German Prisoners from Samoa

Gwynn Compton · #1

Heres an obscure one for you, and one that I can't find much on here just yet...

From my understanding, when New Zealand troops moved to occupy German Samoa in 1914, some Germans were shipped off from Samoa to Sommes Island in Wellington Island, as well as some local Germans, such as modernist artist Frank Weitzel's father.

What I'm interested in is if anyone has any figures for how many Germans were imprisoned on Sommes Island during the duration of the war. Literature is someone limited on this subject, and I haven't had the time to write to local bodies yet about it.

Any help is appreciated.

Regards,

Gwynn

Gwynn Compton · #2

I should also correct myself in stating that Weitzel's father was a German living in New Zealand at the time, rather than a German from Samoa brought over to be interned.

Gwynn

Peter H · #3

Gwynn.

Photos of Germans interned on Somes Island.Photo dated 1916.I think they were putting on a camp play.Note fake rifles.

From the Alexander Turnbull Library Online here: NZ

Type in 'Somes' in the Search function for many more photos.

/Peter

Peter H · #4

More on Somes Island here:

http://www.geocities.com/somesprisoners ... /ger0.html

New Zealand established two internment camps for civilian prisoners of war. In addition, in April 1916, a detention barracks at Devonport held 13 men. Somes Island, in Wellington Harbour, held the “ordinary grade” internees. Motuihi Island, in the Hauraki Gulf, held those of the “higher grade.” Most of these prisoners entered captivity during New Zealand’s occupation of Western Samoa in 1914. Count Felix von Luckner and some of his raider’s crew also usually resided here. In April 1916, Motuihi held 42 prisoners. By late 1917, it held 55 men and one woman, all but four of them German...

....[Somes]The 80 shocked and highly agitated internees of 12 August 1914, became the 246 more orderly prisoners of April 1916, 215 (87%) being German. In late 1917 Somes held 277 men, 234 (84%) of them German. By May 1918, the camp housed 313 internees.