Description
Object description
German Jewish journalist in Germany, 1933-1939; emigrated to GB, 2/1939; refugee in GB, 1939-1940; internee in Holloway Prison, London and in Rushen Internment Camp, Port St Mary, Isle of Man, GB, 1940-1941
Content description
REEL 1 Aspects of period as journalist in Germany, 1933-1939: education and employment in Germany; obtaining domestic work permit for GB; decision to emigrate to GB after Kristallnacht, 1938; emigration to GB, 2/1939; conditions for Jews in Nazi Germany; story of newspaper she worked for being forced to sack her as a Jew, 6/1933. Aspects of period as refugee in GB, 1939-1940: restrictions imposed by tribunal in GB, 1939; attitude towards treatment of refugees; question of denouncement of refugees; classification as 'enemy alien; at tribunal in Cheltenham, 4/1940; isolation from refugee organisations.
REEL 2 Continues: question asked by judge during tribunal; opinion of question of presence of spies amongst refugees; employment, 1939-1940. Aspects of period as internee in Holloway Prison, London, GB, 1940: circumstances of arrest, 6/1940; description of processing on arrival; accommodation; volunteering for work and daily routine; how volunteering for work meant avoiding being locked in cell; relations with wardresses.
REEL 3 Continues: treatment of Regulation 18B detainees; difficulty of communicating with outside world; end of day routine; medical inspections; preparations for move to Isle of Man. Recollections of period as internee in Rushen Internment Camp, Port St Mary, Isle of Man, 1940-1941: journey from Holloway Prison, London to Isle of Man; reception on arrival at Douglas; accommodation at Port St Mary including sharing double bed; organisation of camp schools by Minna Specht; further details of accommodation and catering arrangements; earning money by teaching language classes; service exchange credit voucher system.
REEL 4 Continues: ease of obtaining food and other good in camp; relations with landlady; types of people interned; intellectual and social groups in women's camp as compared with men's camp; Enemy Alien classifications of interned women; rumour of ill treatment of 'A' category internees at Holloway Prison; languages spoken; camp activities; classes and entertainments; visits of male internees to camp; question of dancing in camp; sexual relations in camp.
REEL 5 Continues: routine of camp life; hearing news of friends and family; morale; release procedure; reaction towards release, 4/1941; difficulty in finding employment on release; work for Association of Jewish Refugees after release; reasons for differing speeds of release; story of married couple having child whilst interned; positive aspects of internment.
