The Great War and the treatment of German-Australians in South Australia 1914-1922

Video of the presentation by Mike Wohltmann from the 2018 German-Australian History and Heritage Conference in Adelaide.

How could it be that German-Australians, who were viewed as zealous hard working and model citizens prior to the Great War were five years later, treated as outcasts in their own society? Can these events be explained simply as war hysteria, or were there other factors at work? When the Great War ended in 1918, it was not the end for the German-Australian Community. In fact, things only became worse for the German-Australians in the post-war period.

This talk will focus on the phenomenon of internment and Enemy Aliens and the impact on the German-Australian community in South Australia. It will also examine the post-war period and the concept of internment as a global feature of the Great War.