Baruch, Ludwig Alfred (Oral history)

German Jewish civilian in Hamburg, Germany and Liverpool, GB, 1929- 1939; internee in GB, 1939-1940; internee aboard SS Arandora Star in Atlantic, 1940 including sinking, 7/1940; internee aboard SS Dunera during voyage from GB to Australia, 1940; internee in Tatura Internment Camp in Australia, 1940-1942; civilian member of Communist Party of Great Britain in Manchester, GB, 1942-1945

REEL 1 Background in Hamburg, Germany, 1917-1929: family; education; relations between Jews and gentiles in Hamburg during 1920s. Aspects of emigration to Liverpool, GB, 1930: emigration to Liverpool, 1930; depression in Hamburg, 1929-1930; impressions of state of Liverpool after Hamburg, 1930; reception on arrival in GB. Aspects of period as civilian in Liverpool, GB, 1930-1939: education in Liverpool, 1930-1933; reasons for expulsion from school; reasons for joining Young Communist League, 1932; memories of Jack Jones; Communist-Labour Party relations in Liverpool during 1930s; employment in clothing industry; positions held in Young Communist League; reasons for not going to Spain, 1936-1939. REEL 2 Continues: Communist Party of Great Britain policy towards who should be permitted to volunteer for Spain; his support for Britain's declaration of war on Germany, 3/9/1939; his attitude towards German-Soviet Pact, 8/1939; Communist Party of Great Britain's attitude towards Second World War, autumn 1939. Recollections of period as internee in GB, 1939-1940: internment, 10/1939; how his parents' were refused naturalisation because of his Communist Party activities during 1930s; conditions of his confinement in police station in Liverpool, 10/1939; prior recollection of the smuggling of Communist literature into Germany during 1930s; train journey from Liverpool to Clacton then Seaton; fate of father during internment; internment at Seaton, 10/1939-1/7/1940. REEL 3 Continues: types of internees at Seaton, 1939-1940; establishment of German and Austrian Communist Party groups at Seaton; relationship between Communists and Nazis internees at Seaton; effect on Nazis internees morale after sinking of Graf Spee, 12/1939; his belief in eventual German defeat and prospect of invasion of GB, 5/1940; appearing before tribunal in London, 1/1940; interview with MI5 at Oratory School in London, 1/1940. Aspects of period as internee aboard SS Arandora Star in Atlantic, 7/1940 including sinking 2/7/1940: embarkation at Liverpool; recruitment of interned German merchant seamen to Communist Party; torpedoing of ship, 2/7/1940. REEL 4 Continues: sinking of ship and period in sea; rescue by Canadian destroyer; arrival at Greenock. Aspects of period as internee aboard SS Dunera on voyage from GB to Australia, 1940: embarkation at Liverpool; beatings and robbery of internees on landing stage by Pioneer Corps at Liverpool, 7/1940; U-boat scare off Africa coast; issue of quinine to internees off Africa; attitude of Pioneer Corps guards; conditions on board for internees; physical fitness of internees on board; refusal to hand over valuables to Pioneer Corps officers. Recollections of period as internee at Tatura Internment Camp in Australia, 1940-1942: arrival in Fremantle, 9/1940; financial situation arrival in Melbourne, 9/1940. REEL 5 Continues: reaction of guard during train journey from Melbourne to Tatura that new arrivals were not Nazis; arrival at Tatura Internment Camp; demand of internees to be separated from Nazis and Nationalists; contrast between economic background of Nazis and Nationalist internees; opinions of internees about likely outcome of Second World War; question of work for internees; contact with Australian labour movement, Catholic and Jewish welfare organisations; his handicraft work in camp; lack of concern of Australian authorities over political content of internee letters; official visitors to camp; internee campaign to return to GB to fight; political differences between internees in Tatura and Hey camps; application to migrate to US; arrival of Japanese internees, 12/1941. REEL 6 Continues: deficiencies of Australian intelligence services; leaving Australia, 7/1942. Aspects of period as internee at Douglas, Isle of Man, GB, 1942: voyage from Australia to GB; internment at Douglas; appearance before Henderson Tribunal in London, 11/1942; release from internment, 21/12/1942; maintenance of Communist Party membership during internment; money made from tailoring work in Tatura Camp in Australia. Recollections of period as civilian member of Communist Party in Manchester, GB, 1942-1945: financial aid from Communist Party of Great Britain on release from internment, 12/1942; employment making uniforms; resumption of Trade Union and Communist Party activities; work as proof reader on Communist newspaper; refusal by Manchester Police to allow him to do war work; attempt of Manchester Police to recruit lodger to spy on him; restrictions on his movements after his release from internment. REEL 7 Continues: work he did with German POWs; ex-SS POW he befriended who had been on mission to rescue Mussolini, 1943; lack of anti-Semitism experienced. Question of nature of anti-Semitism in Germany.