The Governor-General's Apology: Reflections on Anzac Day

In September 1999, the then governor-general of Australia, Sir William Deane, gave a speech to the Australian Conference on Lutheran Education where he offered an apology to members of the German Australian community for the 'tragic, and often shameful, discrimination against Australians of German origin fostered during the world wars'. This article reflects on a number of issues raised by the Governor-General's statement, most importantly on our understanding of the Anzac historiography and its various narratives.