Oldal 139 [139]
German Jewish Migrations to Great Britain 1933—1939: Remarks on Cultural Otherness
no use to the army or authorities were sent away and told to support the country
simply by fulfilling their everyday duties.
The immigrants could easily get into trouble with the uniformed services. Cur¬
few was only one of the dangers, as the majority of arrests were made after denun¬
ciations from ordinary citizens or after being stopped by the police in public places.
British society was clearly aware of the possibility of German spies working in the
country, and after Nazi Germany became an enemy, many were on the lookout for
people acting suspiciously. Speaking with a strong German accent could be cause
enough for denunciation. Refugee organisations often advised immigrants not to
read German newspapers in public, not to listen to German radio, and not to speak
German (or Yiddish) in public places. Most of all they warned that one should
never suggest that something was better in Germany than in England. In 1939
The Board of Deputies released a booklet titled While You Are in England, which
would be given to any refugee entering Great Britain. It contained a list of things
one should and should not do; it also explained that not following the instructions
might lead to suspicion of being too close to Germany and its politics (Endelman
2002: 216). It was advisable to keep one’s identity to oneself and carry the required
documents at all times. Fear of Germany and negative attitudes towards it were
visibly present among all classes of British society.
There were numerous internment camps spread across Great Britain. They dif¬
fered in locations, restrictions, and living conditions. Their inhabitants, the intern¬
ees, were usually of German, Austrian, or Italian origin, but there were also camps
in which Britons favouring the Nazis would be isolated. These included the lower
class as well as members of the aristocracy. The best known camps were located
on the Isle of Man, first opened during WWI. There were camps at Knockaloe on
the west coast, and smaller camps on the east coast in Douglas (parts of the city
were simply cut off from the rest of the world and served as camps). Women and
children accompanying internees were held near Port Erin and Port of St Mary in
the south. British fascists and Italians were held at Peel'’. There were many more
camps, all quickly filling with the suspected and the sentenced. Most camps had
very similar rules, but there are known cases of special treatment of some of the
prisoners (especially the wealthy British). An internee could bring in one suitcase
containing private belongings, but no sharp objects nor foreign language books
were allowed. All letters and parcels had to go through censorship control before
being delivered or sent, and visits were prohibited. An internee could leave the
camp for interrogations or court hearings only.
It is estimated that by September 1939 there were approximately 70 000
enemy aliens living in Great Britain. About 65 000 of them were of German or
Austrian origin, a vast number of them with Jewish roots. It is extremely hard to
estimate how many of them had spent their time in the camps, but it is known that
16° Isle of Man homepage http://www.isle-of-man.com (last accessed on: September 1, 2014).
137