Misdirected quasars in distant radio galaxies.

The authors present the results of recent spectro-polarimetry and imaging-polarimetry of distant radio galaxies which show: (1) broad polarized permitted emission lines, (2) narrow unpolarized forbidden emission lines, (3) a flat (in f_λ) polarized UV continuum and (4) an absorption feature, probably interstellar. The direction of the E vector of polarization is always perpendicular to the optical/radio axis. These observations are strong evidence that these objects harbour a quasar, which is visible only through scattering by the interstellar medium of the galaxy. The continuum polarization drops to the red of the 4000 Å break, suggesting dilution by an evolved stellar population. A two-component model made of a dust scattered quasar and an evolved stellar population reproduces well the polarization and the spectral energy distribution, including the IR data.