REFUSED A PERMIT

Chronicle (Levin), 21 March 1947, Page 5

REFUSED A PERMIT

Press 4-ssn.-

Germans Who Tried To Lajit In Australia

By Telegrayh

Cowjright

Received Thursday, 8,0 p.m. SYDNEY, March -20. After disclosures by J.ewish refugees on the Dutch liner Jolpui de Witt, a former Gerroan naval officer and Shutzstaffel commandant and his blonde wife have beei. refused a permit to land in Australia. Both had permits issuec, by the Commoiryvealth Government. The discov.ery of the Ger-

man's identity is believed to have followed a dram^itic denouncement by a Jewish refpgee who ■ said: "That is an S.S. officer who was in charge of our eoncentration eamp in Austria. ' ' Customs and immigration officers .and sljip ping. officials today declined to comment. "When the liner left Sydney on her way back to Holland the couple stood disconsolately on the deck. When attempts were made to interview them the man said it was all a mistake. They seemed to be in their early thirties. The man was tall and good-looking with brushed back'hair and sports clothes. The woman had wavv blonde hair and pale blue eyes and" wore a checked coat and skirt. It is understood that the man served for five y.enrs in the German Xavy and was aboard the pocket hattleship Deutschland, ronamed the Lutzow, when in 1940 she was torpedoed by the British snbmarine Spearfish. After h.e left the Xavv, which was before the end of the war, his movemen-t.s are unkown but refugees elaim to have known liim as an S.S. guarxl in Austria. There is no suggestion of atrocity eharges against him. Mysterv surrounds the manner in which the landing permits were obtainod for himself and his wife. It is believed that the wife had a permit in her maiden name before her marriage. She is said to have Jewish bl ood and to have relatives in Melbourne. By some means the second permi.t, was issued at Canberra for the German who travelled with a Jewish party. His discovery was quiek as the rnntter was reported to the alien control officer (Mr. F. A. Kearns) soon after tlie ship reached Cairns.