Award Winning Paper, By Josh Pallas

Italy Online™ is honoured to publish this research paper submitted by Josh Pallas.  It was entered into two literary competitions in 2007 and won both the Dante Alighieri Prize 2007 (Category C: high school students) and the History Mysteries Youth Challenge 2007 for the State of NSW.  Josh's copywritten research paper appears below:

Copyright © Josh Pallas 2007 Page 1 of 8
The Mystery of Italian Internment within the Illawarra.
By Josh Pallas

“The story of Italians' internment is a complex one, yet to be fully unraveled” - Dr Gianfranco Cresciani
“It is in fact extremely difficult to work out why people were not interned and despite the very precise criteria, selection for internment seemed to be a very haphazard affair.” - Associate Professor Gaetano Rando

Introduction to Italian Migration and the Illawarra Australia, is a nation built by migrants, the British (1788); the Gold Rush migrants (1850s) and the Post World War One migrants, many British, but also Italian and Greek migrants relocated to Australia in this period. This began the new Australian multicultural society that Australia has today.  The Illawarra is situated approximately 85 kilometres south of Sydney. It encompasses
the Wollongong, Shellharbour, Kiama, Shoalhaven and Wingecarribee Councils. During the post World War Two period, the Illawarra was a flourishing growth area. In the Southern areas of Port Kembla and Steeltown (now Cringila), industry was rapidly growing in the forms of Australian Iron and Steel and the Broken Hill Pty Co. Ltd which
later merged in 1935 and Electrolytic Refining and Smelting Co. 1
Closer to the mountains right through the Illawarra, there were many coal mines, some of which were situated at Bulli, Wongawilli, Balgownie/Mount Pleasant and Mount Kembla. These industries provided both skilled and unskilled migrants the opportunity for work, in jobs that many had already been doing in their home countries. 2
In 1921 there were approximately 8 100 Italian born people living within Australia. By 1933, this figure had greatly increased to about 26 700. 3 Many Italians had migrated to Australia, because they saw opportunities for work and new life compared to the lives they could have led in the politically unstable and repressive state that was Italy post World War One. These Italian migrants usually went to Canberra or Queensland, to either work for the government or cut cane. A significant number came to the Illawarra, such that the Illawarra had the second highest concentration of Italian born people in New
South Wales behind Sydney. Unfortunately, statistics from the time period are non existent so exact numbers are difficult to know, but older Italians when spoken to can draw maps of the areas they grew up in and show which Italians lived where; these maps demonstrate large proportions of Italians in the area. The closest figure obtained, was
from the book Italians in Illawarra by Gerardo Zampaglione. A list has been compiled of pre World War Two settlers at the end of the book numbering approximately 140.
1http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/localinfo/cringila/history.html;
http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/localinfo/portkembla/history.html
2 http://www.illawarracoal.com/contents.htm
3 Immigration-Federation to Century’s End Oct 2001 Department of Immigration Part 4.

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Fascism in New South Wales and the Illawarra
Fascism, or Fascismo, was firmly set in Italian society upon the declaration of war on 10th June 1940. Mussolini had created a large network of Fasci (Fascist Organisations) around the world under different guises. His idea was that in the instance of war, these would act by keeping Italian migrants under Italian political control and willing them to spy and spread propaganda. Within Australia, the Fasci all’Estero, known by the Australian Government at the time as Fasci Abroad but more correctly the Fascist Party Abroad was very active.
Within Australia, the Fasci Abroad, had ten operations in major capital cities. The major Fascio in Australia was Fascio Luigi Platania in Sydney ran by Dr Icilio Fanelli and created in July 1939. The Fasci Abroad had a Statute, which each member had to abide by:
1. They must respect the laws of the country they are in
2. They must not take part in internal policies of their host countries
3. They must not arouse discord
4. They must give an example of public and private honesty
5. They must respect the Italian representatives abroad and obey their instructions.
6. They must defend their ‘Italianity’ in the past and present
7. They must carry out relief work for other Italians
8. They must be disciplined abroad as I [Mussolini] require and command Italians to be disciplined in Italy 4
The declaration was not particularly inflammatory.
Each Fascio had sections (sub branches), and the Fascio Luigi Platania only had two, of which one was in Corrimal in the Northern suburbs of the Illawarra. This Fascio Section was declared to be opened by the Italian Consul General Amedeo Mammalella on 16th July 1939. Also, the Fascio had 15 Confidential Agents known as Fiducarii. Their duties
were ‘to create unity; to make propaganda with due caution; [provide] Fascist activity [which should be] spontaneous and unprovoked’ 5. One of these Fiducarii was also from Corrimal.  A report made at the time by the NSW Security Service, also states that a social organisation had been formed in Fairy Meadow ( a northern suburb of the Illawarra), and
at some functions held there, known Fascists attended. The document also states that the National Association of Alpini (Associazione Nationale Alpini- a sort of RSL for Alpini or the Alpine Corps of the Italian Army, typically associated with the North), had a branch on the South Coast. Most interestingly, it also names four people as Fascists
including the individual who was one of the Fiducarii.  Mammalella and his staff were thought to be involved with the Fasci, and there seems to
have been enough evidence against them, but many of them escaped internment due to
4 ‘Report on fascism in Italy and Australia’ NSW Security Service File
5 ‘Report on fascism in Italy and Australia’ NSW Security Service File

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their political influence. One such staff member, was originally from Corrimal, but moved to Sydney to work for the consul and was interned. On his archival records, the reason for internment is unknown.
Nothing more was known of active Fascism within the Illawarra, but apparently a ‘Golden Book’ was created including all of the information about each Fascio’s activity.

An Overview of Italian Internment
During World War Two, the practice of Internment was enforced upon enemy aliens.  Anyone of Italian origin (or anyone of any other ethnic group) was declared an enemy alien, and was denied of their civil rights. Internment was when people were taken from their natural environment and placed in a camp with other enemy aliens. Some were
conscripted into the Civil Aliens Corps in the camps and were forced to work, and some were just made to check in with the police.
On the outbreak of World War Two (3rd September 1939), The Aliens Registration Act was passed, making it law, that each alien register their name, place of birth, residence and occupation on the Aliens register. By 1940, it appeared that Italy would enter the war, so the Australian government began categorising the aliens using strict criteria as to
their level of security risk. 
Category A
• people suspected of espionage, (A1)
• people belonging to the Italian armed forces, (A2)
• people associated with Communist organisations (A3)
• people associated with foreign political societies e.g. Fascist Party (A4)
• people associated with criminal groups e.g. Mafia (A5)
Category B
• people connected with shipping, port or harbour work (B1)
• people connected with transportation or communication systems (B2)
• people connected with factories for war material (B3)
• people connected with public utilities (B4)
• people connected with other occupations affording opportunities for sabotage or
espionage (B5)
Category C
• Leaders and people of influence within the Italian Community
Category D
• All Italian males of military age capable of bearing arms.
Category O
• Ordinary harmless people


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This categorised system was clear and very precise. When Italy declared war on 11th June 1940, the authorities swiftly interned the aliens who posed the greatest threats. Some expatriate Italians were also interned, due to their Italian heritage.  The number of Italian internees peaked in 1942, with 3,651 Italian internees 6.  
In total, 7,711 enemy aliens were interned, Italians making up nearly half of that figure. Statistics show that approximately 20% 7 of the Italian population were interned at some stage throughout the war. This percentage varied from state to state, in Victoria, the
intervention of Archbishop Daniel Mannix prevented mass internment; while approximately half of all internees were from Queensland. Also, approximately 1,000 British nationals of Italian descent were interned.

What Happened to Italians During the War in the Illawarra?
During World War Two within the Illawarra, not many people were interned. Of the four listed in the Security Service File, two were definitely interned, one (the member of the Fiducarii) has a Security Service file but no records of internment, and the last one has no
records in the national archives. Apart from them, only four other persons have been identified as interned from the Illawarra after extensive research. These people were identified from research on the National Archives Record Search and the Sydney branch of the archives. These internees were identified by looking through the records associated with all the names listed in Zampaglione’s book and a NSW Security Service file holding cards with names of approximately 140 persons of interest.  After finding this anomaly, it was decided that what did happen to enemy aliens in the Illawarra was not documented so an oral history project would be undertaken. Three people who lived in the Cringila area were interviewed. They described the restricted conditions under which they had to live by at the time. One lady’s parents ran a large boarding house. They had to keep a log of the comings and going of the boarders because the police would come and check every now and then. Another lady remembers the police coming around every now and then checking for guns, she stated “Italians in the Illawarra area were not harmed and looked forward to beginning a new life in Australia.”   Her brother was also spoken to, and he remembers two of his uncles from Sydney and their families were put in camps but their father was not although he lost his job due to the war.
Another man who was a coal miner in Dapto at the time was spoken to. He could not emphasize enough that at the time coal was thought to be as significant as gold. It was for this reason that he believes no miners that he knew of were touched. The only significant change in their rights that he could note was the fact that the miners had ID cards. As
long as they stayed within the Illawarra area they were right, but when they left the area, they would have to report to police. A lady whose father also worked in that same mine, knew of internment but did not know of any internees from the Illawarra.
6 http://www.teachingheritage.nsw.edu.au/b_expressing/wb2_italpris.html n.b. this figure perhaps includes POWs
7 INTERNMENTS IN AUSTRALIA DURING WORLD WAR TWO: LIFE HISTORIES OF CITIZENSHIP AND EXCLUSION Ilma Martinuzzi O’Brien


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A lady whose parents were one of the first Italian families in Balgownie was also interviewed. Her father was also a coal miner, and she believes he never worried about internment, her brother worked at the steelworks in Port Kembla and he did not worry either. When Italy entered the war, she noticed a great change in the way Australians
treated the migrant families. She vividly remembers having to speak quietly (as many of the other people reiterated), and speaks passionately about being called “Dagos” and other racial slurs. She also vividly remembers being at her friend’s house having lunch when four or so men burst in from the security services and took her friend’s father away.  The men frightened her due to their size. She presumed he was Fascist, and later research proved her presumption correct.
Most of the people interviewed commented on the racial tension, but also the fact that life barely changed. An interesting admission was made by the man from Cringila, and that was that he was called up to join the army, but could not because he was manpower in a protected industry.
During the early war years, a “List of reserved occupations (provisional)” was published.  This was to ensure that sufficient numbers stayed at work to support the war effort. This list attempted to prevent anybody from leaving these so called ‘reserved’ industries. In
1942, the Directorate of Manpower was created. This body had greater powers, and could declare industries ‘protected’ forcing them to lodge any changes in employment for whatever reason.8

End/Author’s Notes
Originally, I was going to investigate reasons for pre-World War Two immigration to the Illawarra, because my great grandfather was an Italian pre war migrant. I spoke to one of my teachers at Holy Spirit College about it, and he suggested why not look at internment
in the Illawarra because he had never heard of anyone from the area being interned, and it would be interesting to find out why.
Originally, I thought there would have been large decisions made about these large scale exemptions. After further research, I found nothing specific of internment in the Illawarra. I started looking for anything related to the Italian community in the war years in the Illawarra but without success. At this stage I decided to email academics and
Italian institutes around Australia and Italy. This also turned up nothing.
It was at this stage I encountered the Migration Heritage Project. This gave me the idea of interviewing people that my grandparents knew. This turned out to be very interesting, and provided new leads, which led to archival records which led to the report as it stands
today. It is due to the help and guidance of many people that this report was completed and the mystery affecting internment of Italian Migrants in the Illawarra revealed 

8 http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/homefront/reserved_occupations.htm


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This research essay was Winning entry of Category C of the Dante Alighieri Literary Prize 2007 and the Winning Entry in the State of NSW for the History Mysteries Youth Challenge 2007
Special thank you to:
Mr Fiore Stanizzo of Holy Spirit College for the idea.
Fidelia Pontarolo of the Migration Heritage Project.
Associate Professor Gaetano Rando of the University of Wollongong
Dr Gianfranco Cresciani
Danilo Sidari of the Italian Institute of Culture
Helen Fairbrother of the National Europe Centre (ANU)
Wollongong Local Studies and Reference Library Staff
Ms Sue Benham of Sydney Distance Education High School for her ongoing support.
Thank you to the people who were interviewed on this topic! Without them, this report would most definitely have not been written:
Rina Montgomery
Mario Agnoli
Giuseppe ‘Joe’ Lorenzi
Velia Bianchetto
Mary Piazza
Alma and Tony Scapin
Bibliography
N.B. Archival records full names and Control Symbols have been left out to keep names of internees confidential.
Castles S., Alcorso C., Rando G., Vasta E., 1992, Australia’s Italians Culture and Community in a Changing Society, Allen and Unwin.
Church J., 2005, Per L’Australia, The Story of Italian Migration, The Miegunyah Press, Carlton Australia.
Cresciani G., 1988, Migrants or Mates, Italian Life in Australia, Knockmore Enterprises.
Cresciani G., A not so brutal friendship. Italian responses to National Socialism in Australia., Paper given at the Conference on National Socialism in Australasia. A critical evaluation of its effects in Australasia and its aftermath, between 25th -26th September 2006.
Department of immigration researchers, Immigration - Federation to Century's End, 2001, published on http://www.immi.gov.au/media/publications/statistics/federation/index.htm.


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Illawarra Coal heritage project researchers, http://www.illawarracoal.com/contents.htm
Index cards to dossiers on internees, held in Sydney branch of the National Archives of Australia. (series number also withheld for confidentiality of internees).
Italians and Fascism, Series C320, Sydney branch of the National Archives of Australia.
“Italian Australians”, Wikipedia, The Free Online Encyclopedia,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Italian_Australians.
Jenkins l., 1993, Power of the Land, Northern Star Printery, pg 127.
Kevin C, NSW Heritage Office, Italian internment in Australia during World War II,
http://www.teachingheritage.nsw.edu.au/b_expressing/wb2_italpris.html
Martinuzzi O’Brien Ilma, INTERNMENTS IN AUSTRALIA DURING WORLD WAR
TWO: LIFE HISTORIES OF CITIZENSHIP AND EXCLUSION, Chapter 2 of Enemy Aliens: The Internment of Enemy Aliens in Australia, 2005.
National Archives of Australia Staff, National Archives of Australia, 2002,
http://www.naa.gov.au/fsheets/fs186.html viewed 10th August 2007.
National Archives of Australia Staff, National Archives of Australia 2004, Uncommon Lives: Wolf Klaphake, http://uncommonlives.naa.gov.au/contents.asp?sID=3
Personal interview of Alma and Tony Scapin at their Fairy Meadow home on 11 June 2007, on the subject of “Italian Internment in the Illawarra”.
Personal interview of Giuseppe ‘Joe’ Lorenzi at his Dapto home on 10 June 2007, on the subject of “Italian Internment in the Illawarra”.
Personal interview of Mario Agnoli at his Corrimal home on 11 June 2007, on the subject of “Italian Internment in the Illawarra”.
Personal interview of Mary Piazza at her Corrimal home on 11 June 2007, on the subject of “Italian Internment in the Illawarra”.
Personal interview of Velia Bianchetto at her Tarrawanna home on 11 June 2007, on the subject of “Italian Internment in the Illawarra”.
Pesman R., Kevin C., A HISTORY of ITALIAN SETTLEMENT in New South Wales, NSW Heritage Office.
Rando G., Enemy aliens: gli italoaustraliani e il secondo conflitto mondiale, published on “Storia e Futuro”, http://www.storiaefuturo.com/articoli.php?id=124.
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Report on Fascism in Italy and Australia, Series C320, held in Sydney branch of the National Archives of Australia.
“Second World War- Reserved Occupations”, Australian War memorial online Encyclopedia,
http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/homefront/reserved_occupations.htm
Telephone interview of Rina Montgomery, on the subject of “Internment in the Illawarra”. 
Wollongong City Library Staff, Wollongong City Library, Cringila, http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/localinfo/cringila/history.html
Wollongong City Library Staff, Wollongong City Library, Port Kembla,
http://www.wollongong.nsw.gov.au/library/localinfo/portkembla/history.html
Zampaglione G., 1990, Italians in the Illawarra, Kurunda Publications, Annandale Australia.

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Co.As.It. News:

The Italian Family History Group, now in it’s 7th year, provides a forum for the growing needs and interests of 2nd and 3rd generation Italian-Australians who are keen to become involved in tracing their family history and to learn more about their Italian heritage and Italian migration history. The Group meets on the 4th Wednesday of each month at Casa d'Italia at 67 Norton Street, Leichhardt, NSW at 7:00pm and provides a guest speaker. For more information, please ring Co.As.It. on (02)9564 0744.

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Author, Grace Bergan shares her story with Italy Online™:

Ciao. My name is Grace Bergan and I am proud to be an Australian- Italian!

My parents, like many migrants, had to undergo the rollercoaster adventure of starting a new life in a foreign country millions of miles away from their beloved Italian homeland.

Papa came to Australia in the late 1950s while Australia’s identity was undergoing change. He worked on the huge construction projects of the Snowy Mountains Development Scheme and on the sugar cane fields of North Queensland. It was a struggle to survive in a foreign country – different language, food, lifestyle and people. The land was harsh and rugged. The sugar cane fields were infested with snakes and other dangerous creatures that papa` had never seen back in Italy.

Mamma also immigrated to Australia to be with her brothers and look after them. She longed to see what this “lucky country” could offer her and her brothers. A few days after she arrived in Sydney, one of her brother’s found her a job in a factory as a machinist. Life for her was a struggle as well. Longing for her home-made pasta that her mamma would make back in Italy, mamma decided to try and make her own macaroni. Soon there were a group of Italian women that would get together and make home-made pasta and share it with their new found Australian friends.

Three years after arriving in Australia, mamma and papa` met through mutual friends and they married in Sydney. They continued the same traditions and cultural practices that they brought with them from Italy. Papa` continued to make home-made wine and tomato sauce. He soon made an impact on our neighbourhood. I will never forget the year that the whole community in our street Australians, Lebanese, Italians, Greeks and Polish all got together and made bottled tomato sauce at our place. 

Mamma could not wait for me to grow up (being the only female in the family) in order to teach me how to make pasta, to cook and to sew like she did back in Italy. Mamma also taught the other mothers in the neighbourhood how to make home-made pasta.

This is when my identity crisis started. As I grew up and started school, I mixed with children from other cultures and soon realized that I was different and that my family was different. Graziella - Why did my name stand out and the teachers have such difficulty pronouncing it? Why did I look different to other children in my class? Why could I not speak the same language the others were speaking – English?

As I progressed through my years of schooling, I was determined to succeed and yearned not to be different. I just wanted to fit in! Why did my salami roll look and smell different to my friends’ neatly cut sandwiches? How I longed to taste the famous tuck shop meat pies and sausage rolls! Why were my friends allowed to go out to the school discos and I was scolded and repeatedly instructed that discos were not a place for a young Italian girl. Even when I tried to have fun with my friends there was always a relative watching from his fruit shop or her take away shop ready to give me “the eye”. I knew an eye witness account of my ventures would be relayed to mamma via the telephone well before I got home. In the evenings, mamma would sit me down next to her and explain why I should be proud of being an Italian. After listening to what mamma and papa` had done for our local community I was very proud of them.Only half of me was proud to be an Italian. The other half still yearned to be accepted and treated equally among my peers!

During this time of personal growth, Australia’s identity was also undergoing change. As I became older I realized that the migrant workers like my family profoundly influenced the shaping of our Australian identity. Even though I fought hard through my journey to be an Australian, I will never forget my Italian heritage and am proud of the contribution my family have made to this lucky country.

Since my family immigrated to Australia many things have changed. My most significant achievement was the courage and determination to be accepted as Grace. I have survived the transition from Graziella to Grace and I am proud to call myself an Australian- Italian! 

Grace’s book, From Graziella to Grace, is now available to purchase by visiting the IOL Shopping (Il Mercato) and browsing under Books and Stationary.

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A Brief History of Italians in Australia…

There are over 16,000 kilometers which separate Australia from Italy. Considering the distance between the two countries, it is fascinating that Italians were among some of the early European people to settle in Australia in the late 1700’s.

According to the history books, it is thought that the first Italians to have spotted Australia would have been sailors aboard a Spanish expedition led by Magellan in 1520. One of those Italians aboard that ship kept a log of that particular journey. Perhaps the first Italian to land in Australia was Mario Sega, a sailor from Genoa, who arrived aboard a Dutch ship, Eendracht, in 1616. He is said to have jumped off of that vessel in Shark Bay (in Western Australia) and eloped with an Aboriginal woman. Later, in 1770, a vessel (on a “voyage of discovery”) named The Endeavour, with Captain James Cook at the helm, is said to have landed on the shores of Australia. In the early days of colonisation, Italian convicts (along with their guards) and settlers arrived, which included Sicilian sailors that were convicted and transported by the British.

In 1843, three Italian priests were then brought to Sydney by John Polding, the first Catholic bishop of Australia. They were followed by many more nuns, priests and missionaries who were there to support the work of the Irish-led Catholic church throughout many parts of Australia.

Italian migrants began coming to Australia by way of ships (and eventually planes) especially during the gold rushes in the 1850’s and 1890’s. Thousands would later arrive on the shores of Australia (mostly in the 1950’s) when Italy and Australia signed an Assisted Migration Agreement. What that meant was that both countries (with the help of international agencies sponsored by the United States government) would help to pay for the passage of Italian migrants. When the Italians arrived (via this agreement) they were to work in certain industries for a specific period of time and then they were given contract work and the promise of a job. There were many schemes and programmes that offered very limited assistance to migrants, and included aid from the Catholic church, the Salvation Army, and even governmental assistance as well.

However, once they arrived in Australia, things were very difficult for them. Everything about this country was different from their homeland of Italy. The language barrier and the lack of assistance with translation made communication very difficult. The customs, climate, food, you name it…it was all different than what they had left behind in Europe. Couple these differences with the difficulties associated with assimilation and you had some very unhappy people. For example, they missed their spouses, friends and families that they left behind and over time, there were even migrant riots that took place in and around Sydney. The Italian migrants were in search of a better way of life, a place to settle down, to work and to raise their families, a place to call home. All that would come much later.

In 1947, the Minister for Immigration, Arthur Calwell, announced that Australia would welcome European migrants, preferably of British descent. Some were enticed by a post-World War II Australian governmental program that promised a land of opportunity to those brave enough to embark on the journey. But the majority of descendents of Italo-Australians are unaware of the difficult struggles that these migrants faced once they arrived in this beautiful country.

Many Italians could not speak English, which was, and still is the National Language of Australia. The Italians were often treated less than equal to persons of British decent that migrated to Australia, as Australia was once a colony of Britain. The Italians were often housed in less than ideal situations and some were even placed in internment camps and forced to live in communal situations. Many Italians felt dismayed once they arrived and realised that they were not experiencing the life that was promised to them, or they thought that they were going to have. For some of them, it was simply too much to bare and they returned to Italy as soon as they had saved the fare to do so.

Yet for others, Australia would be the place where they would settle in and make their home and succeed in ways some never could have imagined. According to the National Archives of Australia, after the British and the Irish, the Italians make up the third largest ethnic group in Australia. Italian Australians have come a long way from the early days of migration in the 1800 and 1900’s. They are a thriving community rich in heritage and in history. Italian is Australia’s second most widely spoken language with over 350,000 speakers. Preserving this heritage and history whilst educating the public about it is the thrust of Italy Online™.

Be sure to check back to the Italo-Australian History page for more interesting topics to be featured here.

How can you get involved in this section? It’s simple. Just email us your photos of family members’ arrival in Australia along with the date of their arrival, vessel or air carrier that they arrived on and the names of anyone in the photo. If you have any ideas for topics that you would like us to cover in this section, please email stephanie@italyonline.com.au