A Lithuanian immigrant who may have been a Nazi collaborator during the second world war should be “removed from the fabric of Wollongong” if the claims can be verified, the New South Wales Jewish community says.
Bronius “Bob” Sredersas was a folk hero and former steelworker who has been a celebrated figure since he donated his art collection to the Wollongong Art Gallery in 1976 before his death in 1982.
On Monday, the Guardian revealed the results of a four-year investigation by the former local councillor Michael Samaras that obtained documents that appeared to show Sredersas worked with the intelligence service of the Waffen SS, known as the Sicherheitsdienst (SD).
Later he fled to Germany ahead of the advance by the Soviet Union where he applied for German citizenship and attempted to join the SS as a volunteer before he emigrated to Australia following the war.
The NSW Jewish Board of Deputies CEO, Darren Bark, said now this history was known the allegations should be thoroughly investigated.
“If this individual has indeed hoodwinked the community, swift action should be taken by council to ensure that he is removed from the fabric of Wollongong – it’s the least the community deserves,” Bark said.
The Wollongong city council lord mayor, Gordon Bradbery, said he first learned of the allegations against Sredersas from the media.
“If I had been approached, I would have actioned it sooner. I’m sure that goes for senior staff at council,” Bradbey said. “We weren’t notified of it and that does concern me that it didn’t come straight to me, the lord mayor, or the general manager.”
“I was just so shocked that this had not been uncovered sooner in terms that goes back to the days when the man arrived, possibly if it was the same person.
“And this is where you’ve got to be very careful as much as this accusation needs to be validated.”
Samaras approached the city council about his research in January but was sent an email in response saying that “on balance, given the lack of clear evidence in this case, it is not deemed appropriate for council – as a local government body – to undertake such an investigative role as suggested.
“As such, council does not propose to take any further steps in this matter as this time,” it said.
Bradbery said the matter had been mishandled as at the time the council had been shut down over the holiday period and was dealing with a Covid-19 surge, leaving it understaffed.
He said the response to Samaras had been handled by junior staff on the understanding that additional information would be provided by Samaras later.
In an effort to address the situation, Bradbery said the council had made an official report to the Australian federal police (AFP) which oversees war crimes legislation and that this report had been referred on to an international agency to investigate further.
The AFP has oversight of Australia’s war crimes legislation but where a person is no longer alive there is limited capacity to act. The AFP has been contacted.
Wollongong city council has also arranged to meet with the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies and representatives from the Sydney Jewish Museum early next week, after the Board of Deputies wrote to the council on Monday raising its concerns and offering to assist in an investigation.
“We look forward to working with them and the Sydney Jewish Museum, a constituent organisation of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, to deliver answers to the Wollongong community,” Bark said.
If the claims can be verified, Bark said the community of Wollongong should disassociate itself from Sredersas by removing his picture and name from monuments, exhibitions and re-examining his place in its history.
The Sydney Jewish Museum has an in-house historian who conducts research into the Holocaust and other war crimes committed during the second world war.
Rebecca Kummerfeld, the education officer at the museum, said the incident raised confronting questions for Wollongong and other communities about the capacity of people who do good to also “do really atrocious things”.
“If it does come out that this man did commit crimes and he was involved in genocide, it is going to be an opportunity for dialogue and asking some really challenging questions,” Kummerfeld said.
“It is important to understand the people who contributed to this country. And to understand the light and shade in their contribution, whatever that may mean.”
