Letter from Leo T. McCauley to Lord Rugby (Dublin)

I must begin with a sincere apology for the fact that this letter was not written to you sooner. I intended to write it immediately after the conversation we had on its subject matter last May. It was a personal omission on my part, due to absence and a particularly heavy pressure of work in the meantime, that the intention was not carried out at the proper time.

As I mentioned to you in the course of the conversation we had immediately after the death of Goertz, we have an immediate apprehension that, if the intention to deport Unland were to be proceeded with, the consequence would be the same as in the Goertz case. This is not mere speculation. It is a conclusion based on actual information which the Minister for Justice has received and which he is convinced is reliable. Mrs. Unland,¹ who is British-born, will never consent to go to Germany, and, after the sacrifices she has borne for his sake, she will not face separation from her husband at this stage. In all the circumstances, there is only too good reason to fear that, rather than go to Germany, the Unlands would take their lives - and no precautions which it would be practicable to take could be relied upon to provide an effective safeguard against such an eventuality.

The Irish Government have reached the conclusion that they would not be justified in inviting the risk of another such occurrence. Public opinion would be deeply shocked and the ultimate consequence would be bad and regrettable from every point of view. We are sure that, knowing the circumstances, the authorities concerned on your side will share this view.

While he remains in this country, Unland will be kept under effective surveillance, any political activity on his part will result in the immediate reconsideration of his position, and no application for naturalisation from him will be entertained.