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Germans In Birmingham During World War 1

Alexander Rawlins

knowlegable brummie
am trying to tease out any stories about my great great grandparents, George and Eliza Mead, who lived at 40 Tillingham Street, Starkbrook, during World War 1.

George was born in Hannover, Eliza was born in Birmingham but was German by marriage. They had been married since 1872.

Does anyone have any stories about George and Eliza? Did the neighbours even realise they were German? How did the neighbours treat them during the war? etc etc

I really would be grateful for any stories or anecdotes that anyone is aware of.

Thanks

Alex
 
I don't have any stories about your relatives but a person who had resided in Birmingham for forty-three years and had two british-born children had problems during WW1 as mentioned in a forum post below. Maybe ordinary families did not have such problems.
We didn't mess about in the old days ... Birmingham resident of 43 years interned in December 1915 ...
In answer to a question in parliament July 1916, the Home Secretary answered :-
Of the four unsalaried Consuls of German nationality, three were sent back to Germany in exchange for British Consuls, and the fourth, Carl Theodore Menke, the German Vice-Consul in Birmingham, is now in internment. Menke, who is sixty-three years old, was exempted from repatriation last summer on the recommendation of the Advisory Committee, in view of the fact that he had resided here for forty-three years, had two British-born children, and was well vouched for; but in December last it was decided to intern him and he is still interned.
Ref: https://hansard.millbanksystems.com/commons/1916/jul/31/german-consuls
click the up arrow in the quote title bar to go to the post.
 
I don't think all German nationals were interned during the war, my sisters and I had piano lesson during the war in Shirley and the teacher was a Mrs Foust an elderly German lady, also my Nan in Aston used to go to Peedles pie shop which was run by an elderly German, he was not interned. Incidentally my Mothers Grand parents were German from Koblenz but I think they may have been dead when the war started. Eric
 
I think that's right Eric. My mum had a couple of German friends who weren't interned. Does anyone know the criteria for internment ? Viv.
 
while researching my family history i was very surprised to find out that one of my harringtons married a german gentleman...a very daring and brave thing i thought as they married from cook st nechells in 1915...they had over 50 years of happy marriage together...here is gustav on the 1911..i was also very lucky to be sent not only photographs of their wedding but also ones taken on their 50th wedding anniversary

lyn
 

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My Great Grandparents arrived from Germany in the 1880's, I think if they had been interned in WW1 my Mom would have mentioned it, and I think they had died before or during WW2". I have a pic of him with me a few months old in 1930 so he must have been alive then. Eric
 
Thanks for the links Phil in #7. From what I can glean in the second link, it looks like not all WW2 'aliens' were interred, particularly women and children. Interestingly, as soon as more workers were needed for the war effort, they were released for war work.

Not entirely clear what criteria were used by the tribunals to decide if a person was sent to a camp. Family historians might be interested in the fact that those people considered of greater risk were sent abroad e.g Canada. But most likely their wives and children remained in the UK.

Interesting subject. Sending people to these camps must have been a difficult job, particularly in maintaining a clear distinction from what was going on in Germany. Viv.
 
Coincidentally, there was a TV program 'Secrets of War' last night on the 'Yesterday' channel 19 about WW2 internment of german families on the Isle of Man. They were put in boarding houses and seemed to have reasonable time with strolls along the prom etc.
 
morning phil i was going to watch that programme but it slipped my mind

lyn
 
Hi Lyn, there is a Yesterday Catch Up website, a bit like iPlayer, it is probably on there.
https://yesterday.uktv.co.uk/
Needs a sign in so don't use your main email address. I usually keep a separate email for these things even with the BBC !
Phil
 
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