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Oskar Trebitsch, "Austrian Refugees" (letter to the editor), in: Sidney Morning Herald, 12.4.1941

Oskar Trebitsch, "Austrian Refugees" (letter to the editor), in:
Sidney Morning Herald, 12.4.1941

AUSTRIAN REFUGEES.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
Sir,--There are only two points of view logically possible concerning the status of refugees from countries "incorporated" by Hitler. The first opinion takes in consideration only political realities when saying: "This is a world-wide fight not only for the maintenance of British might, but also for democracy and the principle of international law that mere force alone can never change the lawful position of a country in International relations. We welcome, therefore, every man, whatever passport he holds, as a friendly alien, if we have made sure by careful investigation that he stood and suffered for democracy in his country.
There is the Second opinion, prevailing officially hitherto, which says that only the technicalities of international law must decide, and therefore even a men blown half dead by the Nazis and kicked out of his country, because they did not acknowledge him to be a German, must nevertheless be considered to be an enemy alien.
There will come a day when the British people will decide which of these two opinions was in better accordance with British fairness, and which was wiser politically, while giving a better chance to British propaganda among the nations under Hitler's fist.
I have ascertained that this Commonwealth never acknowledged the annexation of Austria to Germany de jure –that is, as a factor changing the international position – but only de facto. If gangsters invade a defenseless house, this act of aggression must, of course, be acknowledged as changing the given situation, but no fair man would say that the owner of this hous, when expelled from it, became by this change a member of the invading gang. There can be no doubt that in accordance with international law the status of a person in relation to a third power can by no means be changed by an act of force not acknowledged de jure by this third power.
The Austrian refugees are not longing for a "Reunion at Vienna" after all that was done by Nazi pressure after the murder and arrest of members of our last Government. But so long as we are not granted Australian citizenship we remain subjects of Austria, one of the countries temporarily occupied by Germany. Ist liberation was explicitly stated as a British war-aim in Mr. Churchill's declaration in the House of Commons on November 9, 1940. We are not German subjects nor enemy aliens because Austria was never at war with his Britannic Majesty.
It is of course, quite easy and within the power of every State to register us as Germans or as enemy aliens. But this in no way changes our true international position as guaranteed by international right, the defence of which the British Empire is fighting for.

Yours, etc.
OSKAR TREBITSCH
Vaucluse, April 10.


Besitzer/QuelleJMH
DateinameTrebitsch_Austrian Refugees_1941_4_12.png
Dateigröße164.13k
Größe305 x 411
Verknüpft mitOskar (Oscar) Nicholas Trebitsch

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