Biography
Benno Martini was secretary of the Federation of German Worker Clubs. The Daily Worker of February 6, 1936 reported that immigration agents arrested him without a warrant at the office of the German anti-fascist weekly Der Arbeiter on January 30. A hearing was scheduled at Ellis Island on February 6, with his right to remain in the United States defended by the American Committee for the Protection of the Foreign Born. A later contemporary report establishes his bail release; the final deportation outcome remains unverified.
Page 4 prints Benna Martini, describes an anti-Nazi leader in the United States, and lists him in the asylum campaign of the American Committee for Protection of Foreign Born and Ferrero-Sallito Defense Conference. This is defense context, with no new individual arrest or actual removal established. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1936/v13-n138-NY-jun-09-1936-DW-Q.pdf
The May 23, 1936 Daily Worker identifies the same German Workers Clubs secretary (printed Benno Martini), the January 30 Der Arbeiter arrest, and subsequent Ellis Island detention. It reports that he had been released on a $500 Political and Labor Bail Fund bond, with Irving Schwab representing him at the deportation hearing. June 15 was an ordered future deportation date, not evidence of an accomplished removal. The defense committee attributed the proceedings to Yorkville Nazi pressure. No exact bail-release day or completed custody total is supplied. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1936/v13-n124-NY-May-23-1936-DW-Q.pdf#page=2
The June 12, 1936 deportation-defense portrait group captions this individual by name: Benno Martini in the center row, first position, and Jos. Ganghofer in the center row, second position. The caption supports the added portrait, but does not establish a new detention, completed deportation or release. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/dailyworker/1936/v13-n141-NY-jun-12-1936-DW-Q.pdf#page=3
Abner Green's October 1936 Labor Defender account places Martini's Der Arbeiter office arrest and Ellis Island detention in 1935. That retrospective year conflicts with the stronger contemporary January 30, 1936 arrest report. The discrepancy is preserved without changing the established date or creating a second episode. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/labordefender/1936/v12-%5B10%5Dn10-oct-1936-orig-LD.pdf#page=17
Abner Green describes the warrantless Der Arbeiter office seizure and transfer to Ellis Island, followed by a telegraphic warrant. This retrospective labels it 1935, whereas date-specific contemporary reports establish January 30, 1936. The unusual office seizure identifies the same episode; its year discrepancy is preserved rather than replacing the exact date or creating a second arrest. Source: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/labordefender/1936/v12-%5B10%5Dn10-oct-1936-orig-LD.pdf#page=17
