Once war broke out in September 1930 the Nazi Party newspaper, Völkischer Beobachter, sent its first representative to London. Soon afterwards, German residents in London established an Ortsgruppe, or local Nazi group, which provided Party members with a place to congregate and support the new movement. By 1933, more than 100 members belonged to the London group. The Nazis in pre-war London created a dilemma for the Foreign Office and the Home Office, who were divided as to how best to treat residents whose allegiance was to the German Reich. Some felt that all Nazi organizations should be banned, and Party Members should not be allowed to enter the UK. Others, including MI5, argued that it would be easier to keep track of Nazis if they were in-country. Previously unpublished German documents reveal the fate of German diplomats, journalists, and professionals, many of whom were interned in Britain or deported to Nazi Germany once war broke out on 3 September 1939. Nazis in Pre-War London is the first book to study the history of the Nazis in Britain. An Appendix lists the details concerning the nearly 400 German Party members, as well as Nazi journalists, who spent time in Britain prior to the war.
The private letters usually dealt with matters of the greatest urgency and diplomatic delicacy and were intended only for the eyes of the recipients, not for subordinates in the Foreign Office. They were sent with special care by diplomatic courier so as not to fall into the hands of the United States Post Office where they might be appropriated by press reporters. The Barneses have provided each letter with an introduction in order to place it in its contemporary context. Allusions within the letters are clarified by notes. Brief biographical sketches of key individuals are included in an appendix. Because of the private nature of these letters, they give a fuller and more human dimension to the events they describe. There are remarkable insights concerning American politics and society by foreign diplomats who were not casual travelers but experienced observers trained to note and record their impressions.
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