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HTML Transcription © F.Coakley , 2020
Not all Germans settled in Britain during WW1 accepted the British view - some as noted in this letter, even though naturalised, were strongly pro-German.
This letter, dated 30 December 1915, was sent by J L Waller who in charge of the section dealing with PoWs at the Home Office to the Foreign Office asking whether the opinions of the Foreign Secretary were still as in August 1915.
Sir
I am directed by Secretary Sir John Simon to inform you that he has under his consideration the case of a German youth named HERMAN GIEBLER, whose date of birth was the 11th of August 1898, and who is now, therefore, seventeen years of age. This youth expressed the desire to return to Germany before his seventeenth birthday, and is therefore entitled to go either under the old system, when October 19th, 1914, was the critical date; or under the new, by which the applicant has to be qualified to go at the date of his application.Herman Giebler is a young butcher and has a violently pro-German relative, JOHN GIEBLER, aged 33, living at the same address, who, on account of his hostility, has been interned under Regulation 14B, although a naturalized British citizen. In the circumstances there can be little doubt of Herman Giebler's hostility or of his military value, and the question arises whether we should repatriate a man who will certainly be in arms against us as soon as possible after his arrival in Germany.
In the Foreign Office letter of the 12th of August 1915, replying to the Home Office letter of the 4th of that month, Sir Edward Grey was understood to assent to the proposition that a belligerent country could not be expected to repatriate persons who would unquestionably take up arms against it, immediately they were free to do so; and that agreements for mutual repatriation have as their basis the intention that the persons repatriated are not to be of military value. If this reading of the Foreign Office letter is correct, a person like Herman Gieber should apparently be retained in this country even though his age qualifies him for repatriation. I am to inquire whether Sir E Grey is of that opinion.
I am..
J L Waller
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