German Migrants in Post-War Britain
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German Migrants in Post-war Britain Both timely and topical, with 2005 marking the 60th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, this unique book examines the little-known and under-researched area of German migration to Britain in the immediate post-war era. Authors Weber-Newth and Steinert analyse the political framework of post-war immigration and immigrant policy, and the complex decision-making processes that led to large-scale labour migration from the continent. They also consider: • identity, perception of self and others, stereotypes and prejudices • migrants’ handling of language and intercultural issues • migrants’ attitudes towards National Socialist and contemporary Germany • migrants’ motivations for leaving Germany • migrants’ initial experiences and their reception in Britain recalled after 50 years in the host country. Based on rich British and German governmental and non-governmental archive sources, contemporary newspaper articles and nearly 80 biographically oriented interviews with German migrants, this outstanding volume, a must-read for students and scholars in the fields of social history and migration studies, expertly encompasses political as well as social-historical questions and engages with the social, economic and cultural situation of German migrants to Britain from a life-historical perspective. Inge Weber-Newth is Principal Lecturer in Applied Language Studies and a member of the Research Institute for the Study of European Transformations (ISET) at London Metropolitan University. Her research is concerned with issues in the field of migration and minority studies, particularly settlement processes and diasporic experience. Recent publications deal with German and other European migrants in Britain and survivors of Nazi persecution. Johannes-Dieter Steinert is Senior Research Fellow at the History and Governance Research Institute (HAGRI), University of Wolverhampton and Associate Professor of Modern History at the University of Osnabrück. He has published widely on German history, migration and migration policy, forced migration, refugees, displaced persons and survivors of Nazi persecution. His current research interests include international humanitarian assistance in post-war Europe. British Politics and Society Series Editor: Peter Catterall ISSN: 1467–1441 Social change impacts not just upon voting behaviour and party identity but also the formulation of policy. But how do social changes and political developments interact? Which shapes which? Reflecting a belief that social and political structures cannot be understood either in isolation from each other or from the historical processes which form them, this series will examine the forces that have shaped British society. Cross- disciplinary approaches will be encouraged. In the process, the series will aim to make a contribution to existing fields, such as politics, sociology and media studies, as well as opening out new and hitherto-neglected fields. The Making of Channel 4 Edited by Peter Catterall Managing Domestic Dissent in First World War Britain Brock Millman Reforming the Constitution Debates in twenty-first century Britain Edited by Peter Catterall, Wolfram Kaiser and Ulrike Walton-Jordan Pessimism and British War Policy, 1916–1918 Brock Millman Amateurs and Professionals in Post-war British Sport Edited by Adrian Smith and Dilwyn Porter A Life of Sir John Eldon Gorst Disraeli’s awkward disciple Archie Hunter Conservative Party Attitudes to Jews, 1900–1950 Harry Defries Poor Health Social inequality before and after the black report Edited Virginia Berridge and Stuart Blume Mass Conservatism The conservatives and the public since the 1880s Edited by Stuart Ball and Ian Holliday Defining British Citizenship Empire, commonwealth and modern Britain Rieko Karatani Television Policies of the Labour Party, 1951–2001 Des Freedman Creating the National Health Service Aneurin Bevan and the medical lords Marvin Rintala A Social History of Milton Keynes Middle England/edge city Mark Clapson Scottish Nationalism and the Idea of Europe Atsuko Ichijo The Royal Navy in the Falklands Conflict and the Gulf War Culture and strategy Alastair Finlan The Labour Party in Opposition 1970–1974 Prisoners of history Patrick Bell The Civil Service Commission, 1855–1991 A bureau biography Richard A.Chapman Popular Newspapers, the Labour Party and British Politics James Thomas In the Midst of Events The foreign office diaries of Kenneth Younger, February 1950–October 1951 Edited by Geoffrey Warner Strangers, Aliens and Asians Hugenots, Jews and Bangladeshis in Spitalfields 1666–2000 Anne J Kershen Conscription in Britain 1939–1963 The militarization of a generation Roger Broad German Migrants in Post-war Britain An enemy embrace Inge Weber-Newth and Johannes-Dieter Steinert German Migrants in Post-war Britain An enemy embrace Inge Weber-Newth and Johannes-Dieter Steinert LONDON AND NEW YORK First published 2006 by Routledge 2 Park Square, Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon OX14 4RN Simultaneously published in the USA and Canada by Routledge 270, Madison Ave, New York, NY 10016 Routledge is an imprint of the Taylor & Francis Group This edition published in the Taylor & Francis e-Library, 2006. “To purchase your own copy of this or any of Taylor & Francis or Routledge’s collection of thousands of eBooks please go to http://www.ebookstore.tandf.co.uk/.” © 2006 Inge Weber-Newth and Johannes-Dieter Steinert All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reprinted or reproduced or utilised in any form or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented, including photocopying and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers. The publisher makes no representation, express or implied, with regard to the accuracy of the information contained in this book and cannot accept any legal responsibility or liability for any errors or omissions that may be made. British Library Cataloguing in Publication Data A catalogue record for this book is available from the British Library Library of Congress Cataloging in Publication Data A catalog record for this book has been requested ISBN 0-203-01770-6 Master e-book ISBN ISBN 0-714-65657-7 (Print Edition) Contents Acknowledgements viii Introduction 1 1 Britain and West Germany in the post-war period 8 2 Immigration policy-immigrant policy 20 3 Life and work in post-war Britain: the migrants’ experience 44 4 Welfare and support 99 5 Fifty years on 112 6 Five life stories 144 Summary 160 Notes 167 List of archives 194 Bibliography 198 Index 205 Acknowledgements This publication is based on a research project which began during 1997–99 between Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf and the University of North London (now part of London Metropolitan University). During this period it was funded by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) and also supported by North London University. The project subsequently obtained additional support from the University of Wolverhampton until completion. Our sincere thanks go to the contributing universities and the DFG. We also thank the staff who helped us in the many archives and libraries visited in Great Britain, Germany and Switzerland while carrying out our research. We would like to express our special gratitude to our interview partners in Britain and in Germany, who so willingly shared their life-stories with us, and received us with great generosity and hospitality. Last but not least, we are very grateful to John Shepherd and Geraldine Hay for their continued help in improving and transforming the manuscript. The responsibility for any remaining flaws rests entirely with the authors. Introduction ‘You have wondered, no doubt, why our soldiers do not smile when you wave your hands, or say “Good morning” in the streets, or play with the children. It is because our soldiers are obeying orders. You do not like it. Nor do our soldiers. We are a naturally friendly and forgiving people. But the orders are necessary; and I will tell you why.’1 In June 1945, when Field Marshal Montgomery started his public explanation of the non- fraternisation order in British-occupied Germany with this statement, hardly anyone could have imagined that just a few years later Britain would witness a large-scale immigration of Germans that is without parallel in history. By 1951, a total of almost 60,000 Germans had come to Britain, either temporarily or permanently. Within this group there were approximately 10,000 war brides and around 35,000 female workers. These were recruited either by government, employment agencies or recruited privately, mainly for the health system, domestic service and the textile industry, respectively. Furthermore, there were about 15,000 ex-prisoners of war who were allowed to stay as civilian workers. Among them was Bernd Trautmann, who later became famous as ‘Traut the Kraut’ at Manchester City Football Club. German migration to post-war Britain differed from pre-First World War patterns in two key respects: Migrants were widely dispersed throughout the country, and did not establish ethnically orientated associations. In comparison, in 1911 more than half the 53,324 Germans lived in and around London.2 Their economic backgrounds ranged from wealthy bankers and traders, to craftsmen and white-collar workers, general labourers and finally the poor in London’s East End. They organised themselves according to their social and financial circumstances in exclusive clubs with economic,