Displaced Persons Camps

As World War II drew to a close, JDC marshalled its forces to meet a crisis of staggering proportions, racing to ensure that tens of thousands of newly liberated Jews would survive to enjoy the fruits of freedom. By late 1945, some 75,000 Jewish survivors of the Nazi horrors had crowded into the displaced-persons (DP) camps that were hastily set up in Germany, Austria, and Italy. Conditions were abominable, with many subjected to anti-Semitism and hostile treatment.

Finding a Friend and Family at a Critical Moment

My Story

A package evokes memories of a dear family friend The candles flickered softly over a table set for one, on the first night of Passover 2020—the Passover of COVID-19. Two more table settings, positioned a suitable distance from the “head,” indicated that our family...

Life in Sosúa Revealed

From the Collections

Detailed logbooks illustrate the daily life of Jewish refugees in the Dominican Republic After the Dominican Republic offered to take in refugees following the Evian Conference in 1938, JDC founded the Dominican Republic Settlement Association (DORSA), which...

2020 JDC Archives Fellows Announced

News

The JDC Archives is pleased to announce that it has awarded four new fellowships for 2020. JDC Archives Fellowships are awarded each year to deserving scholars engaged in graduate level, post-doctoral, or independent study to conduct research in the JDC Archives –...

JDC during the Time of the Spanish Flu (1918–1920)

From the Collections

JDC Archives documents illuminate similarities between today’s pandemic and a past global health crisis The Spanish flu, also known as the 1918 flu pandemic, was an unusually deadly influenza pandemic that affected JDC operations domestically and overseas as well. JDC...

A Rare Romanian Artifact in the Archives

My Story

The story behind Olga Schuman’s emigration card Recently, Dr. Rick Hodes connected Linda Levi, JDC’s Director of Global Archives, with Joel Schuman who had an artifact left by his mother that was related to JDC. Schuman sent JDC a scan of an emigration service card,...

Imagine More: Virtual Exhibit Highlights the Influential Women of JDC

News

We are excited to announce a new online exhibit, entitled “Imagine More: The Women of JDC.” The exhibit first debuted at JDC’s Global Women’s summit held on September 18, 2019 in New York City. Raising awareness about women’s health, leadership, economic empowerment,...

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Young people being shown how to transplant seedlings in a JDC sponsored training class at the Bergen-Belsen DP camp.

The care of orphaned children became a top priority for JDC. These Polish orphans came via Czechoslovakia to a transient camp in Vienna. After their immediate need for rest, food, clothing, and medical attention was addressed, orphans were sent to JDC children’s homes in France, Switzerland, England, and other countries when possible. Others were placed in separate children’s sections of the DP camps. Austria, c. 1946.

At a JDC-sponsored medical dispensary in Munich, children were inoculated against contagious diseases--a vital part of the health program. Germany, c. 1949.

These young boys received religious instruction at the yeshiva in Wels camp. Rabbis and teachers instructing the Jewish youngsters received special compensation from JDC. Austria, c. 1948.

During the war, Babenhausen was a crude barracks used to hold prisoners. The first Jews arriving there, in late September 1946, still faced deplorable conditions. JDC representatives met them with supplementary food and clothing and immediately began efforts to obtain better lodgings for the winter, especially for families with small children. By the time this Polish mother and her children arrived, a substantial community with several schools had been established. Germany, c. 1947.

In Vienna, too, a seemingly endless flood of Jewish survivors from Poland, then Romania, streamed in from Eastern Europe, overloading the established camps. JDC helped transform the dilapidated Rothschild Hospital into a makeshift camp and lobbied UNRRA to absorb it into the DP camp network. Normally housing 600, every inch of space was used to make room for the thousands of refugees heading towards the more permanent camps in Austria or Germany. Austria, c. 1947.

Students in Riedenburg camp's Hebrew School studied the "Shema" prayer, Austria, c. 1947, Jan Breit.

By September 1945, JDC had been given official sanction to aid in the DP camps, and its teams had begun to arrive. In Bamberg, JDC’s headquarters were noted on the U.S. Army camp sign. Germany, c. 1946, Al Taylor.

Foehrenwald had been one of the best-run. It became the last to close, functioning until 1957 as a home for those with no place to go. JDC maintained a presence there until 1954, helping residents financially until the end, but camp oversight was transferred to the German government by the end of 1951. Germany, c. 1951, Al Taylor.

Two refugees born in flight from Poland were held by their proud fathers in Vienna. At all stages of their journey, they received JDC assistance. Their well-being would be looked after in the more stable environment of a "permanent" camp, with supplementary food, medical and child care services provided by JDC. Austria, c. 1946.

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Old World Discoveries

Shtetl reports reveal little-known horrors When Natalie Blitt happened upon a JDC report on pogroms in Polish (i.e., western) Ukraine, events which upended and took many lives in October 1919-July 1920, she was reeling, and posted to Facebook: TFW [that feeling when]...

The Women of Rieucros

A letter signed by women interned at Rieucros is found in the Archives. Though it’s been over eight years since I started working as a processing archivist in the JDC Archives, I am still surprised from time to time with the incredible material we have in our...

JDC Archives Accepting Applications for 2023 Fellowships

The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC) Archives is pleased to announce that it is accepting applications for its 2023 fellowship program. In 2023, three to six fellowships will be awarded to senior scholars, postdoctoral researchers, graduate students,...