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Millions of Europeans were displaced by World War II. This began well before the War when Jews and political disidents were forced to fleethe country. Thus at the outbreak of the War (September 1939), there were substantial numbers of German citizens in Brtain, many of them were Jews and anti-NAZIs. The British detained 28,000 Germans (including Austrians). The pro- and anti-NAZIs were at first interned together in the same facilities. And as some of the Kinder Transport children began to turn 18, they were also interned. The British proceeded to intern all German nationals, regardless of their political orinentation or religion. Authorities did the same when Italy declated war (June 1940). The internment camps were on the Isle of Man. This was a location isolated from the British mainland and had holiday accommodation that becuse of the War could not be used. (The English Channel was no longer alace to take vacations.) The British classified these individuals as "Alien Civilians", the same term as used in World War I. The Government at first moved to move these alien civilians. The Government when a German invasion seemed eminent decided to move them to Canada nd Australia where they would not pose a danger. The Arandora Star carrying German and Italian aliens was torpedoed and sunk (July 1940). The result was 743 deaths, including prisoners, crew, and guards aboard the vessels. There were 813 enemy aliens who survived. They were subsequently included in the 2,500 aliens men transported aboard HMT Dunera for internment in Australia.
There were a small number of German spies and saboteurs that the Germans had inserted or recruited. A few more were inserted during the War. The British MI-5 very quickly rounded up the German agents. We do not have details on how the British questioned the German agents. We do know there were a number of executions which was acceptable under internsaional law. The Brtish used he Tower of London during both World Wars for executions. Captured German spies were shot there. German Corporal Josef Jakobs was shot for espionage (August 15, 1941). Threatened with execution, MI-5 managed to turn several of the agents who were useful in transmitting disinformation to the Abwehr.
Millions of Europeans were displaced by World War II. This began well before the War when Jews and political disidents were forced to flee the country. Neigboring countries were hard-pressed to deal with the refugees. The British limited the entry of these refugees. An exception was made for the Kindertransport children. They were, however, classified as enemy aliens when they turned age 18 years.
At the outbreak of the War (September 1939), there were substantial numbers of German citizens in Brtain, many of them were refugee Jews and anti-NAZIs. The Kindertranhsport children were all enemy aliences. Identifying who was who is a little more complicated than it sounds. A good way for the Abwehr to insert agents was to have them claim to be anti-NAZIs, so some care needed to be taken in identifying who was and was not an anti-NAZI. And even anti-NAZIs had to be treated with care. The NAZIs could pressure them by threatening relatives.
The British detained 28,000 Germans (including Austrians). We are not positive about the time line. We believe the Germans were interned (May 12). The Italians were interned after Italy declared war shortly after. We are not sure yet just how the women were treated. Almost all the German and Italianm men between age 18-69 were in custofy (July). The pro- and anti-NAZIs were at first interned together in the same facilities. And as some of the Kinder Transport children began to turn 18, they were also interned. The British proceeded to intern all German nationals, regardless of their political orinentation or religion. Authorities did the same when Italy declated war (June 1940).
The internment camps were on the Isle of Man. This was a location isolated from the British mainland and had holiday accommodation that becuse of the War could not be used. (The English Channel was no longer a place to take vacations.)
The British classified these individuals as "Alien Civilians", the same term as used in World War I.
Initiallt there were wnwaranted incidents of the internees being abused. Officials soon corrected this situation. The internees were well fed, receivedmedical care, and were not forced to perform labor. Living conditions were adequate.
The Government at first moved to transfer the alien civilians. The Government when a German invasion seemed eminent decided to move them to Canada and Australia where they would not pose a danger. The British may have also been influenced by the Fench action turning Luftwaffe POWs over to the Germans. The Arandora Star carrying German and Italian aliens was torpedoed and sunk (July 1940). The result was 743 deaths, including prisoners, crew, and guards aboard the vessels. There were 813 enemy aliens who survived. They were subsequently included in the 2,500 aliens men transported aboard HMT Dunera for internment in Australia. A Canadian Jewish reader writes, "Many of the German civilians including Jewish /Germans were sent here to Canada to be held in camps. My dad was a guard at one of these camps until 1942. There were also German soldiers, airmen, and U-boat crew members in the camp to which he was assigned. This made things very difficult for the Jewish internees. The POW camp was here in Quebec not far from Montreal. The British/Canadian authorities finally accepted the idea that not all German civilians were pro-NAZI and the Jewish civilians were released in 1942. While my dad was a guard there he never knew that some of those civilians were Jewish. He only found out about this aspect when I showed him a book I was reading about one of these released internees here in Canada. Can't think of the name of the book right now, sorry. But it did give my dad a shock."
There were a small number of German spies and saboteurs that the Germans had inserted or recruited. Most were inserted after the outbreak of the War, especially the fall of France. The British MI-5 very quickly rounded up the German agents. Aelsh nationalist played an important role in this as well as cracking the Enigma Machine. We do not have details on this process or as to how the British questioned the German agents. Perhaps some of our readers will know something about this. We would guess that they were not treated like POWs with all the rights guaranteed by the Geneva Convention. We do know there were a number of executions which were acceptable under internsaional law. The Brtish used he Tower of London during both World Wars for executions. Captured German spies were shot there. German Corporal Josef Jakobs was shot for espionage (August 15, 1941). Threatened with execution, MI-5 managed to turn several of the agents, many of whom were not committed NAZIs--the Double CRoos program. They proved useful in determining German intentions and were useful in transmitting disinformation to the Abwehr. The Germans never learned thattheir network had been rolled up and even awarded some of the pervayors of misinformtion Iron Crosses.
President Obama referred to how well the British treated "enemy detainees" in World War II when he was asked about the Bush Administration's water boarding during his April 29, 2009 press conference. It is not all together clear just who he was referring to. "Detainee" is not a term used by the British in World War II. It is a term in modern American parlance for the inviduals held in Guantamo and other places. Presumably it was not the interned enemy civilians President Obamawas referring to, but rather German spies and saboteurs. We do not yet have details about how the British questioned these individuals, but we suspect that it was not a gentle procedure. We do know that German spies who refused to cooperate were shot. Such executions took place in the Tower of London. We are mistified why President Obama would refer to this as preferable to water boarding. The reporters in the news conference, as is usually the case with the fawning press corps, did not press him for details. We suspect it just reflects the President left-wing mindset of constantly denigrating the United States without actually looking into the specifics.
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