William Joyce, American-born Irish-British pro-Axis propaganda broadcaster (b. 1906)

William Brooke Joyce (24 April 1906 – 3 January 1946), notoriously known by his wartime nickname, Lord Haw-Haw, was a controversial figure born in America who became a prominent fascist politician and an infamous Nazi propaganda broadcaster during the tumultuous years of the Second World War. His distinctive, affected upper-class English accent, often caricatured, made him instantly recognizable to millions of Allied listeners who tuned into German radio broadcasts.

Joyce's political journey began long before the war. Born in Brooklyn, New York, to Irish parents, he moved to Ireland and later to England, where he became deeply involved in extreme right-wing politics. He was a vocal member of the British Union of Fascists (BUF), led by Sir Oswald Mosley, throughout the 1930s. Within the BUF, he was known for his antisemitic rhetoric and confrontational public speaking, often clashing with anti-fascist demonstrators. His radical views and organizational skills saw him rise within the party ranks, though he was expelled from the BUF in 1937, subsequently forming his own, even more extreme, National Socialist League.

With the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, Joyce, anticipating arrest due to his known pro-German sympathies, fled to Germany. He quickly found employment with the German state radio, Reichs-Rundfunk-Gesellschaft, becoming a key figure in their English-language propaganda efforts. From Berlin, he broadcast regular messages aimed at undermining British morale, spreading disinformation, and encouraging a peace treaty with Nazi Germany. These broadcasts, often beginning with "Germany calling, Germany calling," were widely listened to in Britain, not only for their propaganda content but often for their entertainment value, particularly the perceived absurdity of Joyce's pronouncements, which led to his enduring "Lord Haw-Haw" moniker.

A critical turning point in Joyce's life and subsequent legal fate was his acquisition of German citizenship in 1940. This action was primarily a strategic move to secure his position within the Nazi regime and ensure his continued employment as a broadcaster. Despite becoming a German citizen, Joyce had previously applied for and held a British passport, which he renewed as late as 1939. This seemingly minor detail would become the cornerstone of the British legal case against him.

Following Germany's defeat in 1945, William Joyce was captured near Flensburg, close to the Danish border. He was subsequently brought back to the United Kingdom to face trial. In September 1945, he was charged with and convicted of one count of high treason. The prosecution successfully argued that, by holding a British passport, even though he was American-born and later a German citizen, Joyce owed allegiance to the British Crown. His broadcasts for the enemy constituted a betrayal of that allegiance, thereby meeting the definition of treason under English law.

The conviction was met with intense public interest and legal scrutiny. Joyce's legal team launched an appeal, arguing that as a foreign national who had acquired German citizenship, he could not be guilty of treason against the British Crown. However, both the Court of Appeal and, crucially, the House of Lords, the highest judicial body in the United Kingdom at the time, upheld his conviction. The landmark ruling affirmed the principle that a person who holds a British passport, even if a foreign national, owes allegiance to the Crown for the duration of its validity, and actions contrary to that allegiance abroad could constitute treason.

William Brooke Joyce was executed by hanging on 3 January 1946, at Wandsworth Prison in London. This significant event marked him as the last person to be executed for the capital crime of treason in the United Kingdom. It is important to note the distinction with the case of Theodore Schurch, who was hanged the very next day, 4 January 1946. Schurch's execution was for the crime of "treachery," a lesser but still severe wartime offence defined under the Treachery Act 1940, rather than the historic and more encompassing charge of high treason.

Frequently Asked Questions About William Brooke Joyce

Who was Lord Haw-Haw and what was his real name?

Lord Haw-Haw was the popular nickname given to William Brooke Joyce, an American-born fascist politician who became a notorious English-language propaganda broadcaster for Nazi Germany during the Second World War. His real name was William Brooke Joyce.

Why was William Joyce charged with high treason?

William Joyce was charged with high treason because, despite being American-born and having acquired German citizenship in 1940, he had applied for and held a British passport which was valid at the time he began broadcasting for the enemy. The British legal system argued that by possessing this passport, he owed allegiance to the British Crown, and his actions in broadcasting propaganda for Nazi Germany constituted a betrayal of that allegiance.

When and where was William Joyce executed?

William Joyce was executed by hanging on 3 January 1946, at Wandsworth Prison in London, United Kingdom.

Was William Joyce the last person executed in the UK?

No, William Joyce was the last person executed for the specific crime of high treason in the United Kingdom. Theodore Schurch was executed the following day (4 January 1946) for the crime of "treachery," a distinct wartime offense, making him the last person executed in the UK for any capital crime under wartime legislation, but not specifically treason.

What was the British Union of Fascists?

The British Union of Fascists (BUF) was a political party active in the United Kingdom during the 1930s, led by Sir Oswald Mosley. William Joyce was a prominent member known for his radical views before he left to form his own, more extreme, National Socialist League.