Description
Object description
German Jewish civilian in Hamburg, Germany and Liverpool, GB, 1929-1939; internee in Seaton Internment Camp, GB, 10/1939-7/1940; internee aboard HMT Arandora Star in North Atlantic, 6/1940-7/1940 including sinking, 2/7/1940; internee aboard HMT Dunera during voyage from GB to Australia, 7/1940-9/1940; internee in No 1 Internment Camp, Tatura, Australia, 9/1940-7/1942; internee in Douglas Internment Camp, Isle of Man, 9/1942-12/1942; member of Communist Party of Great Britain in Manchester, GB, 12/1942-8/1945
Content description
REEL 1 Background in Hamburg, Germany, 1917-1930: family; education; relations between Jews and gentiles in Hamburg during 1920s. Aspects of emigration from Hamburg, Germany to Liverpool, GB, 1930: emigration to Liverpool, 1930; depression in Hamburg, 1929-1930; impressions of state of Liverpool in comparison with Hamburg, 1930 reception on arrival in GB. Aspects of period living 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 Party of Great Britain-Labour Party relations in Liverpool, 1932-1939; employment in clothing industry; positions held in Young Communist League; reasons for not going to fight in Spain, 1936-1939.
REEL 2 Continues: Communist Party of Great Britain policy towards who should be permitted to volunteer for service in Spain; his support for British Government's declaration of war on Germany, 3/9/1939; attitude towards Nazi-Soviet Pact, 8/1939; Communist Party of Great Britain's attitude towards Second World War, 9/1939-10/1939. Recollections of arrest and period as internee in Seaton Internment Camp in GB, 10/1939-7/1940: arrest in Liverpool, 10/1939; how his parents' were refused naturalisation because of his Communist Party of Great Britain activities; 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 Seaton via Clacton-on-Sea; fate of father during internment.
REEL 3 Continues: types of internees in camp 1939-1940; establishment of German and Austrian Communist groups in camp; relations between Communist and Nazi internees in camp; effect on Nazi internees' morale after sinking of Admiral 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 London Oratory School, London, 1/1940. Aspects of period as internee aboard SS Arandora Star in North Atlantic, 6/1940-7/1940 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 HMCS St Laurent; arrival at Greenock. Aspects of period as internee aboard SS Dunera during voyage from GB to Australia, 10/7/1940-6/9/1940: embarkation at Liverpool; beatings and robbery of internees by Pioneer Corps guards on landing stage at Liverpool, 7/1940; submarine scare off coast of West Africa; issue of quinine to internees; attitude of Pioneer Corps guards; conditions for internees on board; physical fitness of internees; refusal to hand over valuables to Pioneer Corps officers. Recollections of period as internee at No1 Internment Camp, Tatura, Australia, 9/1940-7/1942: arrival in Fremantle, 9/1940; financial situation arrival in Melbourne, 9/1940.
REEL 5 Continues: reaction of guard to internees not being Nazis during train journey from Melbourne to Tatura; arrival at camp, 9/1940; demand of Jewish internees to be separated from Nazi and nationalist internees; contrast between economic background of Nazi 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; handicraft work carried out 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 internment camps at Tatura and Hey; application to migrate to United States of America; arrival of Japanese internees, 12/1941.
REEL 6 Continues: question of deficiencies of Australian intelligence services; leaving Australia, 7/1942. Aspects of period as internee at Douglas Internment Camp, Isle of Man, 9/1942-12/1942: voyage from Australia to GB; reasons for internment at Douglas Internment Camp; appearance before Henderson Tribunal in London, 11/1942; release from internment, 21/12/1942; maintenance of Communist Party of Great Britain membership during internment; prior recollection of money made from tailoring work in No 1 Internment Camp, Tatura, Australia. Recollections of period as member of Communist Party of Great Britain in Manchester, GB, 12/1942-8/1945: financial aid from Communist Party of Great Britain on release from internment, 12/1942; employment making uniforms; resumption of Trade Union and Communist Party of Great Britain activities; work as proof reader on Communist newspaper; refusal by Manchester City Police to allow him to do war work; attempt of Manchester City 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 prisoners of war; ex-Waffen SS prisoner of war he befriended who had been on mission to rescue Benito Mussolini, 1943; lack of anti-Semitism experienced; question of nature of anti-Semitism in Germany.
