German National, Walter Kiessling snr. an employee of a German firm was interned in Camp 1, Tatura. His wife remained in Melbourne where there son Walter was born. The father was immediately taken to Melbourne under escort to see his wife and baby son. Subsequently his wife would travel to Murchison by train and ride her bicycle, with the baby in a basket, out to the camp to visit her husband. Later visits were with a friend in their DKW car. Young Walter was christened by a Lutheran Pastor in the camp, under the supervision of Major Schrader, the Garrison Commandant. The photos tell the story. 4 photographs: Rosa riding her bicycle; Walter holding baby Walter at his christening x 2; Rosa holding baby Walter with a girl behind holding flowers, standing next to Camp 1 Commandant Colonel Schrader and internee friend standing in front of a camp hut; Group of internees and Colonel Schrader in front of a hut at the Christening; the DRW car that Rosa and friend came up in for visits;

The humane treatment given to enemy aliens by the Australian Army during World War 2.

Plastic sleeves containing photos

internment camp 1 tatura,, walter kiessling, rosa kieslling, camp 1 commandant, colonel schrader, drw car

Thesis by Lucilla Lentini, "Australian Nazis: An evaluation of National Socialist support amongst Tatura's first 42 internees before, during and after World War II". Thesis for Postgraduate Diploma in Arts, School of Historical Studies, Faculty of Arts, The University of Melbourne.

Thesis, 52 x A4 pages (56 inclusive). Bound in plastic.

tatura, bahlsen, fritz alfred, boelter, reinhold, bruelle, wilhelm, dehnel, werner, fent, otto carl, froelich, gustav karl, grasle, kuno hans, hahn, fridolin, haslinger, franz joseph, hemerich, otto, hempel, walter erwin, herbst, otto albert wilhelm, kiessling, walter paul, klenk, karl friedrick, kuldschun, lewandowski, siegfried, luckemeyer, wilhelm ludwig, maltz, otto paul, mayer, gustav adolph, meister, gottlieb friedrick, muffler, karl, pecher, johans, rammstedt, otto joseph, renz, hans, reutter, paul, ritter, konrad, werner kurt, rohling, adolph, schauer, willi, schoeller, ralph, schultz, rudolf, schwarz, strothe, christian, suchting, hans johannes, thierfelder, kurt oswald, utermohle, herbert, ventur, erich august, weber, fritz, weiss, karl friedrich, wildermuth, emil otto, zachen, friederick, documents, reports

Camp 1, Baptism of son of Walter Kiessling. Lutheran Pastor from New Guinea and Colonel Schrader are in the middle. Walter Kiessling is holding the baby, Walter junior.

Black and white photograph of a group of internees and an army officer standing in front of a hut. A man in the front is holding a baby wrapped in a blanket.

kiessling, schrader, walter kiessling, camp internee christening, lutheran pastor

The orchestra consisted of German male civilians interned as "Enemy Aliens" during World War 2. Those interned in 1941 were former Australian residents and New Guinea missionaries.

The program indicates the caring attitude of the Australian authorities in permitting the acquisition of musical instruments, and the encouragement offered to the internees in order to produce the concert.

Original single page paper program with printed list of orchestral items to be performed by the camp orchestra,19th.and 20th. July 1941, in Internment Camp 1, Tatura. Also lists the names of the members of the orchestra and their instruments.

german camp orchestra, new guinea missionaries, ww2 enemy aliens, camp 1 orchestra

Indicate life and interest of German male civilians who were held in internment during /world War 2. The names of several internees involved in the production are included.

A unique document saved by the family for many years, and which illustrates the methods undertaken by the internees in order to improve their life while imprisoned. Also illustrates the help offered to the internee by the Australian Authorities, viz the use of office equipment to print the program, and the making available of movie films and musical instruments.

Original paper program x 2 copies

nil

german internees, german pow's, internment sports, j haydn, r volkmann, stuerzenhofecker, sternberg, c rammstedt, a schauer, e hauff, brose, w erdmann, w schumacher, h kurth, j grlisser, f a schrader, p preisser, f swoboda, k schreiner, th junge, g wittmann, w koszowsky, a metzner, w otto

The program illustrates the interests of the internees, and the extent of the musical equipment they were able to access, and the skill of those internee musicians listed in the program.

An original program which illustrates the interests, ingenuity and skill of the interned group.

Front and back of an original hand printed and typed Philarmonic Orchestra program.

internment camp 1, tatura., orchester, philharmonisches, philharmonic, orchestra, dreary lane, sturzenhofecker, g liebig, h junge, h g thiermann, f schrader, sternberg, schauer, p breisser, h moser, e huettmann, h hampel, e hauff, w weitbrecht, c wittmann, w koszowski, th junge, w schumacher, j gruesser, p laucke, a metzner, w ramcke, w erdmann georg gruber, h bross

Sporting events were organized and carried out by the German civilian internees within the compounds of the camp. This certificate sets out standards and achievement of internee.

The item indicates the organizational capabilities of the internees and the sporting facilities made available by the Australian authorities.

Photocopy of eight pages, five blank, hand printed and typed certificate, personally signed containing sports performances conducted in Camp 1. All in German. Photocopy.

german internees, camp sport programmes, internment camp sports, wiessling

Christmas greeting card produced for forwarding to family and friends outside the camp.

Artwork by internees and the co-operation of the Australian Authorities in allowing use of the Garrison office equipment.

Original hand printed Christmas Greeting Card with sketches, made in Internment Camp 1, Tatura.

tatura internment camp 1

The booklet prepared and printed by the German internees held in Camp 1, Tatura. The reproduction of the booklet was carried out on equipment in the office of the Camp Garrison, and copies of the booklet were made available to those internees within the camp and who were considered sympathetic to the German cause.

The booklet tells the story of the internment of German Nationals in Australia from the German point of view. It also lists the names, internment number, dates of birth and capture, and the State where the capture took place. It also illustrate the fact that the Australian Authorities were willing to assist in the production of the booklet through the use of their office equipment.

65 page booklet consisting of folded foolscap sheets with hand printed and printed material.

camp 1 tatura, german internees, german pow's

Creator Walter Kiessling was interned in September 1939, leaving his pregnant wife, Rosa, alone in Melbourne. After visiting Walter in Dhurringile Interment Camp and then Camp 1, wife Rosa then appealed to Camp 1 Commandant Major Schrader for permission to have Walter visit her and the baby in hospital under guard escort. Soon after, permission was given to take the baby to Camp 1 for a christening with a Lutheran Pastor. While inside Camp 1, Walter and his internee friend Rudolf Schultz crafted the cradle for the baby. Photograph location: 12 B 1 filing cabinet "K"

Wooden cradle with painted floral decorations and heart shaped holes in the ends.

INTERNMENT CAMP TATURA AUSTRALIA JANUARY, 1940

kiessling, cradle, woodwork, internment camp woodwork, major schrader, walter kiessling, rudolf schultz, rose kiessling

At the end of January 1942 there was only about 250 men left in Wau, as the women and children had been evacuated by air a little earlier. With no planes to take the men they had to make their own way to Port Moresby and then travel by ship to Australia. Some men went down to Salamaua and made their way along the north coast, but small groups also made their way over the Owen Stanley Ranges; rafting down the Lakekamu RIver to Yule Island and by boat to Port Moresby. Donor Vanessa Kiessling's Father was part of the second group, and had drawn a detailed map of their route. This might be the same route taken by Rev. Willi Hertle

Photocopy of New Guinea map showing escape route

Plan of surveyed route from Edie Creek to Bulldog Drome

papua new guinea, escape, map, wau, willi hertle, kiessling

Made by internees at Camp 1, Tatura. For a forthcoming evening concert of opera, to be held at the camp. Conductor was Dr G. Gruber, the soloist E. W. Neumann.

Single sheet folded to form a 4 page programme of an evening musical concert. Front has black and white pattern sketched to the left of printed details "Deutsch Italienscher Opera - Abend" written at top. Date at bottom (20 and 21 December 1942) Performers listed on page 3.

as above

hedlig docke, entertainment programme, internee entertainment, deutsch italiensher opera, dr g gruber, e. w. neumann, stuerzenhofecker, o sternberg, f schrader, h thiermann, j moser, w marggreaf, r dammerer, e mueller, e huettemann, h hampel, w weitbrecht, e hauss, g wittmann, w kosowski, w schumacher, th junge, m zimmermann, a metzner, k munsel, j gruesser, a schuster, p laucke, w erdmann, schlagzeug, w otto

Photocopy of a sketch done by E Dulfer of camp 15 and 25.

Pen and ink sketch of 1 complete hut and 3 partial huts. Gardens in front of huts. Brown wooden frame.

Nos 15 and 25 E. Dulfer Tatura 1/1941

sketches by e. dulfer, camp 1 artists, internee artists, kiessling

Used in the camps for attendance to soccer games played by the internees and pow's

Small piece of cream paper folded in half to make a small booklet. Front has a man with a soccer ball above his head ready to hit it into the net. Back has "Tatura Lager Olympiade" 11 - 18 August 1940 PASS for Walter Kiessling zur Schlussfeier und Siegerehrung, Sonntag de 18 August 1940. 7.30 uhr abends Lagerhalle 3

above

w kiessling, camp sports, camp soccer games, came sport pass

An illegal photograph taken of Dhurringile Mansion by the wife of one of the internees. September 1939.

Copy of black and white illegal photograph of Dhurringile Mansion as an internment camp during WW2. Barbed wire fence and several guards standing in shade of trees to right.

illegal photograph, dhurringile mansion, ww2 internment camp, w kiessling