Lakehead University Knowledge Commons,http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca Electronic Theses and Dissertations Retrospective theses 1997 Contribution to the study of Volkische Ideologie and Deutschtumsarbeit among the Germans in Canada during the inter-war period Ross, Gerald Gordon http://knowledgecommons.lakeheadu.ca/handle/2453/2501 Downloaded from Lakehead University, KnowledgeCommons INFORMATION TO USERS This manuscript has been reproduced from the microfilm master. UMI fihns the text direct^ from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter fric^ i^dnle others may be frt>m ary type o f con^niter printer. The quality of this rqirodaction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, colored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely afifect reproduction. 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Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ReproducedReproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LAKEHEAD UNIVERSITY A CONTRIBUTION TO THE STUDY OF VÔLKISCHE IDEOLOGm AND DEUTSCHTUMSARBEIT AMONG THE GERMANS IN CANADA DURING THE INTER WAR PERIOD A DISSERTATION SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF ARTS DEPARTMENT OF HISTORY BY GERALD G. ROSS © THUNDER BAY, ONTARIO DECEMBER 1996 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. National Library Bibliothèque nationale 1*1 of Canada du Canada Acquisitions and Acquisitions et Bibliographic Services services bibliographiques 395 Wellington Street 395, me Wellington Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Ottawa ON K1A0N4 Canada Canada Yourfh Vontéiénnca OurUa NotreréMrtne» The author has granted a non­ L’auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive hcence allowing the exclusive permettant à la National Library of Canada to Bibhothèque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or sell reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microform, vendre des copies de cette thèse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/film, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L’auteur conserve la propriété du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d’auteur qui protège cette thèse. thesis nor substantial extracts from it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celle-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author’s ou autrement reproduits sans son permission. autorisation. 0-612-33442-2 CanadS Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To Eva Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ............................................................................................. iii LIST OF TABLES ......................................................................................................... iv LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS .............................................................................................v GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................... vi INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................. I CHAPTER 1: CANADA’S ETHNIC GERMANS...................................................... 19 Numbers and Settlement Patterns .......................................................................20 Eastern Canada ......................................................................................................40 Western Canada......................................................................................................56 The Inter-War Period..............................................................................................64 CHAPTER 2: DEUTSCHTmf&tRBE/r IN GERMANY AND C A N A D A ...............80 German Governments and Deutschtumsarbeit....................................................81 Vat Auswàrtiges A m i ..............................................................................................99 The VereinfUr das Deutschtum im Ausland ................................................ 122 The Deutsche Auslands-Institut....................................................................... 133 CONCLUSION ............................................................................................................ 154 REFERENCES CITED ................................................................................................ 158 XI Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. XXI ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I owe a debt of gratitude to many people for making this study possible. The Ontario-Baden-Wurttemberg Student Exchange Program enabled me to spend one of the most memorable years of my life in Germany. I thank the program’s coordinator. Dr. Mark Weber of York University, for his kindness and helpfulness. Funding for much of this study was provided by two consecutive awards of the Ontario Graduate Scholarship. Without the support and encouragement of many professors at Lakehead University, none of the above-mentioned would have been possible. Specifically, I wish to thank Drs. Patricia Jasen, Peter Seiifert, and Abdul Mamoojee. I would also like to thank Dr. Gerhild Framheim, of the University of Konstanz, who facilitated further funding in the form of a research scholarship from that university. This scholarship helped me in my research at the archives of the German Foreign Office in Bonn. My thanks go to the members of the staff of this institution for their assistance. However, for assistance rendered, the greatest thanks must go to the members of Lakehead University’s inter-library loans department. But I thank Dr. Zimmermann above all others. His helpfulness, kindness, generosity, consideration, and friendship were truly appreciated and an inspiration to me. As for the translation of German sources, any errors are exclusively my own. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. XV LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1. Ethnic Germans by Origin on the Prairies in 1931 ....................................................25 2. Ethnic German Distribution in Western Canada in 1931 ........................................ 25 3. Persons in Eastern Canada Whose Mother Tongue Was German in 1931 .... 27 4. Persons Bom in Germany Residing in Eastern Canada in 1931 ..............................28 5. Leading German Language Newspapers in Canada During the Inter-War Period ................................................................................ 74 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. LIST OF ABBREVIATIONS AA Auswartiges Amt: Foreign Office AO Auslands-Organisation der NSDAP: Foreign Organization of the NSDAP DAGO Deutsche Arbeitsgemeinschqft Ontario: German "Co-operative Society" of Ontario DAI Deutsche Auslands-Institut: German Foreign Institute HJ Hitler Jugend: Hitler Youth NS Nationalsozialistisch or Nationalsozialismus: National Socialist or National Socialism (also abbreviated as "Nazi") NSDAP Nationalsozialistische Deutsche Arbeiterpartei: National Socialist German Workers’ Party (also abbreviated as the "Nazi Party") NW Der Nordwesten: German language newspaper, published in Winnipeg, Manitoba PA AA Politisches Archiv des Auswàrtigen Amtes: Political Archive of the [German] Foreign Office PROMI Propaganda Ministerium: Ministry of Propaganda (a Nazi Party creation) RMI Reichs Ministerium des Inneres: the Reich’s Ministry of the Interior USNA United States National Archives VDA VereinfUr das Deutschtum im Ausland: Association for Ethnic Germans Abroad VOMI Volksdeutsche Mittelstelle: Ethnic German Central Office (a Nazi creation) Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. VI GLOSSARY Auslandsdeutsche. Initially the term used to designate all Germans, Reich citizens or not, living outside of Germany. The Nazis changed its meaning to include only those Germans living abroad who possessed Reich citizenship. Deutschtum. Loosely translated as the German ethnic group. Deutschtum im Ausland. All ethnic Germans who resided outside of Germany, regardless of citizenship. Deutschtum