German Club Auckland Membership List Analysis

Source Document

File: German-37-10-15.pdf (18 MB, 14 pages) Classification: SECRET Subject: MEMBERSHIP LIST OF GERMAN CLUB AUCKLAND (37/10/15)

Police Report Details

• Police Station: Detective Office, Auckland
• Date: 13th December 1939
• Report by: Detective E.A. Stevenson, No. 2627
• Subject: Members of the former German Club, Auckland

Key Findings from Page 2

Detective Stevenson reports checking each name against two lists to establish nationality and liability under the Alien Control Emergency Regulations 1939.

Members Investigated (Partial List from Page 2)

| Name | Status | Notes |

|------|--------|-------|

| Albrecht, M.A. | Not liable | Born England of Dutch parents |

| Burkhardt, E. | Not liable | Born Germany. Naturalized in New Zealand 25/9/08 |

| Fischer, C.G. | Not liable | Swiss. Father was naturalized British 1901 |

| Hausler, Mrs E.M.L. | Not liable | Age 75 years. Resided in N.Z. all her life. Widow |

| Mason, Mrs Clara Elisabeth | Registered as alien | Samoan-German. Registered on 6/12/39 as result of this inquiry |

| Johnston, Mrs Annie | Registered as alien | German. Registered on 7/12/39 as result of this inquiry |

| Jagusch, Mrs F. | Not liable | Widow. Husband was German born but naturalized British in 1897 |

| Richter, E. | No trace | Was only a casual... [text continues] |

Significance

• 84 members total according to news reports - this document contains the full list
• Majority were British citizens - not German nationals
• Some registered as aliens as direct result of this police investigation
• Alien Registration Office files created for those identified
• Detective Stevenson conducted systematic investigation of each member

Connection to Investigation

This membership list may contain:

• Names connected to K.W. Schmidt network
• Individuals who later appeared in Hawke's Bay
• Links to the Auslands Organisation
• Professional class members (lawyers, accountants) who could have facilitated operations

Next Steps

• Download full 14-page PDF for complete membership analysis
• Cross-reference names with Empire Tung Oil directors
• Search for any names appearing in Hawke's Bay records post-1945
• Check for connections to Crawford Young or other identified figures

Additional Members from Page 3

| Name | Status | Notes |

|------|--------|-------|

| Johnston, Mrs Annie | Registered as alien | German. Registered on 7/12/39 as result of this inquiry |

| Jagusch, Mrs F. | Not liable | Widow. Husband was German born but naturalized British in 1897 |

| Richter, H. | No trace | Was only a casual visitor to New Zealand and the club about 1937 |

| Schollum, Wensl | Not liable | Born New Zealand. Father was naturalized 1877 |

| Schmidt, Harold | Not liable | Born in New Zealand. Father was naturalized British |

| Schneider, Mrs E. | Not liable | Born in Australia of British parents. Widow of German |

| Williams, Mrs Maria | Not liable | Born Austria. Married an Englishman in London before Austria became part of Germany |

| Zoeller, Miss Bertha | Left NZ | Left New Zealand about 4 years ago |

Signed: E.A. Stevenson, Detective To: The Commissioner

CRITICAL FINDING: SCHMIDT NAME

Harold Schmidt appears on the German Club Auckland membership list:

• Born in New Zealand
• Father was naturalized British
• Listed as "Not liable" for alien registration

This could be a relative of K.W. Schmidt (Kurt Wilhelm Schmidt) from the Empire Tung Oil investigation. The file German 37-10-09 is titled "K.W. and H. Schmidt to visit Germany" - the "H. Schmidt" may be Harold Schmidt.

Connection to K.W. Schmidt File

The NZSIS has a separate file (German 37-10-09, 64 MB) specifically about "K.W. and H. Schmidt to visit Germany" - this suggests:

• Harold Schmidt was connected to Kurt Wilhelm Schmidt
• Both were planning to travel to Germany during the Nazi period
• This was significant enough to warrant a separate police file

Police Department Memorandum (Page 4)

From: Police Department, Wellington, C.1 Date: 13th November, 1939 Reference: S.37/10/15 To: The Superintendent of Police, AUCKLAND

Subject: MEMBERS OF THE FORMER GERMAN CLUB, AUCKLAND

> "Please have confidential inquiries made regarding the nationality and liability under the Alien Control Emergency Regulations, 1939, of the persons referred to in attached list. It is noted that several, who appear to be aliens, have not registered."

> "If necessary they should be interviewed."

Signed: D. Cummings, Commissioner of Police

Routing Chain

• Mr Inspector
• Detective Branch
• J. Cummings
• Supt. 15.11.39
• The Chief Det.
• R. Ward, Insp. 15/11/39
• Mrs Stevenson, Somall, 4 hrs, 10.11.39
• The Chief Detective, Report attached, E.A. Stevenson, Det. 12-12-39
• Insp. Ward, Forwarded, R.G.N. Sligh(?), Det. Sgt. 13/12/39

Significance

This memorandum shows:

• Commissioner of Police personally ordered the investigation
• Alien Control Emergency Regulations 1939 - wartime security measure
• Several members had NOT registered as aliens despite being required to
• The investigation was treated as a confidential security matter
• Multiple detectives and inspectors were involved in the chain of command