Gunter (Mike) Sondheim collection regarding the Dunera and Australian internment camps

MLMSS 12096
R 2426

fonds

approximately 1902-2014

Textual Records, Graphic Materials, Photographs, Clippings, Ephemera, Watercolours, Objects, Drawings

9669723

0.8 metres of textual material (5 boxes), includes photographs
Barbed wire - rusted metal - 17 cm

Gunter (Mike) Sondheim, was born on 3 November 1916 to a middle-class Jewish family in Dusseldorf, Germany. A keen student, Mike began studies in Mechanical Engineering in Zurich, Switzerland, before joining his family in London in the early years of World War II. As ’Enemy Aliens from Nazi Oppression’, Mike and his father Arnold were interred by the British Government in 1940-41, Arnold on the Isle of Man and Gunter in Hay, New South Wales and Tatura, Victoria via the ‘Dunera’. They voyage, which lasted two months, has been well documented because of the ill treatment of the passengers.

In 1942 Mike enlisted in the 8th Employment Company where he acted as driver to Captain Broughton who encouraged him to continue his studies. After the war and completing his degree at Melbourne University, Mike had a long and successful career as an engineer.

Mike was president of the Dunera Association from November 1991-November 2011 and the Hay Tatura Association and a supporter of the Tatura Museum.

He passed away on 26 July 2014.

Reference
“Mike Sondheim – tributes and profile”, Dunera News, No. 92 (October 2014)

By descent from Gunter Sondheim to his son, Clive Sondheim and family.

This collection includes research on and lists of Dunera Boys, artworks by Dunera Boys, papers and photographs relating to reunion events, research relating to Hay currency, transcriptions of Dunera diaries, correspondence with other Dunera boys and their relatives, minutes of meetings and financial records of the Dunera Association.

Box 1
Folder 1
Transcriptions of Mike Sondheim Dunera and camp diaries, 1940-1941
Folder 2
Transcriptions of Mike Sondheim camp diaries and letters, miscellaneous documents and letters including scores for the first team handball championship and table tennis cards (Tatura) and a letter from Australian Jewish Welfare Society, 1941-1942
Folder 3
Original and photocopied artworks of time on the Dunera and in the camps. Includes works by Fritz Schonbach, Paul Glass, Walter Kohn (Keats), J.O. Hecht, Henry (Heinrich) Teltscher. Hans Rothe and others, approximately 1940-2003
Folder 4
50th Dunera reunion, Hay, 1st & 2nd September 1990. Includes clippings and articles, 1990
Folder 5
Includes Mike Sondheim life story, dental treatment in camps by Dr Reinhard Waldsax, artworks and information on Fritz Schonbach, correspondence with Raja Rosenbluth, issues of ‘The Boomerang’, approximately 1941-2002
Folder 6
Correspondence with Dr Manfred Brusten and an interview with Mike Sondheim, includes photographs, approximately 1994-2008

Box 2
Folder 1
Includes Herbert Goldsmith documents, poems by Oswald Volkmann, Peter Tikotin letter and article, articles and clippings on the Dunera, laminated sheet for the Dunera 75th anniversary reunion dinner, miscellaneous documents, approximately 1941-2010
Folder 2
Honorary Life Membership documents, clippings, articles, pamphlets and correspondence regarding reunions, interpretive centre at Hay and Tatura, 1998-2010
Folder 3
Typescript copies of ‘Dunera Diary’ by Mike Sondheim; Books 1, 2, 3, 4 and postscript, 1940s
Folder 4
Circular for Camps 7 & 8, Eastern Command, memorandum, ‘The Dunera Tapes; Conversations on a Windy Day in Hay’, ‘The Hay Internment Camp Notes’, correspondence and photocopies of camp currency, approximately 1940-2000
Folder 5
Folder titled ‘Hay Camp 7 Banknotes’, ‘The Dunera Boys in History and Memory’ by Ken Inglis, approximately 1994-2012
Folder 6
Aharon Bar-Nir diary, ‘Voyage of an Alien’ by Vittorio Tolaini, approximately 1995

Box 3
Folder 1
Dunera News items of interest, 50th anniversary material, approximately 1940-1990
Folder 2
List of professions camp no. 8, 1940s
Folder 3
Captain Edward Renata Broughton dossier, approximately 1902-2011
Folder 4
Fred Gruen: a celebration of his life, material from folder titled ‘Documentation used in parts and others unsuitable for publication’ and miscellaneous documents, approximately 1940-2001
Folder 5
‘Defending the country, fighting for the flag: the Second World War experiences of Hay’ by Mary Lou Gardam (ed.), ‘Three Point Perspective: Johannes Matthaeus Koelz 1895-1971' by Ava M. Farrington, ‘A life divided Johannes Matthaeuss: a retrospective exhibition’, ‘Personal Accounts: Johannes Matthaeus Koelz 1895-1971'
Folder 6
‘Survival’ by Rainer Radok (includes letter inside from Rainer to Mike), ‘Education in Adversary: the Dunera internees during the Second World War’ by Paurl R. Bartrop, ‘Personal Accounts: Johannes Matthaeus Koelz 1895-1971', “The Dunera: a journey of changing identities’ by Anna Kyi

Box 4
Folder 1
Mike Sondheim abbreviated CV, 1st half of folder titled ‘Valuable items of Dunera: correspondence and articles’, approximately 2000-2009
Folder 2
2nd half of folder titled ‘Valuable items of Dunera: correspondence and articles’, approximately 1981-2011
Folder 3
Membership lists, nominal roll of Dunera internees, approximately 1996-2014
Folder 4
Dunera Association minutes and financial statements, approximately 2004-2014
Folder 5
Includes passenger lists, correspondence, photocopies of the Dunera log book, complaints regarding brutality on board the Dunera, Gunter Sondheim Report on Internee, approximately 1940-2010
Folder 6
Hay Tatura Association Inc. constitution and rules, Association Incorporation Act, correspondence, approximately 1989

Box 5
Folders 1 & 2
Dunera Association correspondence, approximately 2011-2014
Folder 3
Photographs of Dunera internee gatherings and reunions after release and a 2008 visit to Tatura, approximately 1940-2008
Loose item:
Album with photographs and manuscript diary entries. Includes photographs and clippings of camps and postwar reunions, approximately 1940-2005


R 2426
Barbed wire collected at the site of the former Hay internment Camps 7 & 8

English, German

Access via appointment - Only applies to R 2426 (barbed wire)

Copyright restrictions may apply:
Please acknowledge:: Mitchell Library, State Library of New South Wales and Courtesy copyright holder

Born Gunter Sondheim. Changed name to Mike Sondheim after arriving in Australia.

Reference
Sondheim family