NZ Army's '50/50 blood' rule

Invincible Strangers 66 Chapter 29.4

In August 1938 Germany sent a new consul general to Wellington, Ernst Ramm.

A Wellington newspaper described him as the ‘ideal type of Nazi diplomat’…. tall, handsome, suave, speaking faultless English, well groomed, and always the perfect gentleman in his dealings with Government officials’. At his office in Brandon Street he had a deputy, two German secretaries and a large safe. Ramm visited Sāmoa, travelling on Matua whose passengers included the British High Commissioner for the Western Pacific, Harry Luke. In the overheated colonial bubble, Luke, with his knight commander gong, was a  semi-divine presence. Town bridges would be given a lick of paint on news of a pending visit. There was distress when, coming into Āpia, Luke faced a large Nazi flag and up to 300 matai waiting to greet Ramm. There had been changes since Hellenthal’s visit. The Concordia Club had become Nazi. Ramm reported its Beach Road building ‘bears a definite National Socialist imprint’ with pictures of Hitler in every room and a large Nazi flag out front. Fritz Jahnke, who with his Sāmoan wife had six children, was president. It had 31 Germans with voting rights and 27 non-German associates from Scandinavia, Switzerland and Britain. Turnbull told Wellington there was a split on colour lines in the German community. Matthes and the Sāmoa Nazi were supported by ‘mixed blood Germans’ while the British and the ‘white Germans’ resented Matthes. Ramm met a delegation of Germans who wanted Matthes’ removal. Ramm directed that any Sāmoa Nazi matters pass through his consulate which was taking over the Āpia operation.

Battle of Britain Spitfire paid for by Sāmoa. Unknown pilot. Photo Air Force Musuem