When the United States entered the war in 1917, all Germans (about 250,000) had to register, including prominent artists, wealthy merchants, and trade unionists.
They were questioned about their political beliefs, their position on the war and the United States of America. German books were publicly burned, and yellow crosses were placed on houses inhabited by Germans.The arrests were arbitrary, based on the Alien Enemies Act of 1798. This law authorized the president to issue arrest warrants without a warrant or warrant during times of war. Thousands of people were detained in camps as “enemy aliens.”
The danger posed by the detainees was widely and hysterically reported in the American media, and hatred and incitement was stirred up against the Germans, who were also heralded as potential Bolsheviks after the Russian Revolution.The book also reveals the contradictions in the lives of detainees in the camp: while some were subjected to harassment and forced labour, privileged inmates - including millionaires - were able to live in small rooms, had servants and cooks, chicken coops and a vegetable garden.
