World War I Internment of German Americans

1 world war i

1.1 civilian internees
1.2 merchant marine vessels
1.3 military internees

world war i

germans building barracks in internment camp during world war i.


civilian internees

president woodrow wilson issued 2 sets of regulations on april 6, 1917, , november 16, 1917, imposing restrictions on german-born male residents of united states on age of 14. rules written include natives of germany had become citizens of countries other u.s.; classified aliens. 250,000 people in category required register @ local post office, carry registration card @ times, , report change of address or employment. same regulations , registration requirements imposed on females on april 18, 1918. 6,300 such aliens arrested. thousands interrogated , investigated. total of 2,048 incarcerated remainder of war in 2 camps, fort douglas, utah, west of mississippi, , fort oglethorpe, georgia, east of mississippi.

the cases of these aliens, whether being considered internment or under internment, managed enemy alien registration section of department of justice. december 1917 section headed j. edgar hoover, not yet 23 years old.

among notable internees geneticist richard goldschmidt , 29 players boston symphony orchestra. music director, karl muck, spent more year @ fort oglethorpe, did ernst kunwald, music director of cincinnati symphony orchestra. 1 internee described memorable concert in mess hall packed 2000 internees, honored guests such doctors , government censors on front benches, facing 100 musicians. under muck s baton, wrote, eroica rushed @ , carried far away , above war , worry , barbed wire.

most internees paroled in june 1919 on orders of attorney general a. mitchell palmer. remained in custody until late march , april 1920.

merchant marine vessels

until u.s. declared war on germany, german commercial vessels , crews not detained. in january 1917, there 54 such vessels in mainland u.s. ports , 1 in san juan, puerto rico, free leave. declaration of war, 1,800 merchant sailors became prisoners of war.

over 2,000 german officers , sailors interned in hot springs, north carolina on grounds of mountain park hotel.

military internees

before u.s. entered war, several german military vessels docked in u.s. ports; officials ordered them leave within 24 hours or submit detention. crews first treated alien detainees , prisoners of war (pows). in december 1914 german gunboat cormoran, pursued japanese navy, tried take on provisions , refuel in guam. when denied required, commanding officer accepted internment enemy aliens rather return sea without sufficient fuel. ship s guns disabled. of crew lived on board, since there no housing facilities available. during several years germans detainees, outnumbered u.s. marines in guam. relations cordial, , u.s. navy nurse married 1 of cormoran s officers.

as result of u-boat attacks on u.s. shipping britain, u.s. broke off diplomatic relations germany on february 4, 1917. u.s. officials in guam imposed greater restrictions on german detainees. had moved quarters on land returned ship. following u.s. declaration of war on germany in april 1917, americans demanded immediate , unconditional surrender of ship , personnel. german captain , crew blew ship, taking several german lives. 6 bodies found buried in u.s. naval cemetery in apra full military honors. surviving 353 german service members became prisoners of war, , on april 29 shipped u.s. mainland.

non-german crewmen treated differently. 4 chinese nationals started work personal servants in homes of wealthy locals. 28, melanesians german new guinea, confined on guam , not accorded rations , monthly allowance other pows received. crews of cruiser geier , accompanying supply ship, sought refuge japanese navy in honolulu in november 1914, interned, becoming pows when entered war.

several hundred men on 2 other german cruisers, prinz eitel friedrich , kronprinz wilhelm, unwilling face destruction british navy in atlantic, lived several years on ships in various virginia ports , enjoyed shore leave. given strip of land in norfolk navy yard on build accommodations. constructed complex commonly known german village , painted one-room houses , fenced yards made scrap lumber, curtained windows, , gardens of flowers , vegetables, village church, police station, , cafes serving non-alcoholic beverages. rescued animals other ships , raised goats , pigs in village, along numerous pet cats , dogs. on october 1, 1916, ships , personnel moved philadelphia navy yard along village structures, again became known locally german village. in more secure location in navy yard behind barbed wire fence, detainees designated february 2, 1917 red cross day , solicited donations german red cross. german-american relations worsened in spring of 1917, 9 sailors escaped detention, prompting secretary of navy josephus daniels act on plans transfer other 750 detention camps @ fort mcpherson , fort oglethorpe in late march 1917, isolated civilian detainees. following u.s. declaration of war on imperial germany, of cormoran s crew members sent mcpherson, while others held @ fort douglas, utah, duration of war.