Italian military internees gedenkstatte ehrenhain zeithain. Top 10 books about postwar britain books the guardian. Ron bridge a requirement to establish a definitive list of british subjects interned as civilians by the japanese in concentration camps some euphemistically called civil assembly centres by tokyo has shown that no comprehensive list appears to be in existence. Discover delightful childrens books with prime book box, a subscription that. Nov 30, 2016 top 10 books about postwar britain from george orwell to john wyndham, novelist linda grant finds compelling reading about the strange interregnum that followed the defeat of nazi germany. Details of italian internees who died in australia 19411946 provides a little of the history for each internee resting at the ossario. Australian war memorial id 03024614 photo by ronald leslie stewart. By the early 1970s, as a result of recession in australia and growing prosperity in italy, more italian born people were leaving australia than entering. As was customary after italy and the us were at war, they were classified as enemy aliens and some were detained by the department of justice under the alien and sedition act. The tatura world war ii internment and pow camps collection is a rare contribution to the little known history of war camps in victoria, the policies implemented by the commonwealth government during world war two, and the stories of the people associated with the camps such as the dunera boys. Close to the war in the pacific, the area was seen as vulnerable to an invasion by the japanese.
Listen to italian internees on bbc world services witness i was then shown an old log book discovered in a secondhand bookshop of the italians held in. Books, images, historic newspapers, maps, archives and more. For those interested in reading about canadas contribution to the italian campaign during ww2 here are a series of books by the canadian military historian, mark zuehlke, that may interest some members. The greater part of this book is a detailed description of the 12 battles of the isonzo, which did indeed comprise the majority of military action on this front, but which did not take place in the alps. Japanese internment a dark chapter of australian history. More than 7,000 internees were deported, the majority to canada, some to australia. Prisoners of war were also sent to australia from other allied countries for internment in australia. Australia has long imprisoned the fleeing, the desperate, the alien and the radical.
During world war i and world war ii, australia held both prisoners of war and internees. In australia, they were interned with german, italian or japanese nationals. See more ideas about internment, australia and world war. German refugees from nazism including the dunera boys. Commonwealth of australia, august warrant for internment of enemy aliens. Some 18,400 italian prisoners of war out of 50,000 requested by the australian government, to be employed as farm labourers were transported from india to australia from 1943. Oct 25, 2017 civilian internees were generally disregarded in official histories, and few received formal recognition. Captured lives mentions over 30 of the main camps that were spread across australia during the two world wars. A twovolume alphabetical list of italian prisoners. 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. At the start of the war many italian sugarcane cutters and shearers working in queensland with proaxis sentiments were interned. They wore distinctive burgundycoloured army uniforms that branded them internees.
During ww2, the internment of enemy aliens in australia fell under the control of the national security act 1939. The book is based on indepth interviews with five groups of surviving german. Many scholars argue that the japanese were subjected to disproportionate internment because of racism by the white american government against asian minorities. Easy, secure checkout and flatrate shipping australia wide. List of world war ii prisonerofwar camps in australia. Italian prisoners of war and internees in india untold. Message 6 the story of the italians in britain ww2 posted on. The trigger was a letter sent from an internment camp in australia during world war ii, but only hand delivered 70 years later. Allied prisoners of war pows of german, italian and japanese origin, were brought here following capture in battle overseas. Civilian internees in australia the australian war memorial. This book deals with the italian frontthe oftenforgotten war between austriahungary and italy during wwi. World war ii enemy alien control program overview brief overview of the world war ii enemy alien control program. Internment of enemy aliens australia in world war 2. It had a substantial impact on the italian australian community and constituted a major disruption to the lives both of the internees and of those who remained on the outside.
Comparing the us interment of japanese, german, and italian. The italians at missoula were just a fraction of the 600,000 italian americans whom the u. The loveday internment group accommodated german, italian and japanese internees from the various states of australia, and internees and. These prisoners were referred to as italian military internees. The government deported most internees at the end of the war. Official australian world war two histories military books. Beginning in october 1943, in the wake of italys surrender on 8 september, several transports of italian prisoners of war arrived in zeithain. A class of german school children whose parents are interned at no. Museums victoria museums australia victoria victorian government. The first trainload of 458 italian internees arrived on 11 june 1941, after having been transferred from the camp at hay in western nsw.
List of names of prisoners of war held in australia during ww2. Note the tents in the background which were the living quarters for the inmates. It reflects the variety of religious and political groups within this community during the wwii period templers. Germans and italians were also interned because of their nationality, particularly. On 2nd july, 1940, he second of these ships, the arandora star, carrying 1,571 german and italian internees to canada, was torpedoed and sunk off the west coast of ireland, with the loss of 682 lives. It was world war two, and domenico mick camarda was one of an estimated 14,000 italian prisoners of war put to work on australias farms under a unique scheme. The collection comprises various objects including a soccer jumper. Bevege 1993 concentrates on the internment experience of germans and has relatively less to s ay about italians, a 48 minute video documentary on the tatura internment camp which housed mainly german internees and pows was. Ironically, however, civilian internees have become the subject of several influential books and films. Without diminishing its association with other nationalities mainly italian and japanese, the tatura world war ii internment and pow camps collection is particularly associated with the german community in victoria. Internees devoted their time to creative pursuits like theatre, musical ensembles, art and photography, while others involved themselves in sporting activities, gardening or studying. Italian internees were also sent to australia from palestine and new guinea. Folio wartimes camps italian internees and prisoners of. Internees from overseas national library of australia.
Prisoners of war were captured members of enemy military forces, or those who had surrendered. The hay internment and pow camps at hay, new south wales, australia were established during world war ii as prisonerofwar and internment centres, due in no small measure to the isolated location of the town. The entrance to no 14 camp of the loveday internment camp group. The dunera boys 70 years on after notorious voyage bbc news.
Or, as the title of her selfpublished book put it more sentimentally years ago, i loved an italian prisoner of war. Most japanese internees, including some who were born in australian, were sent back to japan in 1946. Italian internees footprints of italian prisoners of war in. Italian historical society database of italian civil internees including people living in australia at the time of capture, people resident in new guinea and the british protectorate of palestine, and passengers and crew from italian ships captured in australian waters. Immediately after the bombing of pearl harbor, president roosevelt issued presidential proclamations 2525, 2526, and 2527 to authorize the united states to detain allegedly potentially dangerous enemy aliens.
Black two ring folder with printed material enclosed in plastic sleeves. Mia spizzica has only seen her 84yearold father sob once. Italian and japanese experience in australia during both world war ii. From any genre so long as it is about the italian experience of the war or how italy and italians viewed the war. Agnes keiths account of internment in sandakan and kuching, three came home 1948, was one of the first of the memoirs. Internees were mostly enemy aliens from countries at war with 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. Pows in india were shipped to south africa to help build the railway there.
Lists of the majority of british military prisoners of war. By march 1942 many civilians, particularly westerners in the regions european colonies, found themselves behind enemy lines and were subsequently interned by the. Favourite ww2 books set in italy any book, fiction or nonfiction, set in italy during world war two. As many italian internees were released during 1943 it was decided to close no 9 compound and transfer the remaining italians to no 14d compound in the loveday internment camp group. Upon initial arrival in australia, the italian and nazi prisoners of war disembarked in melbourne, and then once the ship arrived in sydney on 6 september 1940, an australian. This is a guide to finding records of individual internees. During world war ii, internment camps were established at orange and hay in new south wales for ethnic germans in australia whose loyalty was suspect. Although many german and italian internees had us citizenship, the internment of european enemy nationalities focused on illegal aliens. Many ships carrying internees were torpedoed at sea in enemy action and these losses led to the end of the policy of deporting internees. During world war ii many enemy aliens were interned in australia under the national security act 1939. Buy books about australia in ww2 from boffins books.
It is a littleknown fact that in california during world war ii, italian americans were. The internm ent of italian australians during the second world war is to a large extent una storia segreta. The outbreak of world war ii triggered a mass fear of invasion by germany and later japan. Search by first and last name for enemy aliens and internees in the first and second world wars on. Object name dunera boys hay internment camp collection. Ww2 civilian internment in australia photographs nikkei. You may be surprised to learn that there are documents about italians in the india office records. Japanese internees starting to leave the train which brought them from hay on their way to the loveday internment camp group in the barmera area. The italian born population of australia increased from 120,000 in. Pdf italian civilian internment in south australia. From there, the men marched the remaining four miles to camp 9. Many italians and italianaustralians were interned in australia during the second. Others could leave the camps when fighting stopped.
Queensland italian internees once released from internment went three ways. The dunera boys 70 years on after notorious voyage bbc. In december of 1941 japanese internees were conveyed to the camp from cowra. Most were civilian men, but some women and children were also interned. 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. During the second world war, japanese residents were interned en masse. During the first and second world wars both sides set up internment camps to hold enemy aliens civilians who were believed to be a potential threat and have sympathy with the enemys war objectives. Italian emigrants went to australia from 1961 to 1970 bosworth, 1988. As was customary after italy and the us were at war, they were classified as enemy aliens and some were detained by the department of justice under. Italian internees at the australian prisoner of war and internment camp, loveday, south australia during ww2. Search and download lists of passengers leaving from uk and irish ports travelling to places such as canada, india, new zealand and australia, including deported internees, on the. Unfortunately, a number of them were merely australians from broome who were descended from japanese pearlers. These prisoners consisted of the personnel and patients of italian army hospitals who had previously been stationed in southeastern europe. Objectcollection description a collection of objects from the german and austrian jewish refugees from the ss dunera who were interred at hay internment camp during world war ii.
Prisoner of war and internment camps in australia during ww2. Wwii internment camps in britain posted on february 17, 2018 by dirkdeklein under great britain, history, holocaust, internment camps, world war 2 collar the lot, is what churchill said about the citizens of enemy nations living in the uk, it didnt matter if they were friend or foe. Authorities took a collar the lot approach, interning 98 per cent of all male japanese aliens registered in australia, compared to 32 per cent of italian and german males. When fascist italy declared war on britain in mid1940, almost 5,000 italians living in australia were imprisoned in internment camps. Why australia must apologise to italians interned during.
The internment of italian australians during the second world war is to a. Sep 20, 2012 when fascist italy declared war on britain in mid1940, almost 5,000 italians living in australia were imprisoned in internment camps. Family, military, and social historians will find much of interest in the records of italian prisoners and internees held in india during the second world war. Forces war records have exclusively released the world war ii italian prisoner of war camp nominal rolls for you to search online. Saw italian americans as a threat to homeland security the executive order that forced japaneseamericans from their homes also put immigrants from italy under the. The number of enemy aliens from overseas who were interned in australia was. The internment of italian americans refers to the governments internment of italian nationals in the united states during world war ii, similar to that of the internment of german americans. Many internees were italian sugarcane farmers from north queensland. List of concentration and internment camps wikipedia. Italian internees footprints of italian prisoners of war. Australian war memorial id 123032 photo by hedley keith cullen. However there were many others who were still free.
The diaries importance lies in its potential to interpret the place as a site associated to pows and internment, the internment camp itself, the refugee pow experience. The bamboo and wood arch was built by japanese internees. The australian war memorials gathering of information for the official australian world war two histories began in january 1943 with the appointment of gavin long as general editor. I have to say that the title is thoroughly misleading. Bringing together national and international perspectives on italian and other wartime internees, the essays in this book assess the differing interpretations offered of italian internment in canada, the uk, the usa, and australia during wwii. Italian civilian internment in south australia revisited. How my familys lives were changed by australias wartime. Internment during world war ii in queensland took many forms.
White covered recipe book with red writing and logo on front cover. The duchess of york was the first to sail, with 2,500 internees to canada. Internment, italian, italoaustralian, migrant, ww2, australia, enemy. The writing and recording of australia s war history has been the responsibly of the awm. Mar 30, 2020 the loveday internment group accommodated german, italian and japanese internees from the various states of australia, and internees and prisoners of war from the netherlands east indies, the pacific islands, new zealand, britain and the middle east. The government released many internees before the end of the war. The liner arandora star left for canada on 1 july 1940 carrying german and italian internees. Todays refugee concentration camps on manus island and nauru are not really new. Although i am ignorant of italian writing, and i know you love the air war stuff, i wondered if, and. When italy joined the war thousands of italians were rounded up too, irrespective of their political allegiances or. Italian internees at the australian prisoner of war.
Australian war memorial id 122983 photo by hedley keith cullen. World war ii internment camps became home to germanaustralians. This collection provides details of foreign nationals interned by the british government during world war two. Internment during world war ii australia in 1939 thousands of australian residents suddenly found themselves identified as potential threats to australia s national security. On july 10, 1943, two great allied armadas of over 2,000 ships readied to invade sicily. Boffins books is a treasured specialist bookseller in the heart of perths cbd. All the books listed here are available at the national archives library in kew. Civilian internees, pacific and southeast asia japan conquered southeast asia in a series of victorious campaigns over a few months from december 1941.
For anybody researching a prisoner of war, this could prove to be a crucial source of information, perhaps offering a missing jigsaw piece to your genealogy puzzle. Germans and italians were also interned on the basis of their nationality. 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. Interned italians in montana, they rioted over olive oil for the enemy aliens held at fort missoula, suet was an insult. However no book has been written exclusively about the italian australian internment experience. Few italian families escaped the human cost of detention as. Records of enemy aliens and internees, first and second world wars. This photograph shows the last internees at their final roll call in no 9 compound.
Alternatively, you can browse the digitised collections of enemy aliens and internees. Italian internees at loveday dyed their uniforms and army staff working at 3rd salvage depot are photographed dyeing salvage uniforms which were possibly used for the italian pows. It allowed for the accommodation of internees and prisoners of war pows in internment camps. As well as german internees, there were a large amount of japanese and italian being kept in internment camps. Australias world war ii concentration camps red flag. Dec 05, 2011 italianaustralians were arguably the largest group of almost 5,000 italian civilians incarcerated in any allied nation, yet this remains insignificant in australias wartime story. These are the facts, so far as i know them, partly based on history books and partly. At its peak in 1942, more that 12 000 people were being interned in australia. South australia italian pows footprints of italian. World war ii italian fiction, italian fiction, books. This is a list of prisoner of war camps in australia during world war ii. During the first and second world wars both sides set up internment camps to.
Jul 10, 2010 upon initial arrival in australia, the italian and nazi prisoners of war disembarked in melbourne, and then once the ship arrived in sydney on 6 september 1940, an australian medical officer came. Internees from britain or europe could stay in australia. In particular, the jingoistic fanfare of successive governments war commemorations has drowned out the stories of the tens of. Prisoner of war identity card issued by the commonwealth of australia department of the army no. Were open 7 days a week and deliver for a flat rate, australia wide. World war ii internment camps became home to german.