The documents in this subcollection detail JDC’s efforts to alleviate suffering and rebuild devastated communities; they are organized in record groups that are arranged alphabetically by country or region. When the amount of material for each country or region warrants further classification, the record group may be broken down into series. Note that borders shift in the war era, and that the names of localities reflect both recognized political and indigenous Jewish regions.
[Note: The geographical classification of these records presented numerous challenges. Between 1914 and 1918, national borders shifted because of the collapse of empires and military operations and occupations. Some communities or areas changed regimes repeatedly during the war era; many locations are known by multiple names. Vilna, for example, originally under Russian rule, was seized by Germany and included in the new district of Ober Ost, and was later claimed by Poland and Lithuania. Every effort has been made to cross-reference communities and to provide traditional and popular geographic names; these may not correspond to current names and designations.]
Record Group 4-1: North Africa (previously processed as “Africa, North”)
Series 1: North Africa: Administration
File 100: Africa, North, General, 1916-1917
Extent: 0.20 inch
Miscellaneous consular correspondence on needs, communal conditions, aid for Jews in North Africa.
Record Group 4-2: Belgium
Series 1: Belgium: Localities
File 101: Belgium, Antwerp, 1918
Extent: 0.15 inch
Correspondence regarding providing relief, kosher food to impoverished Jewish community of Antwerp.
Record Group 4-3: Bukovina
Series 1: Bukovina: Administration
File 102: Bukovina, General, 1917
Extent: 0.10 inch
Report (1917) on relief for Jews in Galicia and Bukovina by Michael Ringer of Lemberg Relief Committee, includes occupational, social, political history.
Record Group 4-4: Bulgaria
Series 1: Bulgaria: Administration
File 103: Bulgaria, General, 1916-1917
Extent: 0.25 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German) on needs, communal conditions, including Abraham Davitschon Levy report (January 12, 1917).
Record Group 4-5: France
Series 1: France: Organizations
File 104: France, Orgs: Alliance Israelite Universelle, 1916-1917
Extent: 0.15 inch
Correspondence (English, French) regarding funds for families of Russian Jewish volunteers in French army.
File 105: France, Orgs: Societe de Secours aux Russes, 1916
Extent: 0.15 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, French) regarding conditions, funds for families of Russian Jewish volunteers in French army, volunteers in French Foreign
Record Group 4-6: Galicia
Series 1: Galicia: Administration
File 106: Galicia, 1915-1919
Extent: 0.33 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German), including report (1917) on relief for Jews in Galicia and Bukovina by Michael Ringer of Lemberg Relief Committee, includes occupational, social, political history; report (1919) from Society for the Rescue of Abandoned Jewish Children of Galicia and Bukovina. Cables (December 1918) on pogroms. Message (undated) to Galician and Bukovinian Jews in U.S. that residents are “between two fires” Poland and Ukraine. Miscellaneous from Judisches archive.
Record Group 4-7: Greece
Series 1: Greece: Administration
File 107: Greece, General, 1915-1918
Extent: 0.33 inch
Correspondence, cables (French, English) on needs, communal conditions in Greece and in occupied regions; appeals for aid. References to logistical problems in forwarding relief supplies.
Series 2: Greece: Localities
File 108: Greece, Corfu, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Correspondence (French, English, including original handwritten communal appeals, cables) on needs, communal conditions on Corfu (Kerkyra), receipts for aid.
File 109: Greece, Rhodes, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Correspondence regarding appeals from the Jewish community on the island of Rhodes.
File 110.1: Greece, Salonica, 1915-1917
Extent: 0.75 inch
Correspondence, cables (English, French) on needs, communal conditions in Salonica, primarily after August 1917 fire destroyed the business district and waterfront, leaving 70,000-100,000 people homeless (60,000-75,000 Jews; varying reports).
File 110.2: Greece, Salonica, January-July 1918
Extent: 0.50 inch
Correspondence, cables (English, French) on needs, legal conditions, reconstruction in Salonica after destruction of 1917 fire.
File 110.3: Greece, Salonica, August-December 1918
Extent: 0.75 inch
Cables, correspondence on needs, legal conditions in Salonica after destruction of 1917 fire. Correspondence (September-October 1918) regarding a JDC representative (Hetty Goldman) to accompany Red Cross mission to Greece; Hetty Goldman field letters.
Record Group 4-8: Hungary
Series 1: Hungary: Administration
File 111: Hungary, General, 1915-1918
Extent: 0.15 inch
Miscellaneous correspondence on aid, including to Galician Jewish refugees.
Record Group 4-9: Latvia
Series 1: Latvia: Administration
File 112: Latvia, General, 1915-1916, 1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Correspondence (English, German) on communal conditions, conditions in military prison camps; appeals for aid.
Record Group 4-10: Lithuania
Series 1: Lithuania: Administration
File 113: Lithuania, General, 1915-1918
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German), Judisches Hilfscomite meeting minutes on needs, conditions in Lithuania.
Series 2: Lithuania: Organizations
File 114: Lithuania, Orgs., Board of United Synagogues, 1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Receipt for remittance, report (German) on Lithuanian Jewish community.
File 115: Lithuania, Kovno, 1918
Extent: 0.25 inch
Reports (English, handwritten German) on institutions that serve Jewish community and provide welfare, education, vocational services in Kovno.
Series 3: Lithuania: Localities
File 116: Lithuania, Localities, P-W
Extent: 0.10 inch
Minimal materials (German) on Pren, Skaudvile, Wladislawiwo.
Record Group 4-11: Mesopotamia
Series 1: Mesopotamia: Organizations
File 117: Mesopotamia, Orgs., Alliance Israelite Universelle, 1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Letter seeking aid for Alliance Israelite Universelle (AIU) school that was relocated to Basra from Baghdad after the British occupation.
Series 2: Mesopotamia:Localities
File 118: Mesopotamia, Baghdad, 1917-1919
Extent: 0.50 inch
Cables, correspondence on efforts to send aid to Baghdad community; receipts, letters of acknowledgement.
File 119: Ober Ost, General, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.50 inch
Reports on communal conditions and needs; data on aid to institutions. Miscellaneous on distribution, logistics.
Record Group 4-12: Palestine
Series 1: Palestine: Subject Matter
File 120.1: Palestine, Relief Supplies Reports, 1914-1916
Extent: 0.25 inch
Statistical reports (English, French, Hebrew) on distribution of relief supplies for Palestine.
File 123: Palestine, Medical Supplies, USS Sterling, 1916-1918
Extent: 0.75 inch
Correspondence, cables on acquisition, shipping, warehousing of medical supplies; materials on logistics, blockade of Mediterranean.
File 124: Palestine, American Zionist Medical Unit, 1917-1919
Extent: 0.75 inch
Correspondence, reports on medical conditions, disease, need for medical unit, personnel. Miscellaneous on fund-raising, financing.
File 125: Palestine, Relief Supplies, Vulcan Committee, 1915-1917
Extent: 0.33 inch
Report, financial statements (handwritten, probably by Loeb and Troper) on audit of operations in 1915 of Vulcan Committee in Jerusalem; history of committee, principles for distribution, problems with military authorities.
File 126: Palestine, Select Committee for the Relief of Jews in Palestine, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.25 inch
Correspondence, cables (many from diplomats) regarding relief, prospects for aid to Palestine under British military. Report on history of committee, changes in mission, structure after arrival of British.
Palestine, Select Committee for the Relief of Jews in Palestine, 1917-1918
Series 2: Palestine: Administration
File 120.2: Palestine, General, 1914
Extent: 0.15 inch
Cables, correspondence on distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine and Alexandria
File 120.3: Palestine, General, 1915
Extent: 1 inch
Cables, correspondence (English, German) on distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine and Alexandria, including supplies on USS Vulcan. A. Thomas Gelat report (May 10, 1915) on distribution of relief supplies to Christian communities in Jerusalem.
File 120.4: Palestine, General, January-June 1916
Extent: 0.80 inch
Correspondence (English, German, Hebrew) on distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine; receipts. Miscellaneous grievances, appeals for aid.
File 120.5: Palestine, General, July-December 1916
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence (English, German, Hebrew) on distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine; receipts, data on needy population.
File 120.6: Palestine, General, January-July 1917
Extent: 0.75 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German, French) on needs, distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine. Materials on reports of expulsion of Jews from Jaffa.
File 120.7: Palestine, General, August-December 1917
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports on needs, distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine, problems with transmissions due to wartime conditions.
File 120.8: Palestine, General, January-March 1918
Extent: 0.80 inch
Correspondence, reports on needs, distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine. Demographic summary of Jews in Jerusalem (March 1918)
File 120.9: Palestine, General, April-May 1918
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German) on relief to Jews in Palestine, Zionist Commission.
File 120.10: Palestine, General, June-September 1918
Extent: 1.25 inches
Correspondence, reports on needs, distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine; appeals for aid.
File 120.11: Palestine, General, October-December 1918
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports on needs; appeals for aid. Reports, financial statements on distribution of relief to Jews in Palestine.
File 120.12: Palestine, General, 1919
File 122: Palestine, Jerusalem, 1918
Extent: 0.25 inch
Zionist Commission Relief Department’s narrative and statistical reports on population, institutions, relief supplies, children, employment.
Series 3: Palestine: Organizations
File 121: Palestine, Orgs.: Central Evacuation Committee, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.25 inch
Reports (English, German, French; circulars, summary of circulars) of needs of Jews uprooted by military decrees, including transport, maintenance, relief, employment. Summary (French) of relief accounts.
Record Group 4-13: Persia
Series 1: Persia: Administration
File 127: Persia, General, 1918-1919
Extent: 0.20 inch
Cables, correspondence, report (English, French) on communal needs, transmission of relief.
Series 2: Persia: Localities
File 128: Persia, Uramiah, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.15 inch
Correspondence regarding needs, remittance from Chicago Jews to community in Uramiah, after report of destruction by Russia.
Record Group 4-14: Poland
Series 1: Poland: Administration
File 129.1: Poland, General, 1915
Extent: 0.20 inch
Correspondence, appeals for funds for Poland under German occupation. Report (German) on relief.
File 129.2: Poland, General, January-August 1916
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German) on needs, relief distribution, communal and political conditions in Poland under different occupations. Lewin-Epstein memo (June 1, 1916) assailing Hilfverein, Hilfscomite.
File 129.3: Poland, General, September-December 1916
Extent: 0.50 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German) on needs, remittances, relief distribution, communal conditions in Poland, Lithuania.
File 129.4: Poland, General, 1917
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports on needs, relief distribution, communal and political conditions in Poland under different occupations.
File 129.5: Poland, General, 1918
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports on needs, relief distribution, legal and political conditions in Poland under different occupations.
File 138: Poland, Queries, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Correspondence (some handwritten) appealing for assistance.
Series 2: Poland: Localities
File 130: Poland, Biala, 1951
File 131: Poland, Bialystok, 1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Reports (English, German) on workers’ and children’s kitchens, nursery, schools
File 133: Poland, Ciechanowiec
File 134: Poland, Cracow, 1918-1919
Extent: 0.15 inch
Memos (German, English) on conditions, needs in Cracow, end of aid after disintegration of Austrian empire.
File 135: Poland, G-O, 1915-1919
Extent: 0.50 inch
Correspondence, reports (English, German, Polish) on local conditions, appeals, aid in various locations. Printed matter: Booklet (Polish; appears to review relief activities, possibly in Lwow).
File 137: Poland, P, 1915, 1918
Extent: 0.15 inch
Miscellaneous (English, German) on local conditions, appeals, aid in various locations.
File 139: Poland, R-S, 1915-1916
Extent: 0.15 inch
Miscellaneous (English, German) on local conditions, appeals in various locations.
File 140: Poland, Vilna, 1916-1918
Extent: 0.33 inch
Reports (English, German) on local institutions, needs. List on institutions in Vilna for which food was purchased (January 1918).
File 141: Poland, Warsaw, 1916, 1918
Extent: 0.33 inch
Narrative and financial reports (English, German) on poverty, local needs, relief. Miscellaneous on construction of trade school.
Series 3: Poland: Subject Matter
File 132.1: Poland, Children and Education, 1916-1917
Extent: 0.50 inch
Correspondence on needs of, aid to children in all schools; miscellaneous on remittances.
File 132.2: Poland, Children and Education, 1918
Extent: 1.33 inches
Reports (English, German) on general, vocational, religious and adult education, schools. Reports on orphanages.
File 136: Poland, Persecution and Pogroms, 1918-1919
Extent: 0.50 inch
Correspondence, cables (English, German, French) on persecution and pogroms.
Record Group 4-15: Romania
Series 1: Romania: Administration
File 142: Romania, General, 1916-1919
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports on needs, persecution, increased JDC activity, disruptions by war.
Record Group 4-16: Russia
Series 1: Russia: Administration
File 143.1: Russia, General, 1914-1915
Extent: 0.50 inch
Correspondence, reports, financial statements on aid, appeals for aid. Excerpts of newspaper reports on communal and civic conditions.
File 143.2: Russia, General, 1916
Extent: 1.25 inches
Correspondence, reports, financial statements (English, Russian) regarding aid. Excerpts of newspaper reports on communal and civic conditions.
File 143.3: Russia, General, 1917
Extent: 1 inch
Correspondence, reports, financial statements (English, Russian) regarding communal conditions, civil rights, relief.
File 143.4: Russia, General, 1918-1919
Extent: 1.25 inches
Correspondence, reports, (English, Russian) regarding communal and civil conditions, legal rights, efforts to provide relief. Minutes of committee appointed (May 1918) regarding relief to Russia and occupied territories.
Series 2: Russia: Subject Matter
File 144: Russia, Relief Supplies, Clothing, 1918-1919
Extent: 0.40 inch
Correspondence, cables on logistics, licenses, shipments of clothing to Siberia.
File 146: Russia, Persecution and Pogroms, 1916, 1918
Extent: 0.15 inch
Correspondence and cables (English, German) on persecution and pogroms.
File 147: Russia, Refugee Rabbis, 1916-1918
Series 3: Russia: Localities
File 145: Russia, K, M, 1917-1918
Extent: 0.10 inch
Miscellaneous (English, German) on local conditions, appeals.
Record Group 4-17: Serbia
Series 1: Serbia: Administration
File 148: Serbia, General, 1917-1919
Series 2: Serbia: Subject Matter
File 149: Serbia, Monastir, 1916-1919
Extent: 0.25 inch
Correspondence on communal needs, aid (distributed through Salonica).
Record Group 4-18: Switzerland
Series 1: Switzerland: Administration
File 150: Switzerland, Orgs: Society of Roumanian Jews Established in Switzerland, 1916
Extent: 0.10 inch
Proposals from Romanian Jews in Switzerland for aid for prisoners of war.
Switzerland, Orgs: Society of Roumanian Jews Established in Switzerland, 1916
Record Group 4-19: Syria
Series 1: Syria: Administration
File 151: Syria, General, 1916-1919
Extent: 0.75 inch
Correspondence (English, French) on aid, relief supplies, logistics of providing aid.
Series 2: Syria: Localities
File 152: Syria, Aleppo, 1915-1917
Extent: 0.20 inch
Correspondence (English, French) on remittances, relief and currency exchange.
File 153: Syria, Damascus, 1916-1918
Extent: 0.20 inch
Correspondence (English, French) on remittances, logistical delays owing to war.
Record Group 4-20: Turkey
Series 1: Turkey: Administration
File 154.1: Turkey, General, 1915-1916
Extent: 1.25 inches
Correspondence, reports (English, French) on remittances, aid for Ottoman Jews outside of Palestine. Miscellaneous financial statements.
File 154.2: Turkey, General, 1917-1918
Extent: 1.25 inches
Correspondence, reports (English, French) on remittances, soup kitchens, deteriorating conditions for Ottoman Jews, including those in northern Palestine. Miscellaneous on remittances, needs in Baghdad.
Series 2: Turkey: Localities
File 155: Turkey, Smyrna, 1916
Extent: 0.15 inch
Miscellaneous (English, German, French) on communal needs, fire.