Let G be a locally compact group and L1(G) be the group algebra of G. We show that G is abelian or compact if every continuous automorphism of L1(G)** maps L1(G) onto L1(G) This characterizes all groups with this property and answers a question raised by F. Ghahramani and A. T. Lau in [7]. We also show that if G is a compact group and θ is any (algebra) isomorphism from L1(G)** onto L1(H)**, then H is compact and θ maps L1(G) onto L1(H).