Complicit Testimonies in The Australian Investigative Archive

Article

Persian, J.. 2025. "Complicit Testimonies in The Australian Investigative Archive." Journal of Perpetrator Research. 7 (2), pp. 49-70. https://doi.org/DOI:10.21039/jpr.7.2.178
Article Title

Complicit Testimonies in The Australian Investigative Archive

Article CategoryArticle
AuthorsPersian, J.
Journal TitleJournal of Perpetrator Research
Journal Citation7 (2), pp. 49-70
Article Number2
Number of Pages22
Year2025
Place of PublicationUnited Kingdom
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/DOI:10.21039/jpr.7.2.178
Web Address (URL)https://jpr.winchesteruniversitypress.org/articles/10.21039/jpr.7.2.178
Abstract

A Special Investigations Unit (SIU) in Australia was established in 1987 to find evidence of war crimes as defined in the recently amended War Crimes Act, to prosecute perpetrators of war crimes committed during the Second World War. These alleged war criminals were predominantly former Central and Eastern European displaced persons (DPs) who had arrived in Australia in the post-war period, many of them complicit in the Holocaust. This late attempt at prosecution occurred in the context of similar moves towards punitive justice in the other main countries of resettlement: the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Focusing on the language used by suspects in the interviews that the Special Investigations Unit conducted, this article reads the interviews as an empirical repository of alleged perpetrator testimony that speaks to non-German complicity with the German-led Holocaust.

Keywordsdisplaced persons, testimony, complicity, Holocaust, investigations
Contains Sensitive ContentContains sensitive content
Sensitive Handling NoteContains traumatic content
ANZSRC Field of Research 2020430319. Migration history
430302. Australian history
430308. European history (excl. British, classical Greek and Roman)
Byline AffiliationsSchool of Humanities and Communication
Centre for Heritage and Culture
Permalink -

https://research.usq.edu.au/item/zy317/complicit-testimonies-in-the-australian-investigative-archive

Log in to edit
  • 0
    total views
  • 0
    total downloads
  • 0
    views this month
  • 0
    downloads this month

Export as

Related outputs

The New Citizens Council: A 1950's Migrant Trade Union
Nilsson, Ebony and Persian, Jayne. 2024. "The New Citizens Council: A 1950's Migrant Trade Union." Radical Currents: Labour Histories. (4), pp. 18-19.
Russians, Ukrainians, and the Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations
Persian, Jayne. 2024. "Russians, Ukrainians, and the Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations." Fitzpatrick, Sheila and Deery, Phillip (ed.) Russians in Cold War Australia. United States. Rowman & Littlefield Publishers. pp. 205-226
The Humanitarians: Child War Refugees and Australian Humanitarianism in a Transnational World, 1919–1975 by Joy Damousi
Persian, Jayne. 2024. "The Humanitarians: Child War Refugees and Australian Humanitarianism in a Transnational World, 1919–1975 by Joy Damousi." Australian Journal of Politics and History. 70 (1), pp. 155-156. https://doi.org/10.1111/ajph.12963
“A Bloody Migrant Who Thinks He Can Run a Union”: The Case of Jerzy Bielski, a Migrant Trade Unionist in 1950s Australia
Nilsson, Ebony and Persian, Jayne. 2024. "“A Bloody Migrant Who Thinks He Can Run a Union”: The Case of Jerzy Bielski, a Migrant Trade Unionist in 1950s Australia ." Labour History: a journal of labour and social history. 126 (1), pp. 97-115. https://doi.org/10.3828/labourhistory.2024.7
Australia is still reckoning with a shameful legacy: the resettlement of suspected war criminals after WWII
Persian, Jayne. 2024. "Australia is still reckoning with a shameful legacy: the resettlement of suspected war criminals after WWII." The Conversation.
Fascists in Exile: Post-War Displaced Persons in Australia
Persian, Jayne. 2024. Fascists in Exile: Post-War Displaced Persons in Australia. United Kingdom. Routledge.
The case of Yaroslav Hunka, and its echoes in Australia’s history
Persian, Jayne. 2023. "The case of Yaroslav Hunka, and its echoes in Australia’s history." Overland.
Cruel Care: A History of Children at Our Borders by Jordana Silverstei
Persian, Jayne. 2023. "Cruel Care: A History of Children at Our Borders by Jordana Silverstei." Australian Historical Studies. 54 (4), pp. 846-847. https://doi.org/10.1080/1031461X.2023.2261589
Far Right Security Risks? Deportations & Extradition requests of Displaced Persons 1947-1952
Persian, Jayne. 2023. "Far Right Security Risks? Deportations & Extradition requests of Displaced Persons 1947-1952." Balint, Ruth, Damousi, Joy and Fitzpatrick, Sheila (ed.) When Migrants Fail to Stay: New Histories on Departures and Migration. United Kingdom. Bloomsbury Publishing. pp. 51-66
Wogs as work: humour as ethnic entrepreneurship and convivial labour
Carniel, Jessica and Persian, Jayne. 2023. "Wogs as work: humour as ethnic entrepreneurship and convivial labour." Continuum: Journal of Media and Cultural Studies. 37 (4), pp. 480-493. https://doi.org/10.1080/10304312.2023.2253382
Ukraine’s fight for its identity is more than a century old – it is not about to stop
Persian, Jayne. 2022. "Ukraine’s fight for its identity is more than a century old – it is not about to stop." The Conversation.
European Post-War Migrants and Indigenous Australians: A History in Fragments
Persian, Jayne and Agutter, Karen. 2021. "European Post-War Migrants and Indigenous Australians: A History in Fragments." History Australia. 18 (1), pp. 112-129. https://doi.org/10.1080/14490854.2021.1878912
European and Australian Fascisms: The Case of Ferenc Molnar and National Socialism in Cold War Australia
Smith, Evan and Persian, Jayne. 2022. "European and Australian Fascisms: The Case of Ferenc Molnar and National Socialism in Cold War Australia." Smith, Evan, Persian, Jayne and Fox, Vashti Jane (ed.) Histories of Fascism and Anti-Fascism in Australia. United Kingdom. Routledge. pp. 140-157
Introduction: Fascism and Anti-Fascism in Australian History
Smith, Evan, Persian Jayne and Fox, Vashti Jane. 2022. "Introduction: Fascism and Anti-Fascism in Australian History." Smith, Evan, Persian, Jayne and Fox, Vashti Jane (ed.) Histories of Fascism and Anti-Fascism in Australia. United Kingdom. Routledge. pp. 1-19
No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison
Persian, Jayne. 2020. "No Friend but the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison." SITES: a Journal for South Pacific Cultural Studies. 17 (1).
The Department of Immigration was central to Australia's post-World War II recovery. What role might it play in Australia's recovery from COVID 19?
Tavan, Gwenda, Persian, Jayne and Greenwood, Justine. 2020. "The Department of Immigration was central to Australia's post-World War II recovery. What role might it play in Australia's recovery from COVID 19?" Australian Policy and History.
Review: James Hammerton, Migrants of the British Diaspora since the 1960s: Stories from Modern Nomads, Manchester University Press, 2017
Persian, Jayne. 2019. "Review: James Hammerton, Migrants of the British Diaspora since the 1960s: Stories from Modern Nomads, Manchester University Press, 2017." Oral History Australia Journal. 41, pp. 108-109.
Oral histories of displaced persons: what for? The story like mine's plenty now
Persian, Jayne. 2019. "Oral histories of displaced persons: what for? The story like mine's plenty now." Darian-Smith, Kate and Hamilton, Paula (ed.) Remembering migration: oral histories and heritage in Australia. Switzerland. Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 29-46
Cossack identities: from Russian emigres and anti-soviet collaborators to displaced persons
Persian, Jayne. 2019. "Cossack identities: from Russian emigres and anti-soviet collaborators to displaced persons." Dellios, Alexandra (ed.) Memory and family in Australian refugee histories. Milton Park, United Kingdom. Routledge. pp. 47-64
'The Dirty Vat': European migration to Australia from Shanghai, 1946-47
Persian, Jayne. 2019. "'The Dirty Vat': European migration to Australia from Shanghai, 1946-47." Australian Historical Studies. 50 (1), pp. 21-40. https://doi.org/10.1080/1031461X.2018.1551411
Introduction: museums and engagement in Queensland: critical contributions to the field
Stroja, Jessica and Persian, Jayne. 2018. "Introduction: museums and engagement in Queensland: critical contributions to the field." Queensland Review. 25 (2), pp. 187-190. https://doi.org/10.1017/qre.2018.23
Displaced persons in Queensland: Stuart migrant camp
Persian, Jayne. 2018. "Displaced persons in Queensland: Stuart migrant camp." Queensland Review. 25 (2), pp. 239-251. https://doi.org/10.1017/qre.2018.27
Cossack identities: from Russian emigres and anti-Soviet collaborators to displaced persons
Persian, Jayne. 2018. "Cossack identities: from Russian emigres and anti-Soviet collaborators to displaced persons." Immigrants and Minorities. 36 (2), pp. 125-142. https://doi.org/10.1080/02619288.2018.1471856
Histories of controversies: Bonegilla migrant centre
Persian, Jayne. 2018. "Histories of controversies: Bonegilla migrant centre." Australian Historical Studies. 49 (2), pp. 281-282. https://doi.org/10.1080/1031461X.2018.1454277
Review: Melanie Ilic and Dalia Leinarte (eds), The Soviet past in the post-Socialist present: methodology and ethics in Russian, Baltic and Central European oral history and memory studies, Routledge Approaches to History, Routledge, 2016. 257 pages. ISBN (hbk) 9781138933453.
Persian, Jayne. 2017. "Review: Melanie Ilic and Dalia Leinarte (eds), The Soviet past in the post-Socialist present: methodology and ethics in Russian, Baltic and Central European oral history and memory studies, Routledge Approaches to History, Routledge, 2016. 257 pages. ISBN (hbk) 9781138933453." Studies in Oral History.
Displaced persons (1947-1952) in Australia: memory in autobiography
Persian, Jayne. 2017. "Displaced persons (1947-1952) in Australia: memory in autobiography." Arthur, Paul Longley (ed.) Migrant nation: Australian culture, society and identity. London, United Kingdom. Anthem Press. pp. 151-175
Vladimír Ležák-Borin: Cold War warrior
Persian, Jayne. 2017. "Vladimír Ležák-Borin: Cold War warrior." Baker, Dallas John, Brien, Donna Lee and Sulway, Nike (ed.) Recovering history through fact and fiction: forgotten lives. Newcastle upon Tyne, United Kingdom. Cambridge Scholars Publishing. pp. 78-87
Beautiful balts: from displaced persons to new Australians
Persian, Jayne. 2017. Beautiful balts: from displaced persons to new Australians. Sydney, Australia. NewSouth Publishing.
Tracing family with the Australian Red Cross - then and now
Balint, Ruth and Persian, Jayne. 2015. "Tracing family with the Australian Red Cross - then and now." The Conversation.
Jehovah's Witness hierarchy means child sex abuse goes unreported
Persian, Jayne. 2015. "Jehovah's Witness hierarchy means child sex abuse goes unreported." The Conversation.
Hope: refugees and their supporters in Australia since 1947 by Ann-Mari Jordens
Persian, Jayne. 2013. "Hope: refugees and their supporters in Australia since 1947 by Ann-Mari Jordens." Labour History: a journal of labour and social history.
M. James Penton: Apocalypse delayed: the story of Jehovah’s Witnesses
Persian, Jayne. 2016. "M. James Penton: Apocalypse delayed: the story of Jehovah’s Witnesses." Journal of Religious History. 40 (3), pp. 444-445. https://doi.org/10.1111/1467-9809.12370
A timely history
Persian, Jayne. 2016. "A timely history." History Australia. 13 (2), pp. 312-313.
'Boat people': the long history of immigration in Australia
Persian, Jayne and Matthew, Kate. 2016. "'Boat people': the long history of immigration in Australia." Journal of Australian Studies. 40 (4), pp. 385-386. https://doi.org/10.1080/14443058.2016.1226924
Displaced persons and the politics of international categorisation(s)
Persian, Jayne. 2012. "Displaced persons and the politics of international categorisation(s)." Australian Journal of Politics and History. 58 (4), pp. 481-496. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-8497.2012.01648.x
Bonegilla: a failed narrative
Persian, Jayne. 2012. "Bonegilla: a failed narrative." History Australia. 9 (1), pp. 64-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/14490854.2012.11668403
'Chifley liked them Blond': DP immigrants for Australia
Persian, Jayne. 2015. "'Chifley liked them Blond': DP immigrants for Australia." History Australia. 12 (2), pp. 80-101. https://doi.org/10.1080/14490854.2015.11668571