German Internment Camps in the US

topic posted Sun, July 23, 2006 - 11:51 AM by  offlineRommel
Unlike the Japanese, German/American Citizens were sent
back (during the war) in exchange for non-germanic American
citizens. I live close to one of those camps, here in the US.
They were sent back, some not knowing the language, and
but in harms way.

La Tuna Canyon in Southern California was an INS camp.
In American history, you'll never be told that this ever happened.

There are a few good books on this subject, but I reccoment
'Invisible Internment.'

Sorry, I don't have the ISBN handy.
posted by:
Rommel
  • Re: German Internment Camps in the US

    Sun, July 23, 2006 - 12:09 PM
    German/Americans were not interned unless they were members of the "German/American Bund", a pro-Nazi organization:

    With the start of World War II most of the Bund's members were placed in internment camps, and some were deported at the end of the war.

    en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germ...rican_Bund

    Unlike the Japanese, German/Americans were not interned because of race or national origin, but only on the basis of political allegiance. The great majority remained loyal to the United States, and many fought on the U.S. side during the war. If they were deported during the war, it's the first I've heard of it.

  • Re: German Internment Camps in the US

    Tue, February 6, 2007 - 12:19 PM
    I grew up above the Green River valley in Western Washington. The valley was populated by Japanese and Filipino truck farmers. My grandmother talked until her death in 1999 of the japanese getting together and talking in their own language. My mother was just a toddler during the war and she still talks of Japanese internment with uncritical necessity. So..., It is no surprise that German internment is a non-starter. I have brought up the subject of German internment in casual conversation and no one believes that it happened and challenge me on the possibility of its historical reality. In a sense there is a terrible inverted parallel to the internment of nationals by the Nazis. The Jews get all the press, the other groups the short shrift. Yet, if anyone denies the holocaust they are promptly dealt with; and if anyone attempts to talk of anyone else but Japanese being interned in the US then they are marginalized. Time will certainly level the factual playing field, but there is no reason to make that moment now, especially with the availability of information now.

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