Every so often, a book is produced that simply wraps up the whole story. Enemy aliens and internment world war ii safe haven. Government regulations required enemy aliens to register and limit. Based on central investigation bureau case histories.
In 1939 thousands of australian residents suddenly found themselves identified as potential threats to australia s national security. Joan beaumont is the director of the faculty of arts at the college of arts and social sciences at the australian national university, the author of gull force. List of concentration and internment camps wikipedia. While numerous books, films and photographs have explored the internment of japanese civilians in the united states and canada, the situation in australia has had limited coverage. Prisoner of war and internment camps in australia during ww2.
When mussolini made an alliance with hitler, which sent italy to war in june 1940, the army was instructed to prepare secure accommodation ready for an influx. Claudio alcorso, who had migrated to australia in 1938 as a refugee from mussolinis anti. List of japaneserun internment camps during world war ii. Internment camps world war i and australia research. Reference books the post history of internees and prisoners of war in australia during world war ii by phil collas. Citizenship and internment in australia during the second world war 9781876944605. This is a list of internment and concentration camps, organized by country. Internment camps were established for three reasons to prevent. We have a significant collection of personal papers of the internees and their australian guards. Enemy aliens or residents of australia with perceived links to axis nations were also placed in camps, for fear of enemy attack, spying or espionage. The internment of enemy aliens during the second world war was arguably the greatest stain on the allied record of human rights on the home front. This is a list of prisoner of war camps in australia during world war ii.
Christgaus afterword for this bison books edition relates additional stories of world war ii alien restriction, detention, and internment that surfaced after this book was originally published, and he draws parallels between the alien internment of world war ii and events in this country since september 11, 2001. Carl zoeller in internee identification photograph. This secondary source is a high quality academic source as the authors are all experts in this field. Paul hasluck, in his official war history, in general deplored the infringements of civil rights during the war, and was critical of. Within one week of the declaration of war, all german subjects in australia were declared enemy aliens and were required to report to the government and notify their address. However no book has been written exclusively about the italian australian internment experience. The act provided for civilian internees and prisoners of war to be accommodated in internment camps. Criterion a importance to the course, or pattern, of victorias cultural history. Internment had a devastating effect on individuals and families and left a lasting legacy of fear and hurt within the sizeable german community in australia after the war. This history and reference guide will help students and other interested readers to understand the history of this action and its reinterpretation in recent years, but it will also help readers to understand the japanese american wartime experience through the words. During world war ii internment of prisoners of war and enemy aliens in australia was administered under the national security act 1939. World war ii japaneseamerican internment camp documents. Published works can provide insight into life in the internment camps. Internment in australia however, was kept to a minimum mainly due to practical concerns such as the cost of investigating every nonbritish person as well as the economic disadvantages of keeping nonbritish residents in custody.
Loveday internment camp in the riverland district of south australia was one of many internment camps set up by the federal government in world war two to detain socalled enemy aliens. Japanese internment a dark chapter of australian history. Not widely know the internment camps of germans in. Internees were civilians who were deemed to be potentially dangerous to national security. Citizenship and internment in australia during the second world war. Captured lives, australias wartime internment camps by peter. As you might expect, the rules, procedures and conditions in ww2 were influenced by the geneva conventions updated between the wars, a history interesting in itself, see wikipedia as well as the lessons australia had learned from rather its indiscriminate system. Within one week of the declaration of war, all german subjects in australia were declared enemy aliens and were required to.
The internment of thousands of japanese americans during world war ii is one of the most shameful episodes in american history. Recommended books of general interest in the study of the pows. Captives of the empire publisher link the japanese internment of allied civilians in china 19411945. Saunderss 1993 study of internment in queensland and saunders and daniels 2000 comparative study of internment in australia and north america also contain material on italian australians. Captured lives, australias wartime internment camps tells the story of both interned civilians and pows, from both the world wars. Captured lives, australias wartime internment camps by. Civilian internees in australia the australian war memorial. Italians interned in australia during ww2 tighnabruaich, 195 clarence road, indooroopilly used to interrogate japanese prisoners during ww2. The collection documents aspects of daily life in the camp and highlights the creative ways in which inmates tried to preserve both culture and sanity under confinement. Some also held a mixture of pows and civilian internees, while others held solely civilian internees. Commonwealth government records about south australia. List of world war ii prisonerofwar camps in australia. During world war ii, the legal basis for this detention was under presidential proclamation 2526, made by president franklin delano roosevelt under the authority of the alien and sedition acts.
Internment started immediately following the outbreak of war in 1939, with a small number of germans being sent to tribunals for assessment as a potential danger to the country. However there were many others who were still free. The prime minister took on extraordinary wartime powers, the government enforced strict censorship of media and australians born in other countries mainly germany, italy, and japan were placed in internment camps. Various explanations over the years have been given for australias internment policy and its implementation. Prisoners of war were also sent to australia from other allied countries for internment in australia. Australia interned about 7000 residents during world war 2 and a further 8000 people were sent to australia after being detained by australia s allies overseas. Internment during world war ii in queensland took many forms. With the introduction of national security act 1939 during world war ii, thousands of men, women and children were placed into internment camps all over australia allowing the accommodation of internees and prisoners of war in internment camps. During ww2, the internment of enemy aliens in australia fell under the control of the national security act 1939.
That is that the narrative of german australian internment in world war ii stretches back to the germany of the chaotic and hyperinflationary weimar republic and to the relatively small nazi party. Survival and leadership in captivity, 19411945, and the editor of australian defence. Australia that the people whose case studies are analysed in this paper, were interned. At the start of the war many italian sugarcane cutters and shearers working in queensland with proaxis sentiments were interned. At its peak in 1942, more that 12 000 people were being interned in australia. World war ii japaneseamerican internment camp documents, 19421946 database online. Rottnest island internment camp german internees in wwi. Internment of enemy aliens australia in world war 2.
This led to panic that tens of thousands of australian residents might become saboteurs or spies. World war ii internment camps became home to german. It satisfies the following criterion for inclusion in the victorian heritage register. The camps and the system of internment the outbreak of fighting in europe in august 1914 immediately brought australia into the great war. During world war ii many enemy aliens were interned in australia under the national security act 1939. The camps and the system of internment german internees. Rottnest island had been used as a prison and then a tourist destination before the commonwealth government took it over at the outbreak of world war one for use as an internment camp.
It was the largest prison escape of world war ii, as well as one of the bloodiest. Prisoners of war were also sent to australia from other allied countries for internment in australia internment camps were established for three reasons to prevent residents from assisting australia s enemies, to. As the war progressed, britains difficulties in keeping up production demand, australias geographic isolation, and a differing focus on war policies and theatres, caused australia increasingly to obtain arms, equipment, and military assistance from the united states. Some of these camps were for prisoners of war pow only. The number of those who spent the war in such camps was, in fact, much higher than the 11,000 detainees. The cowra breakout occurred on 5 august 1944, when 1,104 japanese prisoners of war attempted to escape from a prisoner of war camp near cowra, in new south wales, australia. During the escape and ensuing manhunt, 4 australian soldiers and 231 japanese soldiers were killed.
Nikkei australia ww2 civilian internment in australia. Among the several books about the japanese american internment published in the past year e. Chapter two internments in australia during world war two. Mathew trinca is the general manager of collections and content at the national museum of australia. This collection provides details of foreign nationals interned by the british government during world war two. Three friends find themselves caught up in the war, especially as one is threatened with internment. Allied prisoners of war pows of german, italian and japanese origin, were brought here following capture in battle overseas.
Santo tomas internment camp, also known as the manila internment camp, was the largest of several camps in the philippines in which the japanese interned enemy civilians, mostly americans, in world war ii. Wholesale orders also available for booksellers and retailers. A class of german school children whose parents are interned at no. They faced summary arrest, their livelihoods and reputations were. In addition, we list those books that specifically give an overview of an area, combat zone, or issue of dispute.
In 1939 thousands of australian residents suddenly found themselves identified as potential threats to australias national security. As henderson makes clear, even though life in australias internment camps was often boring, especially for the children, in the main the germanaustralian internees were treated relatively well. An enemy alien was a person of german, italian, or japanese origin who was living in australia. Rottnest island is located off the coast of western australia near fremantle.
The national library of australia bookshop, located in canberra, sells books and merchandise by australian authors and artists, and prizewinning international books. An essay towards national self respect 1936 was once well known as an advocate for australian culture. Midway through the war, more than 12,000 people mostly men, but some women and children were interned in 18 camps around southern australia, including tatura in victoria, and cowra and hay in new south wales. Australia interned about 7000 residents during world war 2 and a further 8000 people were sent to australia after being detained by australias allies overseas. Wartime internment camps in australia during world war ii, australian authorities established internment camps for three reasons to prevent residents from assisting australias enemies, to appease public opinion and to house overseas internees sent to australia for the duration of.
On february 19, 1942, the japanese launched their first attack on australia, attacking darwin by air. Georgina fitzpatrick australian national university abstract. The outbreak of world war ii triggered a mass fear of invasion by germany and later japan. Those targeted were primarily german, italian and japanese civilians, including many women and children. As well as german internees, there were a large amount of japanese and italian being kept in internment camps. Camp 9, the oldest compound in the loveday internment camp complex, was constructed nearly a year before the first italianaustralian enemy aliens were captured and sent to south australia.
The past, violent century has visited widespread suffering upon noncombatants. This is a list of prisoner of war camps in australia during world war ii during world war ii many enemy aliens were interned in australia under the national security act 1939. Most records relating to internees and internment camps in australia are held at the national archives of australia. The papers of enemy aliens interned in australia, 19141919 collection contains the diaries and personal papers of internees, information on the administration and management of the camps, along with publications, drawings, concert and theatre programs produced by. See more ideas about internment, childrens books and japanese american. The whispers of war is one of many ww2 friendship books out this 2020. Commonwealth security measures during world war ii included the internment of a number of germanspeaking and italianspeaking emigrants suspected of subversive activities and a number of enemy nationals who arrived in australia after war was declared in september 1939.
Australia, the us and canada among many others interned their wartime enemy aliens behind barbed wire in crowded concentration camps. Inky stephensens internment experience in australia. This is an incomplete list of japaneserun military prisonerofwar and civilian internment and concentration camps during world war ii. The following books are recommended as they are based upon valid research, sufficient facts, and dialogue to give an understanding of the pow experience. Internment in australia during world war ii writework. The campus of the university of santo tomas in manila was utilized for the camp, which housed more than 3,000 internees from january 1942 until february 1945. The majority of these were german nationals, but the number also included us citizens of german descent. Australian war memorial id 03024614 photo by ronald leslie stewart. The tatura world war ii internment and pow camps collection is of aesthetic, technical, historical and social significance to the state of victoria. Asp 2016, david henderson, paperback, book condition new book nazis in our midst is a rich narrative that uncovers the remarkable personal stories of germanaustralians interned in australian internment camps during the second world war. World war ii internment camps became home to germanaustralians. Aug 14, 2014 while numerous books, films and photographs have explored the internment of japanese civilians in the united states and canada, the situation in australia has had limited coverage.
For information on relevant records, see the national archives fact sheet wartime internment camps in australia. As a result, 11,000 people were taken to doj camps. This is a list of prisoner of war camps in australia during world war ii during world war ii. A further 8000 people were sent to australia to be interned after being detained overseas by australia s allies. Carl zoeller, born karl zoller was born in grenzhausen, germany in 1896. Internment during the second world war compares and contrasts the experiences of foreign nationals unfortunate enough to be born in the wrong nation when great britain, and later the usa, went to war. The following list from the national archives of australia shows the locations of internment camps on australian soil with images sourced to accompany. Mar 30, 2020 as the war progressed, britains difficulties in keeping up production demand, australia s geographic isolation, and a differing focus on war policies and theatres, caused australia increasingly to obtain arms, equipment, and military assistance from the united states. The camps and the system of internment german internees in. In general, a camp or group of camps is designated to the country whose government was responsible for the establishment andor operation of the camp regardless of the camps location, but this principle can be, or it can appear to be, departed from in such cases as where a countrys borders or name has changed or it. Each is a significant contribution to understanding the pow and internee experience and each has been read and verified.
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