LIVERPOOL PIONEERS’MEMORIAL PARK

(THE ‘OLD’ CEMETERY, 1821 – 1958)
WORLD WAR I GERMAN INTERNEES

In this cemetery, 72 of the more than 5000 German residents interned at Holsworthy Military Camp during World War I were once buried. 31 of them died of Spanish influenza, brought back by AIF troops returning to Australia after the War.

The internees were from the Austro-Hungarian empire, staff of German companies living in Australia, crews of vessels caught in Australian ports and naturalised Australians of German descent. They were interned without trial and often without the knowledge of their families. About 700 of those interned were naturalised British subjects and 70 were Australian born. Many internees were deported to Germany
after the war ended.

In 1962, their bodies were disinterred at the request of the German Government and reburied at a memorial cemetery at Tatura, Victoria, for all German war internees from all over Australia. There are now no remains of German internees in Liverpool Pioneers’ Memorial Park.

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