment. It resulted from the fact that bringing a murder lawsuit was a matter for the state, but only the latter charges were legitimate at the government level. Both perpetrators received heavy sentences. Lane was sentenced to 190 years and Pierce to 252 years. Both died in prison.

At the trial of members of The Order , Denver Parmenter, a founding member of the group, was asked the reason for Berg's shooting. He replied that Berg was generally considered anti-white and was Jewish. Berg was buried in a Jewish cemetery in Forest Park, Illinois.

Media preparation

Alan Berg's life and murder was highlighted in Stephen Singular's book Talked to Death: The Life and Murder of Alan Berg . Steven Dietz used the assassination as inspiration for his play God’s Country (1988), which in turn formed the basis for the films Betrayed and Talk Radio (both 1988). In 1999 the film was The Order - camaraderie of terror about the group The Order rotated.

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Biography . Internet Movie Database.
  2. ^ A b Estes, Clarissa Pinkola (May 30, 2007). The Ironies: White Supremacist Convicted of Slaying Alan Berg Dies ( December 15, 2007 memento in the Internet Archive ). The Moderate Voice.
  3. ^ Dennis King: Lyndon LaRouche and the new American fascism , Doubleday, 1989, p. 145
  4. ↑ Stephen Singular: Talked to Death , Berkeley 1989, page 147
  5. ↑ Flynn, Kevin (May 1, 2007). Fighting racism for 20 years - Neo-Nazi victim Alan Berg's ex-wife calls hate a 'disease' ( Memento from March 2, 2009 in the Internet Archive ). Rocky Mountain News .
  6. ↑ "Gun used in slaying of talk show host found." Lexington Herald Leader . December 18, 1984.
  7. ^ The murder of Alan Berg in Denver: 25 years later
personal data
SURNAME Berg, Alan
BRIEF DESCRIPTION American radio host
DATE OF BIRTH January 1, 1934
PLACE OF BIRTH Chicago , Illinois
DATE OF DEATH June 18, 1984
Place of death Denver , Colorado