Celebrated Wollongong art benefactor Bob Sredersas wasn't the only alleged Nazi to slip into Australia

Councillor Cath Blakey said after learning of the dark past for the much celebrated Bob Sredersas, she contacted the Sydney Jewish Museum and was astounded hundreds of Nazi's and collaborators sought refuge in our country.

Read more: Who was Bob Sredersas - secret serviceman, art benefactor, war criminal

"These people would have lied on their immigration applications, they would have said there were displaced people when they weren't," she said.

"It's really important our community learns about the holocaust and the wars of the past."

She said all councillors had expressed shock at the revelations Sredersas was involved with the intelligence arm of the Nazi SS, (which was instrumental in the mass killing of Lithuanian Jews during World War II).

In 1986, the Federal Government launched an investigation into suspected Nazi war criminals and collaborators who had evaded justice after the war and fled to Australia - however it resulted in only a handful being persecuted.

Cr Blakey said when the information regarding Sredersas' past was given to Wollongong City Council in January, councillors were not made aware at the time - though now they all want answers over who made the decision not to pursue the allegations.

Read more: Why Sredersas' past matters to all of us - Editorial

She said the generous collection of art Sredersas donated to the city shouldn't be in question, but rather how we refer to this man in the future and thought given to council assets that are named in his honour.

"It's not the art collection itself that's in question but it's how we speak about Bob," Cr Blakey said.

"In 2018 there was an exhibition that ... really celebrated his contribution to our community but we need get a fuller picture of who he actually was. We can't celebrate him as a folk hero if there's allegations of him being a mass murderer."

Anne-Louise Rentell who curated that exhibition said they were aware of the "gap" in information surrounding the immigrant's life during WWII and was pleased it prompted more research from the public.

"That exhibition included newly sourced documentation on Bob which was openly shared," Ms Rentell said.

"I am very pleased that the exhibition and the questions it raised, prompted a member of the public to dig further - art doing its own work to shed light."

Former Wollongong councillor Michael Samaras was the man who uncovered the dark secrets, subsequently alerting the gallery and council.

Cr Blakey said council officers were meeting with Mr Samaras on Tuesday to discuss his historical research.

The Illawarra Mercury gathered personal comment from the Lord Mayor and Deputy Mayor on Monday, while questions around the allegations were sent to council's media team - though they chose not respond.

Council's media officers sent a statement to another media outlet The Guardian Australia last week stating it was a matter for the Australian Federal Police; they also provided a similar statement to the ABC on Monday noting "standard industry processes were followed" for the donation of artworks at the time.