Ronald Roberts, the Lad Who Outwitted the Nazis

This book documents in text and photographs the extraordinary life of a man who was both a Black German and a British Empire national.

Ronald Roberts was born in Germany in 1921. As the son of a Barbadian father and a white mother, Roberts suffered racial persecution in Nazi Germany and spent the Second World War interned in a civilian camp as a British national. After the war, he made a new life for himself working with the British military in occupied Austria and finally settled in a postwar Britain that was barely coming to terms with its own colonial legacy. His experiences along the way are a record of endurance, inventiveness and the stubborn refusal to ‘go under’ in the face of persistent racism.

Roberts’ prison and camp letters to his parents (a unique source) and his postwar testimony are reproduced here, along with a short biography by his widow. His story is richly illustrated with family photos and documents, and an introduction and explanatory notes provide readers with critical and historical context.

Carol Roberts grew up in Warwickshire. She met Ron Roberts in 1965, and they were married for 35 years, running a hotel and care home and travelling the world whenever they could. After Ron’s death, Carol retrained as an accredited Domestic Violence officer and spent some time with Barnardos until retiring. She now enjoys tending her garden and spending time with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Eve Rosenhaft studied in Canada and the UK and taught at the University of Liverpool before retiring in 2021. Her publications in Black German studies include Black Germany (2013), Slavery Hinterland (2016), Black German (2017) and Mnemonic Solidarity (2021). She also acted as historical consultant for Amma Asante’s 2018 film Where Hands Touch.