“NAZI SPY RING”

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23830, 9 June 1939, Page 16

“NAZI SPY RING”

ALLEGATIONS IN AUSTRALIA INFORMATION ABOUT REFUGEES <From Our Own Correspondent) SYDNEY, May 26. Officials at the German Consulates in Sydney and Melbourne' have heatedly denied allegations, made in Western Australia, of the existence of a Nazi “spy ring” in Australia. A Jewish refugee from Berlin, now resident in Melbourne, however, insists that a system exists by which information is sent to Germany by Nazis in Australia, though he is sure that it has nothing to do with the Consulates. “ Scores of refugees have had ample evidence of its power,” he said. “ That is why refugees are afraid to express their views and convictions even when they arrive in Australia. We have definite proof that a few words given to the press about conditions in our native lands or even a few words spoken idly to another person are sent to Germany in greatly-exag-gerated form. Often brothers and sisters, and even aged relatives have been sent to concentration camps because of a few words spoken carelessly 12.000 miles away in Melbourne." The allegation made in Western Australia that Jewish refugees were coerced into maintaining contact with the Consul-general for Germany for fear of reprisals against relatives still living in their native land, was described at the German Consulate as “ nonsense.” “It is simply nasty propaganda against us. Someone is trying to show that we are a disagreeable people," said Dr O. E. Seger, Acting-consul-general for Germany. “ German people who come to Australia to reside call on the respective Consulates in order to give their addresses. They simply fill a blank space on an information sheet. We have never forced anyone to sign a paper. There is no Nazi spy system in Australia. It is absurd to say that we send Information to Germany. It may happen that when German people arrive here they say something to Australian newspaper representatives, but it is absurd to say that we spy on them and send this information home.” “The suggestion of coercion and spying is untruthful and absurd.” said an official at the Melbourne Consulate. “It.has long been the nractice for all German nationals in Victoria voluntarily to keen in touch with the Consulate. This applies to German nationals as well as refugees, but there is no compulsion whatever. It is significant that many nolitical refugees voluntarily maintain a contact with the Consulate, while it is usually only a matter of notifying changes of addresses.”