German Americans during WWII
German American Internment Camps
The U.S. Government had different kind of camps for German Americans.
They had 8 main department of justice internment camps which were for long-term stays.A harsher version of the internment camps were the US army internment camp which were old army facilities. But, before these two camps every German American goes through a temporary detention facility which were for example Ellis Island in New York Harbor and 4800 Ellis Avenue in Chicago. Normally they didn't stay there longer than a couple of weeks. Young and strong men were often brought into forest camps which often were old Civilian Conversation Corps camps. In these camps the men had to fight forest-fires in the summer, clean railroads, plant trees and reforest the forests. The last ones were the state department-related sites which were nicer hotels and resorts. There weren't a lot of state department-related sites facilities. Only 785 people were interned in these facilities and only 212 were German. Bigger camps, for example Crystal City in Texas, had their own camp money which made it possible for occupants to purchase clothes and food. In addition, they had two sets of guards which patrolled twenty-four hours a da. One group patrolled the fence and observed from the towers and the other group were inside the camp to provide for proper. |
The Fuhr Family Story
In 1927 Eberhard E. Fuhrs father, a baker, immigrated into the US because he got a job in a restaurant in Cincinnati, Ohio. 1928 Eberhard E. Fuhr immigrated with his siblings and his mother in the US. They lived a normal live but then in 1940 they had to report them self at the post office as alien after a visit of the FBI. Than August 5, 1942, his parents came into custody. After some weeks they had hearings but couldn't see their accusers (called hearing board)which ordered them into internment. His younger brother had to pack the clothes because the parents weren't allowed to return home. Because on of his brothers was under 14 and born in the US, he had to decide if he wants to join his parents or go to orphanage (a fate shared by other internee children). He stayed with his family. Julius and Eberhard were allowed to stay home while they went to college and High school. While this time Eberhard got questioned in person and on the phone.
Later on, March 23, 1943, Eberhard and his older brother were arrested and booked on suspicion, fingerprinted and take to Hamilton County Prison. On the next morning they had their hearings in the Federal Building. At the same time the newspaper announced their arrest and internment. They packed cloth for 2 days, not more; in effect, they lost everything, their house, their furniture, their family memorabilia and other important possessions which wasn't unusual. They were sent to the temporary internment house in Chicago and than to Crystal city in Texas by train with another 1000 internees. This camp were surrounded by a fence and guard towers . In 1946 the first people were released, deported or exchanged for Americans. Eberhard and his family closed down the camp and were shipped to Ellis Island, in 1947, but never got deported. In September 1947 the family got released and Eberhard finished High School, graduated from Ohio University with highest honors, married Shell Oil who he got to know in Crystal City. His parents never recovered emotionally and economically from what happened to them. |
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