I FULLY accept Susan Wardle's answer 'True refugee status'.
She put across a reasonable argument, but there are still grey areas.
For instance, should Hitler have invaded this country, anyone escaping would be true refugees as I see it. On the other hand, if anyone, especially of call-up age, left an undefeated country, they would be branded as cowards on the grounds that the battle wasn't lost.
Forgetting George Von Trapp, I've known of good Germans coming here in 1933 when Hitler came to power. I'm sure these Germans in question lived in safety, and still would have when they were interned.
Again, after the war, they could have gone back to Germany and nothing would be said, as that regime was over with.
Twenty years ago I wrote a similar letter, which I've found. I was of call-up age then and said I wouldn't have hesitated in leaving the country, and, if I had a wife and children, they would have come too. So you have a situation where it's all right NOT to fight for the Nazis, but not otherwise. Then there is the dilemma of putting your family or country first.
B Howarth
Alexandria Drive
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