Cyril Pearl collection

Cyril Pearl (1906-1987) was an Australian journalist and writer. His book, "The Dunera Scandal. Deported by Mistake" describes the German refugees who were seeking asylum in England and were sent to Australia as an enemy alien and interned in Australia at the Hay internment camp. In 1941-42 three internment camps were constructed and utilized about three kilometers away from the township of Hay. Each camp held 1000 internees from Italy and Germany. The Allied forces had detained these civilians because they were perceived as a security risk to the European war effort. Despite early newspaper reports that the internees of Hay were dangerous, guards described their detainees as "well educated and anti-Nazi". The internees were not fighting men. Most were intellectuals detained as a matter of precaution and “national security”.

Source of acquisition is the University of Sydney. Archive of Australian Judaica. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives received the microfiche in July 2012 via the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum International Archives Project.