Oldal 137 [137]
OCR
German Jewish Migrations to Great Britain 1933—1939: Remarks on Cultural Otherness The Defence Regulation and existed as part of the Emergency Power Acts. It was divided into two sections, A and B, where A was supposed to be implemented as soon as the war started, and B at a later date to gain greater control over the civil residents if the Isles. The regulations empowered the Secretary of State for Home Affairs, stating the following: “If the Secretary of the State has reasonable cause to believe any person to be of hostile origin or associations, or to have been recently concerned in acts prejudicial to the public safety or the defence of the realm, or in the preparation or instigation of such acts, and that by reason thereof it is necessary to exercise control over him, he may have an order against that person directing that he be detained” (Farbey, Sharpe & Atrill 2011: 97). The Defence Regulation 18B empowered authorities to detain people, also allowing the police to arrest and intern those who could be charged with the offence. It applied to both the British and the immigrants. There was no time limit for the investigations, and therefore internment had no time limit as well. One could be imprisoned and interned without any actual allegations being made. The regulation was in line with the fact that traditionally, during times of war, British authorities could apply the status of enemy alien’? to any person from the countries with which the state found itself at war. Because of this, as soon as Great Britain declared war on Germany, all German citizens became enemy aliens (the same applied to Austrians and Italians). The status was official, although people not involved with the authorities did not have access to information about to whom it applied. Nonetheless immigrants who were willing to acculturate and assimilate, but who had this status applied to them, quickly understood that for the state they were not as welcomed as they thought they would be. This increased the feeling of rejection and alienation on a personal level and increased the problem of lost identity, described more widely below. Shortly after the declaration of war Great Britain also introduced a curfew— aliens were not allowed outdoors after 10 pm. They also had to carry documents with them at all times, and present them whenever asked by the officers. Many of the scholars recall being stopped and checked at least once. Those who underwent the naturalisation process were in a better situation, which, however, did not mean they could not be detained. To become naturalised, one had to be a resident for at least five years." This meant that immigrants who came to Great Britain before 1934 either already underwent the process or could do so. Ihose who migrated at any later point of time had no legal grounds to apply for the naturalisation documents. 2° Immigrants from countries with which Great Britain found itself at war were given enemy alien status. Those who proved loyalty towards Great Britain after specific investigation, could gain friendly alien status. This meant one could avoid internment, apply for state positions and even join the army. 13 Britain and the Refugee Crisis 1933-1947 in Parkes Archive, University of Southampton, Sir Hans Krebs, Accession No 004498/05, p. 31. 135
