Treatment of 'aliens' during ww2.

Treatment of ‘aliens’ during ww2

Prior to World War 2, Australia was home to many people of German, Italian and Japanese descent. After the outbreak of war these people were considered a threat to national security and became known as enemy ‘aliens’. They were taken from their homes, arrested, jailed and later taken to internment camps, due to their nationality.

In 1939, on the 1st day of declaration of war with Germany, the Germans were already being accused as spies. A total of 1,637 men were arrested, however the majority were from other countries such as Singapore and Palestine. With the entry of Italy into the War thousands of male Italians were also interned. But no group was as large as the number of Japanese. The Japanese had no equivalent to the Fascist Parties that were used as a guide to arrest the German and Italians. The Government justified that the only sure way to minimize risk was to intern them all. So in 1941, every Japanese family living in Australia, including women and children were arrested. There were no exceptions. In all, around 7000 Australian citizens and 18,720 civilians from abroad were taken to camps across Australia.

The conditions within these internment camps varied. To begin with camps were quite bare and unwelcoming. This is one internee’s account upon arriving, “The camp had just been built and was completely bare; whatever grasses or shrubs might have been present were destroyed during construction. There was only beige clay, light coloured timber huts with silvery corrugated-iron roofs… 30 people to a hut… grey barbed wire surrounding the grounds.” As the camps were occupied though, they began to have gardens. Many camps had vineyards and orchards.

Unlike the POW’s the internees were not forced to work and ...

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Unlike the POW’s the internees were not forced to work and so could spend their time talking and playing cards. But some of the more educated and professional internees got bored. They were lawyers, doctors, or teachers. So rather than wasting their time they set up schools and other services. Children inside the camps were well educated and some even completed University. The internees also provided their own entertainment by putting on theatre shows or playing tennis and soccer or doing crafts and painting.

However there were many reports of threats and violence between fascist and anti-fascist internees. Eventually a fence had to separate the two groups. But on the whole the conditions in the camps were adequate and relations between internees and Australian troops were quite pleasant.

Even though it was tough to leave family behind, it wasn’t easy for the wives and relatives outside the prison camps. Life was very difficult and lonely. There was much hatred and hostility towards ‘enemy aliens’. Families had to abandon the family business and work on farms for very little pay. Vandalism and racial abuse was common. Newspapers were spread with messages like ‘everyone a killer’ and ‘we’ve always despised them, now we must smash them’. Some families even requested to be interned for their own well being. Though harsh, internment was in some ways a much welcomed escape from the racial prejudice in the outside community.

But for most, internment was a disgusting violation of their rights in a democratic country. They were torn from family and friends and often never told what they did wrong. In an interview with Jim Paoloni, an internee, he told his story of how internment was without fair evidence.

Interviewer: "Was anything ever said? Could they have had grounds?"

Paoloni: "No. I then appealed, six months afterwards, and in fact that appeal, well they couldn't find that I was a Fascist or had any party affiliation whatsoever. But, I had to stay until liberation."

Interviewer: "What happened to your business?"

Paoloni: "Well, after the appeal was heard and it was negative, well my wife had to shut it, couldn't carry on anymore business in those days, business was run on credit and we lost a lot of money there. People wouldn't pay up anymore."

Interviewer: "How long were you interned?"

Paoloni: "I spent two months at Long Bay Gaol, treated like the rest of the prisoners and after that I went to Orange, Hay and finished up at Loveday. Altogether I was interned for over 38 months."

Interviewer: "Government compensate or regret?"

Paoloni: "Oh, no, no. They just released me, they sent me home."

Internees didn’t and have never received compensation from the Australian Government. Though we keep questioning why people like Jim Paoloni were interned, it was in fact perfectly legal. The laws related to internment were called the Aliens registration Act 1939 and National Security (Aliens Control) Regulations 1939. These laws specified that “enemy aliens and Australian-born persons of enemy alien descent, and Australians whose political activities or loyalty was called into question, were to be interned in camps administered by the Australian Army.” Although it was wrong and racially discriminatory it was still perfectly legal.

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