P • .300.8 Categories, Jews

•

--

768

., 316 7,226 5,962 0 6, 5,730 0

313 142 3 , 66 7,029 0 283 2 0

1,9 6 1, 2 0

5 52 23 20 0

125.,546 108,397 4, .,2 7 4 7,91.2 4,938 473 2,531 0

7 l.O 3 0

,.340 1,193 s 142 0 191 ?

294 222 2 l

r 352 129 0,5

-

-

-

-

Claimed

Table E-3

JEWISH DISPIACED PERSONS RECEIVING UNRRA ASSISTANCE IN GERMANY, AUSTRIA AND ITALY, BY NATIONALITY

31 JANUARY 194 7

Number Receivin 7 UNRRA Assistance Na tionalitv TOTAL GERMANY AUSTRIA ITALY

1 2 3 J.. 5

Total 172,64.z 140,055 9.792 22,796 y

!Austrian 1,324 299 271 754 Czechoslovak · 7,695 5,929 .395 1,371 German 4,177 3,650 33 494 Greek 338 104 8 226 Hungarian 10,959 8,740 510 1, 7r,:J

Lithuanian 1,460 1,159 31 270 Polisli 121,515 100,745 7,604 13,166 Roumanian 8,554 4,770 810 2,974 Russian 978 832 17 129 Turkish 250 9 4 237

iugoslav 1,290 141 36 1,113 Undetermined 13,324 13,284 17 23 other 779 393 56 110 !I Includes 11,.398 in camps, 6973 in Hachsha.roths, and 4425 in towns.

Bureau of Serizbes

- - - - - 180 ,00 75,000

- - - - 90 ,000 - - - - 100 ,

25,0 0 - - - - 25,00

- - - - .ooo - - - 5,000

,ooo 19 , 0

d - - - - - 28 , - - - - ,000

- - - - , 500 - - - - 5,

- - - - - - 157 , 623 - - - - - - - - 33 , ,3

- - - - 11 ,000 - - - - 23 ,000

'l'C1I'AL: 1 1272 , 766

( I ALI

r Pre t C nt rent :re t

2 , .. 6 7

17 l 3 . 5 100.0 ..:.1288 1 .o

829.3 , .. 639 J.J:, 5,6 5.5 13.39 6.,3

.r 0 r 65;.7 J. 4 6v ., .6 I 5.0 1071 ;. .. -44 7 137 4

.... a4 5,::>7] 4 • /.. ol 4',...7 2 7 4 .4

~-44 , J ,;:, • 6 .. 3 ., .? • .l 5349 .;.5.

7 ) 3.4 4 3 .j -,,_,4 .o ;9 .9

14-17 49 3 . '• 11 ;.o 248 2.5 546 ,.6

J \j~7 5. 63? ')

•"" '· J. • 767 J.7

-5 6.33.3 .7 5597 4. • 5 •

' 75 .., 1..4 ~53 4. 5.5 7 .;. -,i.

FORM AD-461 (27 NOV 1945)

UNRRA

INCOMING

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES COMMUNICATIONS BRANCH

CABLE SECTION

p 3 oU • g---

~)

CABLEGRAM _s

55 " . I

J

NOTICE: lnformdtion copy only. Action to be tdken on Action Copy in hdnds of persons indicdted by ( 0) dSterisk.

UNRRA I N T E R O F F I C E M E MO R AN DU M

? TO:

FROM:

DATE __

SUBJECT:

FOR M AD-1'6a ( 21 MA RC H 19 45)

UNRRA COMMUNICATIONS SECTIOJI

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

INCOMING TELEGRAM 4505

PR0 .. 1 London

DATED: J/10/45

J/W/45 - ll:00 a.n.

iollouin..; is 1>ersonal proaidiDt,i ,Jo. 104.

Your !Io. 5086.

l. i.hile I rct,;Tct that this co1mtmont hos ·oo be ooco1Jtod us r1ro, and

on .otrellt_;thonod in cw viao by dovclo .. monts sinco our IIo. 4l55, I upprociate your at.fort, ti.1rs>u.Ji Sohottlancl, ·oo brin..; tho activitioo ot those orJanisa­tioruJ oorc closoly into line uitll lJ:JitUL's L)rovioUD :>roi,;ranoo.

2. I r:ould, llouovor, rlOst otronJ.lg urtie •i;.hat, boforo tho aclI::dniotration is ooro uco1)ly involved in this isouo t,hrough w.o above cotllitoont and throu_:;h tllo tlocizion ui' t.10 u.s. ;Iilitary ,.uthorities roJard~ sc~laratc car.ips for Jonioh Displaced .Persona. You s:1ould refer to ti.10 Control Cocmitt,o13 ·l;he quootiou dietJ.ior, in contrast to t.ho policy it luls llitl10rto _;)ursucd, Uilrui.A s11ouJ.u t ... Jat Jooisll Displaced J.orsons ao a SCi)orote _1olitica.l ~oup.

3. Uc.fcronco ·oo t~o Central Co::inittoe uill plaoc the rcsponoibility for de­cision squarely on ober Govornr.10nts oo ·;.l1a·\i UIJR.ltA cannot be accused or act;.. in..; in this mttor on tho advice of one :Jcnbor -..iovornrJGn.t alone.

l)IS+JUDUTIUH I D..i - 2 SiWG - Z oc:: - 2

*00 - 2 UA - 2 Sorvioos - 4 Dl'-C (1) DP - 2 FIU;S - 2

( Ii<J lJUO .. ~s)

34

Dist. 11&35 a.m. SC - 2105 P•tl•

NOTICE": I rnR~rl0'1 COPY 0/7Y. ACTIC~ TO BE TAKEN ON ACTION COPY IN HANDS OF PERSON INOICATED BY ( · ) ASTERISK .

FORM AD-l.lea l 21 URCH 191/~l

UNRRA COMMUNICATIONS SECTION

DIVISION OF ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES

INCOMING TELEGRAM I

NUMBER: Unnumbered

FROM: Ro~e to Lonqqn 291

REPEATED: liashington

DATED: 30 June 1945

RECE!VED: 2 July 1045 - 9:15 a .. m.

Clear

Representatives of 1600 Jews at Ebensee Camp, Austria, have contacted TJDC and us with full know] edge direct.or UNRRA team. They request car~ in UNRRA Italian Camps pending granting Palestinian certificates. t'le able take ini tlal grou}l of 400 if: 1. you satisfied they eligible UNHRA care, 2. You instruct UNRRli. uni ts in Austria. J. They able ar:."t>.ngc transport to ;;)Ur camps. Csm tn.kl! additional groups later dependinc situation here.

DI ST<li BUTT ON DG - 2 SDDG - 1 OCH - 2 GC - 2 Se::-vi ce s - 2

,:-np - 3 FILES - 3

{38)

(FR:m BOOKS)

,,, ( .. r ! . 1·-

. , '1 .. i,. ' I

t, ff ' •' ,4J • ) l

NOTICE: INFORMATION COPY ONLY. ACTION TO BE TAKEN ON ACTION C'Cl'Y IN HANDS OF PERSON INDICATED BY ( •) ASTERISK.

March 5th, 1946

Dr Ludwik R jchman Polish Supply ion 263.3-16th Stre ~ o o

q hingt.on, DoCa

De r Dr. P.ajchlllan:

I am ncloa.ing he th a table .indicating the Jewish popul tion in Gennan:v E.nd Auatria, baaed on a cable received from our European headquarterso It is the opinion of Oro Zalm&n Grin­berg, who has just arrived from Bavaria, that between 60 and 80% ot the Je · Bh population in Gennany at least, is of Polish nation­ality a I hav: sent a copy or this table to Gowmor Lehmd'n since I s certain t t he would be interested in the present figures as kno to our officeo

Sincerely yours, (signed)

Moses Ao Leavitt

TABU: SHOWING EST TE NUYBLR OF DISPLlClill PERS:>NS IN GERMANYA AUSTRIA & ITALY AS.SILi.ILA TED D.. • s. INFILTREES

1 CA S I NOT IN CJ.MPS UNITIES' & TRANSIENTS' HACHSHAROTH' TOTAL

'33,500 • J,000 14,250 V 50,750 '9,.500 ' 4,000 I 4,000 a ' 9 17;500

Fren t 500 V .300 0 400 ~ 0 • 1,200 rlln V V 0 V

( ric .. etor 1,700 ' 1~6oo 0 3,.300 French Sector) ' 1,000 g V 800 0 1,800

(British S ctor)' 1,000 ' 0 1,000 (Ru ian Sect er) r 2,300 0 9 2,300 (Uncl a ifi d) ' • ' .300 e ioo_

78,150 AUSTRIA. ' ~ V Amerie Zon I 7R50() ' 0 500 2,000(all zones) • 10,000 British Zone ' 1,000 ° ' 100 • 1,100 French Zone ' ' 850 150 1,000

Vi 5,050 2.020 '52,000 ' 18,350 20,100 f 4,700 ' 150

11.1~ I 95,.300

C S & HACHSHAROI'H ' COWUNITit:S• ITALY · 11,200 .3.800 15,000

UNRRA I N T E R O F F I C E MEMORANDUM -

TO: OAT£ __

FROM:

SUBJECT:

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N TYPE OF REPLY INITIALS

DA~E 634 - .. O R ESPONDENCE

DATE

d

CONTROL RECORD UNRRA-AO 23

9-44

• Jewish efugee Centre

J int alesti e igration Committee c/o

Jewish Chaplai elfare Centre

.F.

o: The Allied Financial Agency, Headquarters, ome

Chancellor of the Exchequer, London

ecretary of the Trea ury, ashington

United atio s Relief and ehabilitation Administration; ashi ton

ubject:- ,1hat sha 1 be with the fortu es o Jewish e1u0 ees i the transit countries where. they have been interned by Fascist Governmeru~?

By: Julije iener resident of the ionist Orga ·sation, Eari, Italy

4

The Problem

Dear irs,

On arch 23rd, 1945 a transport of 900 Je ish Refugees left Italy for Palestine. These people had no opportunity to transfer their money from Ita~ to Palestine since the amounts in Italian Liras the Emi ran_ts possessed c_ould not be trans­ferred, neither through an Italian Bank nor through an Allied Financial Office, nor did the competent Allied Authorities in Italy allow them to take with them any amount in Italian Liras.

These Jewish efugees were desperate and found themselves faced with the prospect of having to leave behind them in Italy almost their whole fortunes .

The Italian Lira was losing its purchasing power daily. The country is financially am economically in a very difficult situation. There are no opportunities for any rasonable investment for modest amounts:- during times of inflation and of inflationist panic nobody is apt to sell values. The Emigrant is also too short of time to make any arrangement as to an investment of his money in Italy.

What was there to do? Si~y to leave the money somewhere in Italy ?

To whom? ith whom? oney left in Italy, that is certain, would be lost in one

way or another as time went on.

Thus the migrants have been forced to immigrate into a ne~ country like beggars.

The question put before the Public is:-

What shall be with the Fortunes Jewish Refugees succeeded in saving out of the Nazi hell in those Transit Countries where they were interned by Fascist Governments ?

This is not just an Italian problem. It is so general that the Allied Authorities will also have to deal with in in other countries. But it may r~main manly an Italian problem because the position of the internees in other countries was different from what it was in Italy. However it• ay be , it is specially a Jewish roblem.

All other Refugees will now go back to their old homes. They will all be repatriated by their on Governments, who will assist the in saving their fortunes by offering them control­led currency exchange.

But not all Jewish Refugees will be reapatriated. ost of them cannot be humanly expected to return to their original countries where they would have to live among the murderers of millions of their relatives.

Je ish efugees must seek for new countries in which to settle down and live. oat of them ask for an unli ited immigration into Palestine. o e of them ask for immigration into various countries overseas, for family and many other particular reasons.

The Je ~ish efugee alone have no Government of their own to offer them a new settlement and establishment. They alone are not assisted by a \iovernment offering them fair currency excha es and a legal transfer of their fortunes.

j') ill help the Jewish efugee? fuo will assist him? o can assist him? /ho must assist him? - -

He ,.ce this particular Je ish post-war roblem, which becoming inter ational ust be put before the Allied Authorities.

omebody must be obliged to deal wi this problem effectively and to settle it in a satisfactory way.

I think j6u are. I believe that you are best fitted to do it.

I beg to submit for your attention the following observations.

The P ologue

1) Jewish Refugees in Italy did not come here of their own free will; They were persecuted by the enemy and forced to escape i face of mortal danger. They are the prime victims oi the common fazi enemy.

2) ost of the Refugees in Italy are Jugoslav Jews together with those of other countries who succeeded in savi them­selves by a fli5ht to Jugoslavia in the first instance. fue Italy occupied a big part of Jugoslavia the Italian

Fascist Authorities deported a large number of people,Jews as well as non-Jews, from Jugoslavia to Italy.In this way thousands of Jews were re oved from their homes losing all their fortunes at the same time.

3) Many of them, nevertheless, succeeded in taking with them some valuables such as jewellery. aturally, they were forced to sell these in order to obtain money for their sustenance because the governmental assistance in the Fascist countries for the internees was insufficient. By the sale of jewels and other valuables some of the Refugees acquired varying amounts in Italian currency.

4) Living for a number of years in Italy as internees many of them discovered various ways of communicating with those places which they were compelled to leave. Almost everybody had some friend in Jugoslavia who was faithfully looki a~ter some of their ~roperty which he had hidden i his on house. dince Italy borders on Jugoslavia as well as Austria, and as there was uninterrupted traffic between the territories occupied by the Fascist owers, many of the Refugees had the opportunity to gain the friendship of some honest people who were in possession of travelli permits and who brought many of the efugees various goods. ·These goods also were transformed by the efugees into cash because~under Fascist rule the Refugee was always very anxious to remain mobile and to carry his fortunes" in the pocket" •

5) Thus many amo"&ng the Refugees again became " moneyed" en. They had, but of course not all of them, varying amounts • . But was that wealth real wealth ?ls a man rich if he has a higher amount in currency but nothing at all of goods and commodities?

The r sent ~ituation

6) ow the war is over.The situatio is much changed and new opportunities of economic arrangements are rendered possible. he ~efugees cannot stay for ever in the transit cou tries where they were deported. The U ited rations and especially the leading Great Powers cannot avoid dealing

i th th'e problems of repatriation and rehabilitation of the efu ees in new cou tries where they will be allowed to live and apt up their own homes. tall events, the efugees will leave their present abode

and e irate somewhere.

7) Thus e reach the question:- what is to be with the fortu es of the efugees in the transit countries? ill they be given opportunities to transfer their money

legally? Or will they be condemned to lose the last of what they have succeeded in saving despite their sufferings under persecution?

8) What was the pri.cipal aim of the enemy? To kill and rob the Jews completely! The monstrous enemy of the ankind had too great a success a ainst the Jews:- he succeeded in killing O ,~ of the European Jewry. he 20 7 which remai ed he has succeeded in robbing al ost entirely. Only fe were exceptionally lucky to save soEethirle, of their property.

9) Is what was saved i the face of such a bestial enemy to be lost through the fault of the United !ations? Can the United ations stay in the position of havirle'; just completed the job of the enemy? Can the United 1ations after breaking the enemy deprive the Jews, themselves members of the United. .atio.ns, of all their fortunes ? Had not all the U ited ations fought to6ether against all the aims of the enemy? Is the Allied iinancial Agency obliged to all the United 1ations except the Jewish Nation? Surely it is the duty of the Allied Financial Agency to assist the Jewish efugees to save the last of their po essions as a final step towards their liberation.

lO)All llied !ations have their own rights as to indemnities a~d clai s forward ages . obody denies to any other atio the justifiable right to compensation for war damages

Eut e do not claim here for indemnities . e retest against the compl te deprivation of the Jewish !ation of its. rights

as an Allie ,ation, - in respect of the universally recognised right o personal o nership; of that which was saved out of the azi hell by superhuman stru gles and sacrifices.

11) How will the Jewish Refugee be capable of settli down in a new country if he has to leave his wealth in the transit country? How can he be expected to emigrate to a new country only as a beggar? How can a man, arrivi in a new country deprived of all he ever had, beco e there a full member of that society? ,ill he not because of his difficult position l ~se his moral courage?

12) Is it the intention of the United ations' Financial Authorities to fill the free Allied Immigration Cou tries with helple s be gars? ill you damage still more those members of that Allied ation who were persecuted and sacrificed more than any other in the whole world - all that in favour and to the direct profit of those states who deported and interned the efugees who are now expected to leave them their last savings?

The elution

13) Refu ees interned duri the war in Italy were entitled, when emigrata from Italy, to be supplied by the Fascist Gover ent ith 1500 to 2000 dollars at a legal exchange of 19 Liras for one dollar. ~vidently the Fascist Govern­ment felt obliged to e.ke possible for the migrants to arrange a legal tra sfer of their funds. Is the· United ations' leading Financial Institute to diso n me bers of an Allied 1ation of such rights resp cted even by the ascist Government?

14) hould it not be possible to ask and to oblige the present Italia Gouvernment, the Government of the~ state which interned the ~efu ees and formerly respected their right on a legal transfer, to render this possible even now?

15) It is beyond doubt that such transfer possibilities exist, as always. All states had, even under the most difficult and complicated war circumstances, available 6 reat sums for their foreign services and arketing. It is just a question of good will. The whole problem could be resolved by a little understanding and - respect of sacred r ~i

0hts

and obligations.

16) .i.he cost of that transfer will ot be heavy. J.iOt a single 1ational ~conomy co~ld feel any weight of it. The last Transport to Palestine was composed of 900 tlefugees They all together applied for a total transfer of 50,000.000.- liras. That is 500.000. - dollars, an amount approximate to the capital of one single American or British commercial firm of average size ! That trivial amount, avera0 ing 555.- dollars for a person, was ot allowed to be transferred by the people who were i terned for many years !

17) The war is over. Various oods are being exported from Italy. IDf only 10, of gross export ea~ngs should be collecte for the transfer there would cease to be such a problem. If there are no foreign bills, another way should be found for i s ance to arra. e special exports to Pales tire to be paid o e part of the by the alesti ian i porters ad one by efubee Liras, paid i. advance to the credit of a special accou t with the Bank of Italy .

18) If either o~ these ro osals is .ot applicable I never could a ree that no other way could be found. ere there as a will, there is a way . - Th re are a

0reat deal of poosibili­

ti sad tra sactions i your sphere of activity . You could ecide o s e other export rates, - or si ply apply the legal excha e for those, i proyortion to the size of present wold coo ic tra sactions, very small sums, the excha e differences to be charged to some relief or i ter.ational inde ity accou t.

The~ iloe,ue

1 ) It is hum nly impo sible ad beyou d realisation that the efu 0 es, abando .. ed by you ad 1 ft ".'ithout your a i tance,

should ot try to find ome way ut of that ituation. They ust try to go their o~n wqys.

They si plw cannot accept bei deprived a ain, and this tie by a lack of understanding on the part o the United ations' Hi hest ~i ancial uthority, without some elf - defence. Thay ay be compelled to seek ome fantasti­

cal transactions L order to save what can still be aved .

20) 3ut, what can they do? They have only one way to save something : - the black arket ! One can buy on t1e black arket forei n bills and other valuables; easy to be hidden 8 d exported" i the pocket"; I this way they could save 30 to 40 ;' of their fortunes because, one who buys so ethi 5 i the black arket is losing 6 to 70 5. 04 his tra4 saction. 'cono ically it would be no adva.1taue , but it wpuld be, nevertheless, some opposition, some desperat step of self - defence .

21) hat however is the way to be avoided by all and by everybody's effort . iobody, neither Government, nor pe ple, nor recognised Institution must be guilty for driving these lost Refugees into crime. ~hey do not deserve, by reasons of their u feri lo sea and sacrifices, to be se.t .ced by the society of the U ited ~ation to beco e cri inals through huma1ly i surmountabl e. dif:i'iculties bei thrown in their path towards a new life .

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UNITED NATIONS RELIEF AND REHABILIThTION ADMINISTRATION

Division of Public Information

To: L1n<tfo'~ - 5 yl, From: ~<;1/ ---------For your information __ _

For your action ---Please return ---Return with comment ---For your files ---Remarks:

DIVISION OF PRESS INTEI-,LIGENCE

1526-14th st., N. W ·

N0.~~~1e---

Ti.nle s-Dis Ri cblnond., Ve •

DATE p.

For Hitler's Victims It would be necessary to go back to

the bloody massacres by such medieval barbarians as ATTILA, JENGHIZ KHAN and TAMERLANE to match the wholesale slaughter of civilians deliberately carried out by HITLER since 1939. There is nothing like it in modern history.

Chief among the victims of Nazidom's sadistic program are the Jewish people. Some 3,000,000 or more of them are estimated to have been slain already by the Germans, through one means or another. Perhaps 3,000,000 more Euro­pean Jews still survive, and can be saved, if the financing and the other requisites are available.

It is for the purpose of carrying out this work of mercy that the Richmond Jewish Community Council this week launches its annual appeal for the United Welfare Fund, under the general chair­manship of Mrs. MINNA T. LIVINGSTONE. The need for such an effort should be painfully obvious.

Two programs must be executed simul­taneously, if the objectives of this cam­paign are to be realized. There must be rescue and rehabilitation for the un­fortunate victims, and there must be reconstruction and resettlement for those who have been snatched from the clutches of the Nazi execution squads. It is sought to realize these objectives through the Joint Distribution Commit­tee, the United Palestine Appeal, and the National Refugee Service, three we]l­established ond effectively-functioning agencies.

The Joint Distribution Committee gives -relief to the Jewish victims of HITLER all over the world, and provides rehabilita­tion, reconstruction and emigration serv­ices. The United Palestine Appeal seeks to maintain Palestine Jewry's war effort at its peak, and to advance development and settlement activities in the Holy Land for the accommodation there of additional homeless Jews. The National Refugee Service provides adjustment assistance to the refugees now in the United States, and to those who will come here .in the futu-re.

All this adds up to one of the most essential humanitarian enterprises of our time. Hundreds of thousands of wrecked lives can be rebuilt, through the work of these agencies. The importance, indeed the indispensability, of this activity, was never clearer than today. As the Allied armies march farthe'r and farther into Europe, increasing numbers of Jews will be liberated, and will be dependent upon the resources provided through the ap­peal now being made in Richmond and from coast to coast. Furthermo admittance of additional Jewish into such neutral countries a. land, Spain, Portugal and T pendent upon the success of appeal. It must not fail.

j~

DIVISION OF PRESS INTELLIGENCE

l526 -14th St. , N. TT .

NO.

SYMBOL fl b Star (I) Washington, D. C.

DATEMAR 2 0 1944 p.

lzt((ooo Jews Held In Nazi Horror Camp, Danes Disclose lit the Associate~ Preu.

STOCKHOLM, Mar. 1m1all Czechoslovakian town of Marie Theresiensta~dt, with ...-_pre­war population of ~ o. »ttfii ac-commodates 240,00 ews frgp1 all corners of Europe, riso cI there by the Nazis under the doctrine of Aryan superiority.

Some details of centration camp, at ween Prague and Dresden, reached neu­tral Sweden by accid nt.

When the Nazis de 600 and 600 Danish ci s of Jew­l3h origin to Marie Theresienstadt, they made the error~ e · ding away eeveral of pure Ary n s oc After four months of uns ao e experi­ences, 'the mistake wa.s "corrected" and they were ret ntd Den­mark.

Report ExJ)Nie Danish patriots have

ported their experienc the underground ne s

Jews from Hollan orway, Bel-irium, !"ranee, Greece, Italy, Ru­mania, Serbia, Croatia, Hungary and Poland comprise the popula­tion of Marie Theresienstadt.

There axe no Russian Jews; re­ports say the Germans always shoot them.

Two-thirds of the. Jewish inhabi­tants are forced to work in German war industries situated in the town, mostly plants producing poisonous chemicals. Others are employed on works projects in the town, includ­h1g a sewage system to accommo­date the enormous increase in pop­ulation.

Many Jews, despairing of any les­tening of their load of misery, are committing suicide by attempting to escape. Two or three daily take this easiest way of ending their lives. Successful escape is almost impos­sible 1n this concentration camp, and failure is sure death.

U-Hour Working Day, Two septuagenarian Danish wom­

en "mistakenly" deported were given "easy work" when they reached Ma­l'ie Theresienstadt. They were placed in a. textile mill making German uniform cloth. The working day was 14: hours, with half an hour for the one meal consisting of 50 grams (about two ounces) of black bread, and a thin soup made of turnips or kohl rabi.

The guards charged with keeping discipline among the thousands of imprisoned Jews are either very young or elderly SS men who inflict rigorous punishment for the slight­f!Et. infractions of the regulations.

Soll'e idea. of the living conditions at Marie Theresienstadt can be gained from the typical example brought back by the released Danish prisoners-122 Jews were quartered In 12-room house.

DEPARTM~E ✓ Juzc . I0,119<1'/

OFFICE OF

FOREIGN RELIEF AND REHABILITATION OPERATIONS

/v/r. AlbEKJ- AtJro.Aa.JM;O~., a/- ~ ~e51...

~o {7~ / Af. Sloit<./ / SlD'lsj cSo.y6 P11,1 f:qu.roo ~ ICTU.J .

~-f:i:tzJe of ~t. QlfO-iis ti a N.y ~~0-t~ I tt~ UA. LA>tt/;. ~fd

J~ c~~- u~ !1~,~ ClA....t o:/- V~o.M.cA ~ft.. ~ "I 4JJC.

lo PM , MO DAY , D E CE IBER 11 , 1 9 44 -------- ----------- --

Here's Fascism: Ill Tremblinka: The Answer tc

JHIS_ IS WHAT HITLER HAS DONE -

SLAIN EMIGRATED DEPORTED LEFT IN NATIVELAND

fS1[5}5lfS1fS1[5)C El w i~ 63% 16% 9% 12%

THE COUNTRY-BY-COUNTRY TOLL OF JEWS ALONE SLAIN EMIGRATED DEPORTED LEFT IN NATIVE LAND

2,600,000 400,000

iti 70,000

15) 200,000

tnlNGARY

616)6]15)6) 6)6) i l0,000

UJHUANIA

GERMANY ll0,000

LATVIA 80,000

SlOYAllA 70,000

HOLLAND 60,000

GREE<E 55,000

50,000

PROTECTORATE (516)_ 50,000

YIJGOSlAYIA 6151 50,000

AUSTRIA [5) 25,000

1El61UM 6) 25,000

mONIA C 3,000

8Ul.6ARIA UNKNOWN

ITAI.Y UNKNOWN

TOTAL 3,983,000

SOURCE: ln,litute ef Jewi,I, Affair1

l0,000

i 15,000

i 10,000

i 25,000

I 3-4,000

30-35,000

f 10,000

I 1,000

i 25,000

I ~.ooo

UNKNOWN

/ s,ooo

.,O(>e,000

1,014,000

NONE

NONE

NONE

75- l00,000

NONE

'/ 15,000

'/

20,000

UNKNOWN

lS,000

12,000

10-20,000

15,000

NONE

NONE

UNKNOWN

552,000

517,000

iiiii iiiii

250,000

iiiiii ii iii-•

290,000

UNKNOWN

FEW HUNDRED

S,000

FEW HUNDRED

~ S,000

• l0,000

' 7-12,000

iiiii 100-120,000

t 2-3 ,000

UNKNOWN

~ 2,000

10,000

FEW HUNDRED

ii 35-45,000

i 25,000

290,000

335,000

STAfF·Hl l('·

MONDAY, DECEMBER 11, 1944 9 ----------------------------

ap Strongpoint on Leyte

..

- LONG ISLAND WN TO SAME SCALE

O 50 100 ISO Miles

PM, Dec. 11, 1944

a Real Scientist See-Saw Fight ·eudo- Scientists In Italian Mud I The professor was my cousin and childhood comrade and friend of my student days.

While I was in Riga investigating the circumstances under which Lebedinsky died, I discovered what the Germans understand by science.

The Germans also had an insti­tute of experimental zoology and medicine at Riga which was sup­posed to have been searching for a serum to cure typhus.

"Jevvs, Russians, Latvians and people of the lower races" in gen­eral were infected with typhus and serums were tried out on them. They all dic-d.

The institute also studied the ac­tion of secretory glands in bloodless organisms. Dr. Schneider of the Sorbonne, a well known scientist, died, having been bled white. All the subjects of the experiment died.

The little that I learned gave me an understanding of the death

' of mv friend. His dc>ath was neces­sary · to the Germans. His Jewish origin, in the present instance, was nothing more than an excuse.

The reason was that Lebedinsky was a real scientist, an honest and serious worker for human progress. Beside real science and real scien­tists there is no place for such

l scoundrels as I haYe described. The coineidental existence of fas­cism and real science is impossible.

I try my hardest to imagine what would have happened if Germany 1ad won this war. \Vhat would

ha\'e happenc>d to our universities and that noble science which brings

'human progress, which helps man to become cleYc>rer, more just and better in every way?

" '

The British 8th Army's battle for Faenza is a gruelling, bitter busi­ness against a backdrop of cold, snow and mud. Gains, measmed in yards, see-saw between the La­moue River bridgehead and the outski.its of Faenza itself.

Over the week end, British ad­vance units were reported in the city's suburbs, but yesterday were forced to drop back within 500 yards of their starting point, ac­cording to the London radio as heard by CBS. This u1dicates that the British are back near the La­moue again.

Fierce German counterattacks caused a three-time exchange of Pideura, bridgehead village at the Lamone, but thE. British still hold on. Despite weather and enemy ob­stacles, the 8th mamtains a stub­born outflanking pressure on Faen­za from the southwest, in the Apen­nine foothills a mile or so from the town.

Farther east, in the Adriatic area, units of the 8th ham ad\'anced 10 miles up the coast north of Ra­venna to Casal Borsetti, fanning out along the southern shores of the Valli di Commachio. German re­sistance was slight, but it was ap­parent tlwy would fight to pre\'cnt a British strike to the west.

The Allied Mediterranean Air Force, despite poor \isibility, min and snow, put in more than 300 sorties in support of the 8th Army. Their targets were mortar and gun positions, strongpoints and obserrn­tion post'.

They <"an't <"ome back till it',, over, over there. You can help a little. Buy auotht"r bond in the 6th

War Loan.

Soviets Fight In Suburbs Of Budapest

Russians Blast Open Third of Road to Vienna

By KEN CLARK

The fall of Budapest, barring some tremendous feat of arms on the part of the Germans, is now imminent. There is no indication that the enemy is m any position to counterattack with sufficient force to stop the Russians, hO\vever long he may be able to continue the battle within the city.

On the contrary, in the past few days the Germans and those Hun­garian forces remaining under Ger­man control, have been forced by sheer firepower and weight of armor to give up position after position to the north, south and east of )3udapest, until they now find themselves with an escape gap of some 30 miles only to the north­west.

~falinonky's 2d Ukrainians are less than fi\'e miles south of the city and across the Danube at that point are in contact with Tolbuk­hin's 3d Army elements bearing up from the south. East of Budapest, ~falinovsky is no more· than 10 miles from the heart of the city and on the north seven miles, but still on the east bank of the Danube.

Third Route With reference to the northern

group, the United Press says the Russians are pouring cavalry and tanks into a wide breach on the direct road to Bratislava and Vien­na. The breakthrough here has opened a third route to Vienna (see map.)

The Soviet press recalls the words of captured German officers:

"If East Prussia is the first gate to Germany, Budapest is the sec­ond. Who knows which will prove to be the nearest to Berlin?"

The Soviet smash across the Danube south of Budapest was made against the strongest de­fenses, including the strange device of a steel net charged with 3000 , olts of electricity. The Red Army artillery solved this little difficulty by knocking out the transformers bc>forc> the main assault.

Leapfrog Once the Russians had landed on

Csepel Island they piled up forces for a leapfrog across the Danube to thC' westC'rn bank. The 1-h'cr was swollen bv floods to a width of o\'cr a mile. Reuter reports from ~1oscow that it literally boiled with exploding shells and machine-gun fire as the Red Army men swarmed across in fishmg boats, on rafts and anything that would be.1r the wc>ight of a man.

Air battles <lot the skv and lmn­<lrecls of tanks fight like· dragons in the outskirts of the city. Berlin S,l}'S:

'The battle for Budapest is ap­proaching its climax. Almo t without interruption the sirens chase people into air shelters. The city is in a tale of restlessness and tension."

°' I .. ••

WAR EMERGENCY CONFERENCE

WORLD JEWISH CONGRESS ATLANTIC CITY NOVEMBER 26 - DECEMBER 1,_ 1944 NOVEMBER 12-17, 1~44

St. Charles Hotel

• Headquarters: New York. 1834 Broadway

REPORT OF THE ACTIVITIES OF THE DIVISION FOR DISPLACED PERsons

by Chaim Finkelstein

Immediately after the outbreak: of the wa;r in the fall of 1939, the World Jewish Gongreas embarked upon the work of locating relatives and reunitin~ families broken up because of the war. However, the course of the war, the occupation of almost all of Europe by the Germans as well as the transfer of the World Jewish Congress he:a.dquarte~s to the United States for a time disrupted this work, which had already been begun in Geneva.

'11he World Jewish Congress 'Division for Displaced Persons was created in the latter half of 1942. By that time, the picture of almost total destruction of Jewish life in Europe, had begun to emerge in all its brutal clarity. Due to the planned cruelty of the Germans, never before in the history of mankind harre so tremendous a number of husbands been separated from wives and children from parents as in the present war. The longer the hostilities l~sted, the more apparent it became that the number of these disrupted families far exceeds even the most pessimistic figures. .And, as a result of Nazi persecutions, new tnterpreta tions have been attached to the old concept of "refugee11 and the number of displaced persons has been enlarged by new categories,known as 11 deporteesH, "persons confined in ghettos" or those sent to "battalions of forced labor 11 ,

Thus, the task of helping members of disrupted families to find one another is now on a vastly greater scale than was presented during the last World War. Then, it was merely a question of thousands - now it concerns million Whereas during the last war entire families were deported to~ether as entities ani the ouestion of reestablishing contact among refugees involve, rather distant relatives, now fathers and mothers have been separated from their children and wives from their husbands. In addition, there are scores of thousands of children hidden from the German rru.rderers in obscure places or wandering about homeless and needing assistance to find their families.

ROSTER OF DISPLAGir.1') J'E"IJS

Since the autumn of 1942, when the Division for Displaced Persons began its work of locatine; refugees ani reuniting families, we have succeeded in amassing in our files the names of over 82,000 refugees. In addition to their names and present addresses, we have also collected the foll 0 1, ing data: their ages, parentage, pr evious adiresses and various other pertinent details.

As of October 15th, 1944, the roster of disnlaced Jews compiled in the files of the ':forld Jewish Co~ress consisted of:

1. REFOOEES FROJ POLA?"!)

In the U.S. S .R. In Teheran, Iran

45,271 1,000

Arrived throu~h u.s.s.R. & Teheran to Palestine 3,140

~ , /~A. ~~ _f_~ (Ike ''l'f) 4) S,SOC1/t>ocJ J~ t:AIW ~ ~

1-1:uz. ~e< l9Y!

~ / 1 1ts,~ 1 Crc>t!) ~ u./-1- w... ~ Ju. -1 (~~ ~ QJ4.D Tu..>..Jc,,;

....,34 er ~ 2. s-G:,1

O"Od Q,\..t ~ ~ ~Q,.44,r, ek)

..

-2-

.Arrived from Italy to Palestine Arrived from Teheran to E. Africa .Arrived from Teheran to N. Africa Arrived from Teheran to Mexico Arrived from Italy to the free Port Fort

Ontario in Oswego• N. Y. .Arrived in Naples, Italy Joined Polish Army in Middle East

2. R~FU~EES FROM TEE BALTIC STATES

In the U.S. S .R.

3. REF(Jl}~ES FROM B-SSSARABIA

In the U • S • S. R.

In Palestine In Aleppo, Italy on their way to Palestine

5. R:J;FUGEES FROM YUGOSLAVIA

In Switzerland In Bari ( Italy) In other Italian Provinces In Suez In Spain .Arrived from Rab Island in Italy Arrived from Italy to Palestine Arrived from Italy to Oswego Arrived~ to Naples (Italy)

6. R']'UGt~S FROM CZ~CHOSLOVAKIA

In Bari (Italy) Arrived from Italy to Palestine Arrived f rorn Italy to Osviego

7. REFUG:S~S FROM WIGIUM AND FRA!-~C"'"'., IN S '.'HT Z-n;R LAND

8. R"8FUG""',..,S FROM G~.RMAMY .AND AUSTRIA

.Arrived from Italy to Palestine Arrived from Italy to Osviego Arrived wem ~ to Naples

10, R'EFUGE~S FROM ITALY

90 130

10 26

140 51

330

2i000

800

1. 259 307

460 177 470

59 49

160 80

300 17

440 203

40

7,455

70 405

67

320

In Switzerland 350

11. RRFUG:tr.S IN MAURITIUS 300

12. D~PORT~D TO THER~SI~NSTA'Dl' (from Germany, Austria, Holland, Denmark

& France) 12. 483

13. rePORT~1) TO BIRKENAU (UPP1"R SIL~SIA) 1,600

14, CG'tni'IN:ED IN TID: CAi'\1P OF FORCED LABOR AT CRACOW 600

15. DEPORTED FROM CAMP VITTEL TO '3-BRMANY 224

16. MESSA'.}~$ FROM REFUGE~S IN OTITTR COUNTRI-i;;s THAN !'8NTION'EU ABOTI 500

50,188

2,000

800

1,566

1,445

317

683

7,455

542

320

350

300

12,483

1,600

600

224

500

-3---

17. MURD"ER'S'l) L:EA1)ffiS O"F JSWISH LIFE IN POLAND

18. MtJR'DERE1) LEADERS OF .P'WISH LIF"S IN LATVIA

'}RAND TOTAL

266

654

266

654

82,293

As can be seen from the above table, of the over 80,000 displaced Jews who are registered with the World Jewish Congress, the majority (over 50,000) are citizens of ?oland, of whom over 45,000 are now in the ter­ritories of the u.s.S.R., over 3,000 have arrived arrived in Palestine, ov er 330 joined the Polish Army in the Middle East, 140 arrived in Fort Ontario,Oewego, New York and 600 are confined at the camp of Cracow. The remainder are scattered in East Africa, North Africa, Mexico, etc.

The second largest unit in our roster embraces the deportees to Theresien­stadt. Of the over 30,000 Jews confined there, almost 12,000 are registered in our files--former residents of ~erma.ny, Austria, Holland, nenmark, France and Czechoslovakia. Our files also contain almost 7,500 names of refugees from Eelgium and France who are now in Switzerland; over 2,000 refugees from the Ealtic States now in the U.S.S.R. and over 1,800 refugees from Yugoslavia who are at present in: Switzerland (460), Italy ( over 600), Oswee;o ( 300).

Refue;ees from Rumania in our lists numrer 1,566 persons. Of these, 1,259 are at present in Palestine. Refue;ees from Bessarabia,now in the u . s.S.R., number 800. Refugees from Czechoslovakia number 683 (203 in Palestine).

Only recently we received the names of 600 Jews who are confined in a camp near Cracow.

Listed in our files are refugees from all walks of life, famous scientists, physicians, teachers, lawyers, engineers,as v1ell as former bankers, indus­trialists, merchants well known all over the world who, overnight, were evicted from their homes and forced, only too often, to change their domiciles.

The age-groups of these refugees range from babies of land 2 to old people of 80. The most gruesome feature of this roster is that, all too often, srrall children are alone in the world without their -parents and are all too frequently ignorant of their parentage and birthplaces.

We are constantly receiving new lists of refUf!;ees and before long, we believe that our files will contain the names of over 100,000 displaced J ews--a figure which cannot be paralleled by any other organization engaged in a similar task.

Ir'QUIBY SERVI CE

The II!a.in purpose of our work on behalf of Jewish refugees and denortees is to help them get in touch with their close relatives and friends and to reunite them with their families. To achieve this end we employ a t110-fold policy:

1. ~e send to the Yiddish press,in the United States, im~land, Ar~entina, Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguey and other South American countries, lon~ lists of individuals seeking their relatives. These lists are regularly -oublished and often cover a ~7hole p~e of the newspaper. All Yiddish news-oapers in the United States, as v,ell as in Canada, Cuba, Mexico, Uruguay and England are on our mailing list.

Besides, our releases concerning the ref1.1:;ee service are mailed ree;ularly to over 120 periodicals all over the United States. The English press in Ne~ York has 4 rather friendly attitude towards the activities of this Division. Also the foreign language press is most sympathetic.

',Ve also enjoy the friendly service of 18 Yiddish, ~n~lish and foreign langua~e radio announcers who broadcast inform4tion about the activities of this Division from about twenty stations.

E. mvery one of our refugee lists is stenciled, and mimeographed copies are

-4-

mailed to the divisions of the American Jewish Co~ress as well as to branches and other affiliates of the World J ewish Congress all ov r the e;lobe.

The following organizations are on our mailin~ list:

a) Divisions and affiliates of the .American Jewish Cono-ress in: Baltimore, Boston, Chicago, ~etroit, Los Ane;eles, Philadelphia, St. Lo 1is.

b) ]ranches and affiliates of the' orld Jewish Congress in: Ar~entina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Guatemala, Mexico, nutch West Indies, Nicara­gua, Panama, Peru, Trinidad, Uruguey, Venezuela.

Scores of people visit our New York office daily, searchi~ our lists for the names of their beloved ones. Since ,•,e have endeavored, in our lists, to incorporate as many details as nossible about each iniividual, this is of the greatest help to relatives and friends in recognizing and ascertaining the identity of suspected relatives amon~ the refu.gees.

At the same time, we receive, daily, scores of letters from p ople outside of New York and abroad--in fact, from all four corners of the earth­containing anxious inquiries about relatives and friends.

It has been the established policy of this Division to do all work on behalf of the refugees in record time; lists containi~ many hundreds of names are corrected, recorded, filed and stenciled in a f ew days. Often, even on the very day of their arrival, list~ are s en t out to the newspapers, and mimeographed copies mailed to the organizations which cooperate with the World Jewish Congress.

It goes without saying that our refugee lists are anxiously awaited by our affiliates. The importance of these lists can be g·a.u.ged by the fact that the Argentine, Cuban and Mexican offices of the ''lorld Jewish Con~ress have published special brochures of the refugee-lists. These ore;anizations, as well as a number of other affiliates and divisions of the Am~rican Jewish Con~ress in this country, have maili~ lists of their respective affiliates, to whom they send out copies of our refu2;ee lists.

'lve maintain a regular correspondence with the ore;aniza tions to whom we send the lists. We advise them of t '.1e most efficient means of informing relatives and friends about the refw;ees and how to contact them. uur lists are usually posted in the offices and social clubs of our affiliates in order to reach the largest nossible number of members of the local Jewish comnunities.

A particularly difficult and responsible task is that of receiving people who come to :l.nauire about their relatives. Most of them have not heard from their families since the outbreak of the war in 1939, and are desper­ately anxious to learn about brothers, sisters, parents, and, only too often, wives, husbands or children~

Not a day passes without some tragic scenes takim; place in the office of this Division. Grown men and women wee~--some for joy at fin1ing their families and some from desuair at not finding their beloved ones in our lists. After our day:s work, we, in this Division, are often left broken artd. exhaustei. HowevLr there is no attempt to lirhten the burden or to shirk it. The clients who come to the office of the 11Jorld Jewi::.h Congress show trust in and thar.Jcfulness for our work, and this in turn compels us to render them conscientious service. This is doubly true in cases ,,,here there are tragic messages to be delivt:red, or when in answer to inauiries, we receive negative or disheartening replies. Ead news is never transmitted by mA.il, but d.uring personal interviews, at which we make a point of urging our clients not to give up hope but to continue their search. We are morally repaid for our toil by the gratitude of the persons who leave the office of the World Jewish Co~ress, knowine; that they have been among sympathetic friends who are anxious to help them.

It •is worthy of note that, as a result of conscientious work, we succeed in finding approximately 20% of the relatives and friends of the refugees trying to contact their families through our facilities. This is a most satisfactory percentage.

Our activities have called forth the response not only of individuals

-5-

who are personally interested as relatives ~r friends of the objects of our search, but also of numerous organizations not connected with the World Jewish Congress. We shall mention here only t~e American Red Cross-­the New York Chapter as well as the National Headquarters in Washing ton, 'D, C. ~uring the past several months, ~e have been asked by the .Arnericrui Red Cross to locate 272 persons for whom they hold messages, vvhich due to incorrect addresses they were unable to deliver. We have succeeded in locati~ 53 of these persona.

Incidentally, let it be said that we have numerous Gentiles among our clients. Our service is known to be non-sectarian,

A. In the U,S,S.R.

Simultaneously with our work of informins relatives in the United States and in other free countries about the whereabouts of their families stranted all over the world, who are already registered in our files, ~e have started the project of tracing refugees in the U.S.S.R. and of helping them to establish contact with their relatives abroad. However, in this imoortant and most urgent problem facing us today, we have to overcome a ireat ,geographical difficulty, since it is practically impossible to locate refugees in the far-flung corners of Russia to which they have fled. On the other hand, the refugees themselves cannot contact their relatives abroad because they have no addresses or, even when they have, the letters travel for a long time and are frequently lost.

It is not unusual in the comnu.nication with the U.S.S.R. for an exchange of letters to take more than one year, Telegraphic communications are not much better, Cables are either not answered, or else replies take ma.ny months. Since any sort of relief work, individual or organizational, now or after the war, !IllSt be based on the geogra~hical whereabouts of the refugees, the service of locating them in the u.s.s.R. is of special importance.

Tr..e refore, in the Spring of 1943 71e contacted the Jewish Community in Moscow and suggested that they cooperate with us in locating refugees. As soon as 11e received. their agreement to our proposal, v;e began to transmit inquiries.

This activity is conducted. exclusively by cable and has met with great success. A total of about 2000 cable inquiries referrin~ to 3384 cases have been sent to Moscow so far, namely:

19~3 1394 inauiries 2091 cases - nurriber of cabled wor1s 1944 50~ TI 129 3 II fl n II fl =.;:-'°-'=----=::..::...------.....::.:..;;::..::_:::._ __ _

TOTAL 1898 In~uiries 3384 Cases - Number of cabled wor1s

14738 11867

26605

On the other hand, we have received in turn from~~. Chobrutsky:

1943 - 126 inquiries - 168 cases - number of cabled •mrds 2210 1944 - :J85 II - 342 II II II II II 4347 -----;:...:;:.=-------------------=:-=..:::..:.. TOTAL 411 Inquiries - 510 Cases - };umber of cabled. words 6557

More ani more ans~ers to our cable inauiries have been arrivin~ from the Moscow Jewish Comrrunity, an'i they, in turn, have apPealed to us with increasing frequency for inforrr.ation requested by persons in Russia 111ho &re trying to trace their families here.

B. In ·Nestern Europe

Up till now, the work of this Division has been limited mainly to the locating of refugees and the reuniting of families in Eastern Europe. However, since the victorious Allied Armies have starte1 their liberation march in ',Ve stern Europe, new prospects and situations have developed which may make it possible to extend a similar service to refugees and disrupte:i families in the liberated countries of Western Europe. In fact, ~e have started a registration of Jews in Europe, by their relatives in this country. Several thousand families have alrea:1y been registered

-6-

with us; an:l no sooner had Mr . Marc Jarblum arrived in Paris, than ·•e be~an to send him inquiries about Jews in France on behalf of relatives h€;e, Similar dispatches are now being prepared for transmission to Bel~ium Holland and other countries, as soon as they will be liourA.te1.

':":\ I

we have been informed by our office in Sydney that, pen,iin<; the ·ulti rrate solution of the Soviet-Polish negotiations, the Australian ~ovurnment will grant no new landin~ permits.

REUNITIF~ FAMILitS

In October 1943, the Teheran office of the Jewish .Ae,ency for Palestine informed. us that a new evA.cuation of the Polish citizens in the U.S.S.R. ,res feasible, similar to the evacuation of the year 19·11. We were advise1 to start immediately a registration of refu~ees in the U.S.S.R. hose close relatives were anxious to join them. Within a short time, 'lfe have succeeded in re€;istering over 2000 refugee families a.nc. have IIBile1 co-pies of the registration forms to the Teheran office of the Juwish Agency as well as to Ur. I, Schwa.rzbart, m3mber of the rational Polish Council in London. 'Duplicates of the forms have been submitted to the Polish Ministor of Labor and Social Work through his delegate in N0w York. Our registra­tion was mostly confined to httsbands, wives an:l children in the U.S.S.R. seekinF.; to rejoin thtiir imme 1. iate families who had succeede1. in escaping from the 'Nazis to other countries. It seems,however, that A.t -present there are no urospects of a further evacuation for the refuge es from the U,S.S.R.

Sometime in the Spring of 1944, a small number of refu~ees Teheran from the u.s.s.R. It ap-poared that five or six of to leave Russia because they hel~ Palestine certificates. 21 had Australian la.niing-permi ts. All hope to join their whom they have been separa.tei since the war began.

arrived in thc.;m were "',ble The rem,1.ining familie~ from

We immediately undertook steps to arran~e for more refugees to emi~rate from the U,S.S.R • .At first the prospects for success· ere promioing, especially with regarri to obtaining a larger number of lan,iing-permi ts for Australia. We contacte1 our office in Australia, and it ·,ms 1eci.dei by our Office Corr.mittee that the Worl1 Je 1ish Cone;ress wouli. un•\ertake the maintenance of refugees of the U.S.~.R. 1uring their stay in Australia.

Unfortunately, like the proposeri registration for an evacuation of the refu~eos from the u.s.s.R., this project, too, provei unsuccessful.

FOOD PARCEL s~vrcm

A) For the Ghettccs

From the very beginnin~ of its activities in the United States, the Relief Uepartment of the 'Norlri Jewish Congress has triei to dis1:m.tch foorl p.q,rcels to the ghettoes. This project w~s planned and later c~rriei out in col­labor'ltion with 4 number of other Jewish org~nizations in this country 'lni. CJ.broi:i.1.. It W'lS tho task of this 'Division to prepR.re technicl'l.lly ani. eaco.re pract!.ca.lly the reA.lizA.tion of this work, which ,re all r~a.r11e4. as our sacre1 1uty. The parcels were a~d.ressed inlivi1ually to addressees in the Ghettoes in Polani and Li thua.nia and it was a particularly difficult task to collect a sufficient number of addresses of persons to whom the p4rcels could be shipperi. 7/hat ~ith the constant expulsions of Jews, transportations from one Ghetto to another, ioportation and draftin~ for forced labor, this was really i.ifficult. At last, in 1943, a sufficient number of such a1iresses was compiled ani the parcel shipments began.

However, to our great sorrow ani despair, we soon learned that the continua­tion of this service was futile. It soon appeared that o~ the 12,995 parcels,sent in a comparatively short tirre to the Jews in the Ghettoes, about 4,000 had been arbitrarily confiscatei by the Germf.l.Ils; 7,000 parcels were returnei'i marked. 11 un1.eli vcrable" because of: a) the death of the ai.1.ressee; b) the aidressee 1 s absence; c) the deportation of the ai1ressee; i) addressee unknown; e) the liqui1ation of the resi1.ence or business.

Jl1,,·e hun1.red. parcels 11ere returne'i to the Post Office in Lisbon without ~ny explanation. Only 925 ~reels of the 12,995 shipped ha1 been deli-rere1 to the 13.'i'lressees. Ho·:,ever, accor1.ing to the receipts of the Post Office at Lisbon, of the number of parcels delivere1, only 70 recei~ts bore the signatures of the a'idressees themselves. The receipts for the remaining

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855 p~...rcels were not signed by the adiressees ~ersonally but by strange ani unknown persons. Un1er these ci r cumstances, this project was stopped and since that time, no more pa.reels coul1 be sent to the Jews in the Ghettoes.

B) For Refugees in the U.S.S.R.

The basic policy of our parcel service for refW;e es in the U.S.S.R. has been and still is to prod relatives here to speed ai1 to the refu~ees. We try to give the relatives of the refugees the most accurate an1 current information about their present rather difficult situation as well as to convince them that it is their task an1 duty to supnort their ur.fort~­nate and suffering kin.

·~e conduct this service in cooperation with the J ewish A,gency for Palestine which, through its offices in Teheran, purchases cor.imo~ities and ships them to the refugees. At the present momeLt, there is great ·scarcity of merchandise in Iran. Henc e , the prices are fantastically hi~h and, in a11ition, there is very little on the Iranian rParket for export purposes. Furthermore, the u.s.S.R. charges heavy import duties for 1rerchaniise sent to individuals, even though it is for relief purposes. 'During the visit of Messrs. Michaels and Pfeffer in this country, we trie1 to remove this great obstacle in the shipment of parcels to the refugees, however, to no avail,

Furthermore, due to war con1itions, communi ~ation facilities an1 the rail­road and mail services for civilians are often interruptet or curtailed; besides, the refugees in the u;s.s.R. often chan~e their iomiciles, not leaving any forwarding a:i1resses. ';{e are, therefore, very careful to ex­plain to each prospective parcel-sen1er· that there is no guarantee of 1elivery for the pq.rcels. However, we know from experience thn..t, for the most pa.rt, p~rcels re4ch the a11resseesi yet it takes from 5 to 6 months betneen the ~ates of orderin~ an1 1elivery of a parcel.

Up till no~, ~e have acceptei over 3000 pA.rcel orders fro~ relatives here. These criers amount to about $100,000. Of this sum, about 2ot has been coverei by the ~orl1 Jewish Corusress for refu~ees who have no relatives here or ~hose rel~tives are not in a position to help them.

The a.ggreg~te contents of the parcels shippe1 are: 14,000 lbs, of tea, 3,000 lbs. of so9.p, 1600 pairs of shoefi, 1600 suits of men's unr.er~ear, 800 co'tton bl~nkets, 800 me'iicine kits, 3,200 .i:;ross of pe'1rl buttons ~n1 v~rioue ~.sc~llaneous cornnodities.

n is difficult to 1.escribe the gratitu~.e of the refua,:ees who receive the parcels. Frequently, the articles sent to them serve as exchan~e­commo1ities for items more nee1ei by themo Thus, they are able to live two or three months from the procee1.s of one parcel~ Only recently we have been informei th4t in exchan~e for two parcels sent through our office, a woman wa.s able to secure a sewiru; machine. In her own woris, written to a relative in this country, she was able to make a modest living thanks to this "lucky event".

Over 3,200 parcels have been dispatche1 by us to refu~ees in the U.S.S.R. Thus, over 3,200 families were able to somewhat ameliorate their situation an1. gather strength to survive their present hardships an1 to hope for the 183" who~ they will be able to re~irn to their homes, rejoin their families an1 resume a norrna.l life.

Unfortunately, e are still not allo~e1 to iispatch cables to the Jewish Comnunity in Moscow on behalf of in1ividuals who are residents of or ~ho are believe~ to resi1e at present in territories recently liberated. This limitation concerns the parts of ·:iestern 'E'urope, liberate1 by the Arr~rican or British armies, as well as the ~astern European territories, liberatei by the Soviet armies,

This is also . the reason why no relief work can be done at the present moment for the recently liberate1 territories. In particular, we have trierr to 1ispatch foo1 nn1 clothin.g parcels to the liberate~ areas of , Polan1, the Baltic countries an1 Bessarabia; however, our efforts in this respect have not succeeded. so far. We are making great efforts to oovercome this.obstacle in our work an.i there is hope that soon we will be able to accept cable-tracers ani parcels a1dressed to people residing

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in the localities which up till now have not been accessible.

PA1-SSTINE CERTIFICATES FOR HUNGARIAN JEWS

In April 194l!, as soon as the }ITa.zi c;overnment took over in Hun~ary, the World Jewish Co~ress starte1 the project of furnishing Hun~arian Jews with Palestine certificates in order to enable them to emi~rate to Palestine. All the work of re~isteriru1; the names, ad.1.resses and. essential 1.ata about the prospective emigrants, as well as the disTJatchin.<s of the cable-inquiriet1 an-'\. later the preparing of the collective li:3ts has been d.one by this nivision. It has been a difficult and trying piece of work. The number of applications submitted personally by relatives ho were eager to take advantage of this project, an1 those received by mail from all parts of the United States, Canada and Mexico so far number 1162, and concern 2500 families, representing 10,312 individuals. Three hunrlre,i cables have been sent to the Jewish Agency for Palestine on behalf of 2459 persons. Twenty-two lists were dispatched on behalf of 7,853 lndividuals. Th:is work was assigned to our Division by our Rescue Uepartment e.nri is con1ucted in the closest cooperation with the Hungarian Representative Committee of the Worli Jewish Congress •

• "' * * * From the very start, it has been the policy of this Division to han~le each case individually. People who call at our office are in the ~reatest despair, tire1 physically, and mentally broken. They are desuerate about tha f~te of their families in Europe and. look to us for comfort an1 hope. They expect to receive consolation and pour out their troubles into sym­pathetic ears. We in turn ~ive thorn the best ad.vice an~. information possible and try to solve their confuse1 and complicated problems.

It can be sai.d that our clients appreciate our attitud.e. No -bureaucracy, no formality, no red tape is known in this Division. People are promptly attenied to and patience and warmth is shown to one and all calling at our office. The rrembers of our office staff kno~ several langua~es, so that we are a~le to speak to each client in his om tongue,

All the activities of this Division are consi1ered by us merely as a rublic service and are given freely ani willingly. Only in cases where cables are in vol ve1 are our clients charged. for the expenses incurred; in c_ases where clients explain their inability to pay for cables, expenses are covered by the World Jewish Congress.

The nearer the hour of peace approaches, the more countries are libcrate1, the ~reater grows the scope of our task •. It will be one of the most important projects of the Worl1· Jewish Congress to enlarD'e the activities of this Division. Naturally, the cooperation of our affiliates in this work is essential. Vie would welcome any help or sue;C?:estions the 1ele~a.tes to the ''lar Errer£sency Conf ere nee may be able to give

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

OFFICE OF

FOREIGN RELIEF AND REHABILITATION OPERATIONS

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DEPARTMENT OF STATE

OFFICE OF

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Tml .AM~RICAN J"'UWISH JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMIT'F-1'~

D,~ES T oF PuBI-ICA110N.S April 11, 1945 ·

A survey of s9lected publications b9aring on post-war r9habilitation and reconstruction

The Status of Prop9rty R9stitution in 1urope

The rate of reconstruction of Jewish life in 1urope will depend upon the rapidity and ext9nt of property rqstitution. The r9storation of Jqws to th9ir positions and prop9rties is essential not only as a moral vindication of tha prin­ciples involv'3d in this war but also as an indispensable economic base upon which Jews can r9SUID9 their normal existence. The following is a brief review of the status of r9stitution and reinstatement in ths various countries of lurope insofar as it can be asc9rtained from the press and reports available in this office.

France

All anti-Jewish laws wer9 annull9d by the Frqnch Provisional Gov9rnment. The J.T.A. of Tucemb'3r 4, 1944, r9ported that 11 the Fr9nch gov9rrunant today publishqd th9 text of a new law providing for th9 integration into public s~rvices of form9r officials who W9r'3 ousted because they wqr9 Jews or mambqrs of so-called s9cret societies. J~wish sourc9s her~ estimatq that at lqast 2,500 Jqws will be rqinstated as a rqsult of this law. 11 Aftqr much discussion and. pressure by thq rqsist,:mca groups II the F~anch Consul tativ9 Assembly today approvF)(l a bill providing for a 1 speedy refer99 proc9dure 1 for thq restitution to Jqwish owners of prop9rty lost through G9rman or Vichy anti-Jewish legislation. Th9 bill constitutes~ combination of th'3 drafts of th9 r9stitution law submitted by the French gov'3rrun9nt and by the French Socialist Party. It recomm'3nds:

l) All confiscations as well as salqs of prop9rty mad'3 by Jews und9r duress are to be considar9d void.

2) Lqgitimat9 profits from confiscat9d J9wish ,mt9rpris9s ari:, to b8 rqfunded to the own'lrs; illegitimat~ profits ar~ to be confiscat'3d cy thq statq.

3) All sales of Jqwish prop'lrty a.lli:,gedly mad9 with th9 cons'lnt of th.:, own9rs are to be consid'3red as having b8~n mad.a undqr durqss, unlqss thq buy9r produc'3s 9Vid~nc9 to th~ contrary.

4) Damages caus~d by an absqnt or insolvent buyqr of Jqwish prop~rty are to be paid for by th'3 statq undqr thq rulqs appliqd to war d~mAg3s.

5) Th3 formi:,r Jqwish ownqrs hav3 thq choicq of bringing thqir cas~s 9ithqr before a civil court or beforq a com.~qrcial court which acts morq rapidly. It is to qithqr of th3s9 courts that thq rightful ownqrs must anply for both annulmqnt of compulsory salq of prop~rty and for r9stitution of property.

6) All cas~s arq to bq studiqd by th9 statq pros3cutor for qvqntual criminal action against thosq who acquir3d Jqwish prop9rty. All bankruptcy casqs affecting J~wish firms which wqrq dqcided und~r the Vichy rqgimq arq to be r~viqwqd,tt (J.T.A. 3/18/45)

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Although this draft of thq law 'lmbodies som'l suggestions offered by responsibl9 circles of Frl3nch Jqwry, soms Franch pa.psrs ar'l disap:oointed by tha fact that in drafting the law the gov"lrrun9nt se9mingly showed as much concqrnfo·r the protection of those who acquired the prop'3rty under discriminatory law asfor

• •

the dis~ossassed victims of 9Xpropriation. R'lports coming from Franc'3 ~~r~ss the consid'lrable public opposition to the principle of r,stitution especially in th, .cas3 of for'lign Jews who compos~ about half of th'3 Jewish community in Franc9.

Belgium

The Jewish press r,port'ld as far back as Octob'lr 1944 tha.t the B,lgian gov'lrnment will welcome tha rqturning Jews, including non-citizens (J.T.A.,Octob,r 20, 1944; The Day, Octob3r 23, 1944)

Holland

Though the battle for HollMd is still going on the Dutch und'lrground had som-,tim ago issued a mfl.nifesto urging that all questions arising from war damages and confiscations by ths G3rmans be settled in a just and satisfactory fashion. Some of the pro:!)osals urgq that 11 the repatriation of J'3ws deport9d by the Germans b9 carriad out in th'l sp9adi9st monn'lr; th, t all a.nti-J,wish regulations . _ imposed during the German occupation be abolish,d; that all questions arising from war damages and expropriation and confisaction by the Gqrmans ~'3 settled in such a manner that th3 victims of those a.ct ions will nt l3ns t b'3 abl'l to provid'3 reasonA.bly for thqmselv3s and that stat'l support b'3 g,rant'3d all military and non-military victims of thq war, 11 (N9therlands News Digest, Vol. 3, No. 11, August 15, 1944)

Pr1f. J. Jurgens of th'l N'lth"lrlands Civil Affairs Organization told a r~cent pr~ss confer3nc3 trui.t KJ3wish properties which had passed through G'lrman hands during th9 occupation ar~ at pr3s'lnt b'ling administ'3r'3d in the samq way as 9n9my prop'3rty. Original ownqrs qntitled to claim th9ir possqssions will b'3 able to do so und1r a. proc9dur9 which is bqing drP.wn up. P~rsons with knowlFJdg3 conc,rn-1ng propqrty in this classification should r~port th'l facts to th'3 organization so th?t st ps can bq tA.ken toward th9ir manag'3ment. •This also r~f3rr9d to prop3rty sold by '3n'lmy or collaborationists to othqr pqrsons in ord3r to svad~ copfiscation by th~ stat3. Such transactions will be d3Clarsd invalid." (N'3th'3rlands N3ws Dig9st, Vol. 12. No. 1, MHrch 15, 1945)

Italy

A royal decreFJ was publishqd in Gazqtta Ufficialq d9 RF3gno d 1 Italia, Rome, Octob3r 20, 1944, Anno 85°~ No. 71, abrogating nll prqvious anti-J,=,wish lA.ws p'3r­taining to prop~rty rights. Th9 dqcrqs furth'lr stipulat9s that all J,=,wish citiz3ns and thos9 citiz'3ns considqrqd to be of th'l J3wish race ar"' to qnjoy fully all pro­p9rty rights. Articl'3 3 of this d<Jcr'39 provides that 11within on'l y,ar of th9 con­clusion of pqacq thosq who had transf3rr'3d r'3al prop'3rty to th'3 ~~ (Offic'3 of ;>rop"lrty Manag'3m3nt which, und9r th'3 anti-J3wish law, took ov3r J3wish rqa.l prop3rty, 9d.) and thq lqgal r3pr9s"Jntativ'3 of such p3rsons arq empow9rqd to demand th'3 rq­turn of th9 transfqrred prop9rty against th3 surrend'3r of th'3 cqrtificates or bonds pr9viously givqn in r'lpaym3nt by the 3~.

Article 6. "In casqs in which the 1NT-J may MV'3 transfqrnd r'3al prop'lrty to third parti'3s th, lattqr ar'3 bound to su.rrqnclqr th'3 uropqrty to thq formqr ownqrs or thqir lqgal rqprqsentativ'ls and such third partiqs will rqcqiv'3 from th'3 ~UT~ the sum r3pr~s.::,nting thq purchas-'3 pric-, ••.•.• 11

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Articla 14. J9wish citiz9ns who hRd dispos3d of th9ir prop3rty in anticipation of th9 passag9 of discriminatory laws and who hA.V9 writt9n proof of th3 fact that th9 sal9 was int9nd9d to protqct th9m from th9 application of th9 lAw can d9nand r3stitution •••

Articl9 17. Th3 Jqwish citiz9ns havq on9 yqar Rft9r th9 conclusion of th3 p9aC9 to mak9 d'3mand. for nstitution. Th.:, obj9cting party has six months in which to mak1 count9r damand. ~ith3r party los9s his right by failur9 to act within th9 pr9SCrib9d_ tim9.

Articl9 19. All qu9stions r9lating to th9 application of th9 pr9s9nt d9cr99 ar9 to b3 d9cid9d by th9 judicial authoriti9s in accordRnC9 with th9 9stablish9d pro­C9durs.

Rour.iania

As was r3port9d by th9 J.T.A. on Octob9r 13, 1944, 11 s9rious diff3r9nc3s 9xist b<=JtW99n J9wish l3ad3rs h3r::i and_ th9 RoUl!lanian gov9rn!;lent ov9r th9 qu9stion of r9storation of full rights to J9ws, as provid9d by th9 Alli9d Armistic9 tqrms •••• At pr9s9nt J9ws in Roumania 3njoy full rights in principl9 only. On August 30, 1944, a ·d9cr9~ issu9d by th3 Roumanian gov9rnm9nt rAastab l ish9d th9 constitutions of 1866 and 1923 making all Roumanian subj9cts 9qual b9for9 th9 law and sliminating all dis­crimination r9sulting from rac9 or r9ligion. As a r9sult J9ws .:,njoy full political rights.

In D9C3mb9r 1944 a d9cri,-, was pass9d by Minist.:,r of Justici:,, Lucr9tiu Patrascanu, stipulating trw.t

ni. J9wish civil s3rvants dischar r-9d by th9 prwious r9giM9 will b9 ninstat9d upon th~1r filing a r9qu9st within 45 days aft9r uromulgation of th9 law. Th9y will hav9 all rights dnting fron th9 dRy of th9ir dismissal. Stat9 -9mploy93s who r9sign9d b9tW99n Jan. l, 1938 and Aug. 23, 1944 ar9 also covir9d by th9 abov9 r9gulation. Salari9s will b9 paid thos9 applying for r3instat9m,mt from thq dat9 thc,y fi19 th9ir a:nplication.

2. Privat9 91!lployqrs ar9 obliged to r'3-3mnloy J9wish 9□ploy'3"3S disr.1is Md aft::,r D3c. 1, 1940. R9qu'3sts for r'3instAt'3m'3nt should be mad'3 within 20 days of promulgation of th3 d9Cr9"3; and "3mploy'3rs ~ust r9instat~ Applicants within 35 days aft9r th'3ir rqquqsts ar::, fil'3d• granting th9m all rights 9njoyqd prior to th9ir dismissal.

3. A joint commission of th'3 Ministry of Labor A.nd. r9pr'3S9ntativ9s of '3r.1ploy'3rs and qmploy9'3S will sup9rvis'3 th9 r9instat91!l'3nts, tfllcing into consideration th3 capacity of th9 busin3ss, and giving priority on imm9diat'3 n9mploym'3nt to thos'3 '3arning small salari9s, p9rsons without any oth'3r incom'3, form9r

prison'3rs in conc9ntration crunps, p9rsons d'3port"3d for racial r9asons and thos9 wi~h larg'3 families. ~ployqqs who cannot b9 r'3instat'3d in thqir form'3r posi tiom will b~ guarant"l9d qmp].oymqnt in si1!lilar und9rtakings by th'3 Ministry of Labor~

4. A.11 prof3ssional and industrial licc,ns9s will b3 rqturMd to J"lws within 15 days Aft'3r such r'3turn is r9qu9st'3d. J9ws 9xpall~d frol!l prof9ssional, coinm'3rcial or industrial associations ar9 automatically r9instat'3d.

5. All prop9rty form9rly b'3longing to J9ws, which is now own9d by th9 stat'3 or in th9 poss3ssion of any purchas3r is ragardqd as always having bqlongqd totha

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disposs.=,ss ➔d titular own'3re and is rq turni:Jd to th.:,m without any Rdni tional lqgal proc'3durq. L'3asqs hqld upon prop9rty sqizqd from Jqws arq automatically canc-3llqd with prooulg~tion of thq dqcreq.

6 0 J-'3ws cannot r3turn to buildings own-3d by th1'3m until April, 1945, if thq build­ings ar.q now occupiqd by factori3s, schools, or artisan shops, unlqss thq Jqwish own3rs livqd thqrq immqdiatqly prior to thqir dqportation or forcqd transf3r qls,wh.qr~. Th9 following catqgoriqs of p-3rsons arq not r~quirqd to lqavq prop3rty bqlonr,ing to Jqws bqforq April 23~ 1945, unlqss by spqcial agr9qm3nt: workqrs and artisans with a monthly incomq of lqss than 30,000 l3i, urunarri~d war widows, invalids, orphans, stat=, qmploy-3qs and institutions of social wqlfar3.

Th-3 abov9 rqr;ulation, howqvqr, doqs not apply to Jqws who f ?11 into thq sani3 catqgoriqs, i.9. Jqws 3arning undqr 30,000 l9i monthly, war widows or orphans. All p3rsons who ar.q now qligiblq to ask for rqturn of thqir buildings must do so within two months aftqr promulgation of thq nqcrqq- Jqws who arq now outside th~ country must anply within two months Rftqr rqturning_ to Rouma.nia, Divorcqs or -pe.rtnqrs in mix3d marria.F,3S which W3r3 obtainqd bqtwqqn Jan. 1, 1938 and Aug. 23, 1944 ar3 d~clar3d null and voin undqr thq nqw dqcrqq.n (J.T.A. 12/19/44)

Roumanian J=,wish l'3adqrs 3xprqssqd dissatisfaction with this ~qcreq, and both Dr. Wm. Fild'lrtlan ancl Dr. AbrahN!l L. Zissu strqss.qd its infl:\qquacy. As r"l-portqd by ,zarious J:lwish ·)ubli,pnti9ns, th'3 Roummian Jqwish l«.ad::irs arq qnphasiz-ing that rqstoration of Rouna.nian J3ws to th::iir prq-war positions is b::iing carriqd out v3ry slowly. R3c3nly th9 Rownanian gov"lrnm3nt • announc=,d that it will turn ov9r to thq J3wish community goods tak:qn froo J3wish dqportqqs ann thosq who w9r~ out of thq country by ths .hnton9scu rqgim9. Th3 community will rqturn thos"l goods, whqr3v9r possible, to th3 original ownqrs or th3ir hqirs. (J,T.A. 4/6/45)

On th3 basis of r3ports av~ilablq in this officq wq know that somq 190,000 J3ws in Rournnnia ar3 in U39d of rqli9f. In thq light of thq n'llr.lb9r of n99dy, it is 3asy to conclude th~t V"lry littlq was donq to r3storq th9 Roumani8n Jqws to thqir pr3-War positions. Th3 J.T.A. of April 10, 1945 rqportqd that thq Rounanian Ministqr of Justic9, Lucr-qtiu Pa.trnscanu 11 assur9d thq JTA corrqspondqnt that hous3s and apartmqnts from which Jqws W3r"l oust-qd during thq Antonqscu rqrim9 will be r3turn3d to thqm on April 23, in accordancq with thq d3cr99 on r3storation of prop3rty issu'3cl s"lv~ral months af"o. 11 A d::icrq9 rqinstating Jqwish doctors and ch9mists dismiss9d from mqclical and insurancq institutions for "r~.cial rqasons 11

was signqd by Kinh Michael. {J,T.A. PhsSoTir Issu~ 1945)

Bulp;aria.

Th9 J,T,A. of D~cqnbqr 5, 1944, r'3port3d that 11 th9 Bulgarian ~ov"lrnm9nt today promulgat"ld a dqcr3q r3scinnin~ thq last anti-J9wish m"lasur"ls on th9 statute books. 11 Th"' lRW provi~.'3s thAt 11all ord,=,rs contHinqd in laws, stF1.tutqs Rnd r3gula­tions issuqc. Rft'3r JanuRry 23. 1941, which limit thq riJ;hts of Bulrarian subj-=,cts or thos9 of non-Bul{"c>.rian origin" arq rqscind9d, It also stat"ls that J3ws living in Sofia on that d8t3 an '3ntithd. to Msidq th=,r3. Mothqr s"lction providi:,s for thq r3storation of citiz9nship to all J3ws who qmigratqd aftqr J(l.!lu.ary 1940, and who w,=,r=, subs,qqu.:,ntly cUsfra.nchisqd by th9 pro-Nazi r"l,?"ir.iq. Such p"lrsons, how•W3r, must rqturn to Bulgaria within 6 months and furnish proof that th3y MV9 r3nounc9d any forqign nationality which th"ly may havq assumqn sinc'3 th9y qmigrat"ld.

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Th9 J.T.A. of M;:i,rch 6, 1945, r9nort=in. thRt 11 thll OfficiA.l GA.z9tt"l publish1d a lc1.w which provid9S for th=i r-=iturn of confiscA. t'3d J-=iwish prop9rty A.ncl for th-1 e.nnulm'3nt of Ell anti-J=iwish r,r,ulP.tions. Uncl,r th~ n=iw law coMp•msA.tion AJTlountinB to 30 r.iillion 1,was (approxir.H-itqly $375,000) will b'3 paid. for roods which cRnnot b=i r"lturn:,d. All lA.nd '3XC3pting that U])On which Bulgnria.n J)'3A.sants hEW'l s,ttl9cl will b'3 r,turnqd to th=i form,r J,wish own,rs. Comyi,nsntion on th'3 bn.sis of lancl pricqs of two y-=iars c1.go will b'3 :nai<1. for unnturn'Hl lancl. Rimt coll'3Ct9cl by thq r,ov ,rnrnnt from co:r..fisc.<1.t..,cl J9wish hous=is will b, r-=ifund'3d to th'3 owm rs. CoD})Ulsory sal , s by J,ws of stocks and bonds ar'3 consicl,r=icl void. Th'3 Bulgarian gov=irnn,nt will start r=ifunding th"l amounts owqd to J9ws imm'ldiat=ily, provid~d th, total ow9cl an individual do,s not 3xc,,d 50,000 levas, which is approximat~ly $625. If th'3 anount ,:,xcq:ids this sum, th'3 balA.ncq will b, pctid in r,ov=irnmsnt bonds r'3d9anablc, within 6 y3Ars. 11

Although this liMit'3d in scop, law of r=istitution wA.s pass9d, A.S far as w'3 know th, living conditions of th'l J3ws in Bulgaria A.n still d9plorA.bl=i nnd th"l r'3li'3f r=iquir'3m=ints P.r=i 3XC'3'3dinr,ly p:r'38.t.

Th'l probl=im of r=istorP.tion of th"l J =n-rish col!lr.ltnit:1 in Grq:ice hns a pe.r~ ticular asp:ict dc1rivinr; from tho. fact that only 8,500 J=iws (of th-=i pn-wAr 75,000) r-=imain9d in Grc1:ic-=i (Dr. Schwartz's cf'.bl=i fron Ath=ins, .h.pril 6, 1945). J..s far P.S

is known nothinG has as yqt b99n don:::i to nstitut=i J=iwish nrop9rti9s to th'l rifht­ful own=irs or h'3irs, and., as Dr. Schwi:i.rtz r,Dorto.d in th, A.bov=i-M"lntiono.cl cabl9, "all J=iwish cor:imunal lif=i hP.s b:i'3n disrunt9d ...• Thos9 cor.muni ti9 s l?ck 'lv,rything, including c=im-=it,ri'3s, schools ~ma., in rnny cA.s=is, nlac-'ls of worship." In th=i light of th=i r=ili=if r~quir,n=ints of th'l J~wish con~uniti,s in Gr"l,C,, it nAy bq conclud,d that littl'3 hPs b,"ln don=i to r=iinstat'3 th=i surviving J=iws th'3r, to th:iir form,r positions.

Th=in is as y:3t no d'3tail9d infor□a.tion about nsti tution in HunFary, Cz9choslova.kia, Poland, '3XC'3pt for g=m-=,ral nronounc9m.::ints by th'3 r,pr-=is9ntativq gov=irnm3ntsto th'3 3ff=ict thc'.t J=iws will b9 r'3stond th-=iir rights, jobs A.nd prop-=irty.

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r. Herbert H. ehman, , Dir ctor Of Foreign Relief And ehabilitation Operations.

Sir,

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2:L Osberton Place R 1

Sheffield 11

30th November,1942.

ay I take the liberty to approach you in the following matter? I am the son of Jewish. Czechoslovakians who were just aver a year ago deported from Prague to Poland. y father was then nearly seventy years old, a university professor of some reput.

I have been during the past year in contact with nUlnerous organisations and authorities,British and Foreign without any success~ They have even not been able to trace the whereabouts of my unfortunate parents. The advice given to me by sympathetic authorities that nothing could be done until military victory is achieved can hardly satisfy me and those here in a similar position. You are undoubtedly well informed about the fate of uropean Jewry uhder Nazi domination. How many of them can possibly survive this ar? Is there no device possible,now,whilst military operations are proceeding to save at least the remnants of that unhappy race which has so much contributed to =uropean civilisation? I am thinkin · ; in my simple way that if the Allied Governments would sole y and categorically declare these people to be under their protection they might be saved from the worst. Could not at once some status be conferred upon those few, possibly still alive,which would give them similar protection to tnat which prisoners of ar or Allied civilians in Snerny hand enjoy? I implore you,Sir, in all due respect to consider my · suggestions which I feel I have to make in my deep anxiety. I feeL that if nothing is done now to save those few from cruel extermination the spirits of these dead will hang like dark shadows over all plans of reconstruction and rehabilitation in post-war Europe.

Yours respectfully

~itz•

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Copy fo r ~-r. Jackson

bru r 17, 1943

OR G R .OR LEFJ 1:

gency he follo in i terns from t .... o Je i h ele _raphlc

: interest ou:

1. One quarter have been .., _ipp d b. t. e ~ C

0 ; 00 1 1. J L..,h f

I azi

Go" r in 500

camps

5 . a.c r...,d i d

..., ce.u e d st n

reports re i

since

t at on in neut al isn u d__,r

of the shortage or suff' red b~ t e

A release fro ondon stat that the Polish cted its consulates

o si le a.:.d to -.l:!.xilo on bruar 9 inst

1 e_ic to extend all f u ees fro Pol nd no·. in

rl •

i lrea.d • be but tl e e uested olish J

'orocco n 1~ ers . n releas'"'d f'roni orit re interned . e consuls to !Or-

s released f m

ns and ,Te ·s s 'n °zi-

Le Briti~h Council of vO\-rn nt Ci n t

three- oint l eld countries

(1) G 1 es _n

1th ot r· Allied i.a.t.ions to

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assure financial assistance and food to neutrals admittin refu ... e s , a.nd pledge tb t ~ rman nt ha 1en lse 'h re ill be found for them a ter the ar .

(3 ) Use all mens to ac uaint the go ern­. e t of tbe Axis co ntr·ies and their satellites of post- r r3pris,ls for atrocities against Je~s and oth r civilians .

C. • •

vA. l.., n ..... r:

:m.iillu-.iliCY CONb l:RENCJ:.; TO SAVE TH~ J i WS OF EUROPL

THE NEW YORK TIMES, FRIDAY, JULY 23, 194:

PLAN IS OUTLINED FOR FEEDING JEWS

Emergency Conference Says Most of 4,000,000 Surviving

in Axis Can Be Saved

the Jews now doomed to starvation given to the possibility to asylum could be saved. in Palestine because of its proxim-

It also was reported at the meet- ity to the Axis-controlled territory ing that there are adequate trans- . . . . . portation facilities to rescue Euro- and m view of the poss1b1hty of pean Jews without interfering in eaching Palestine without utilizing any way with the war program. At a considerable amount of shipping the general meeting of the confer- space," the report continued. ence tomorrow night a report will Resolutions based on the report be submitted showing the actual . . neutral tonnage available for the and recommendations will be pre­rescue work. sented to the general session of

the conference on Sunday night. Rescue Work Is Discussed CASE OF GREECE IS NOTED Members of the Panel on Interna-

The Panel on International Rela- tional Relations include Charles tions at its continued meeting dis- Davila, former Rumanian Ambas­

Called Proof That Food Can cussed a committee report urging sador to the United States ; Arthur that the United Nations be asked Garfield Hays, Dr. Benjamin Ak­to sound out Bulgaria, Hungary, zin of the Congressional Library; Rumania and Vichy, France, "to Dr. Alexander Hadani of Palestine grant their Jewish inhabitants the and others.

Be Sent to Minorities Through Relief Organization

same treatment accorded to other At a public meeting in the eve­With the help of organized inter- inhabitants, including equal food nning at which questions from the

national relief agencies most of rations, equal access to medical re- floor were answered, Representa-the 4 000 ooo • • ' J i sources and freedom from deporta- tive Samuel Dickstein, of lower

' ' surviving . ews n tion, as well as permission for Manhattan, declared that pressure G~rmany and the occupied coun- Jews who wish, or who are able, of public opinion would force offi­tr1es can be kept from starving to leave the country." cials here and in Great Britain to speakers declared yesterday at a The committee also recommend- open the doors to thousands of panel on Relief and Transporta ed that the neutral countries bor- refugees from the Axis countries. tion at the third session of the dering on the Axis, namely Tur- He said that Alaska and the Virgin Emergenc Conference to Save the key, Switzerland, Sweden and Islands could accommodate thou­Jews of Europe, being held thi Spain, be asked to grant tempo- sands of Jews and others. weeJrin t:fie Hotel Commodore. rary asylum to the Jews who Others who spoke at the evening

Perrin Galpin, of Food for Small reach their borders. panel included Dr. Akzin, Mrs. Democracies, pointed out that the The report also recommended John Gunther, Johann Smertenko, problem of providing food for a that the United Nations be asked editor of Free World; Dr. Maurice harassed minority had been sue- to grant asylum to Jewish refu- William, economist, and Eri Ja­cessfully met in the case of Greece. gees for the duration of the war. botinsky of Palestine. They an­He· said that all organized interna- These refugees, the report says, swered questions as to how the Eu­tional relief agencies should be should be lodged in special refu- ropean Jews could be rescued from utilized to keep the Jews of Europe/ gee camps or under other suitable the Axis-controlled countries and alive, and he expressed the belief if arrangements. where the refugees could be the agenci s cooperate many of "Special attention should be settled.

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council II DocunLnt lll MC'r/Cuo· : ,.:

( ruvisic:n. MG/Cub e. 3) 21 Soptor:bur 19~,1

Unitod Ncti0.1s Roliof a nd Rvhnbilitation ... dninistr2ti ; n , Soc nd ;Jossi:m c; f tho C· uncil ,

U .ntroru. .

Subuittd by tho Rr...public c, I' Cuba.

D:ro.ft Ros, lution c ncorning tho cluclrm:,.ti n of the, Hobr0w pocplo to b . .:; ono .., l' tho Uni t,Kt Nati ous in r:.G" rd t o R<.,lL.,f and R0hcbili tntion and concol'.'ning Roli,Jf t ,_., bo cdnini st01·od t o µobro~ ::rnd uthor victins of roligi-:ius and / or recial porsocuti vns iu · onony ;)I' ox-onony tJrritorics. •

Substi tu tine fc r thu Dcaft e,f 3optunbor 18 HJ,.:,,~, Council II Docur.1c.nt '70 lfil/Cuba 3.

i1horo2s : nccorc1ing tu Ros . luti ~n Ho . 1, sccti . n 3, c.ny ncti vi ty ·,7i thin onorzy- or ox- e,nony torritori<)s is con,'.i ti:.. riod up --: n tho c~uncils' spoci~l approval , oxcopt ~p 0rr.tions nn boh ~lf of Displncod Parsons enc.1 c:msid0ring tho rocont ovontr.; in Itnly, Rur.P.nia and Bulg nrin , tho Council nill prubebly oxanino -.1hcthor and for ·i1hnt purp;cos tho i.drd.!listrnti ..:..n should opuri:i.to ·,;i thin tln so c ·~ untrios.

7Thoroas : \7h11tc.vor tho Council r-..o.y rosolvo with 1·ospoct t o thotio torri torics es such, it is c ';nsidcrcd c ,nvi,.,nt thnt a Ros...,luti n be ::i.doptod auth:,; ri zing tho ... dni.:~i stratbn to opor[lto TTi thin whnt.Jvor onor.:ry er ox- onony torrj t cry, in favor ,. f tho Hobron pupulatLn --ihich I"E.Y bo f ;:,und thorc still r11ivo . HobroTT po~plo in Eur, pc TIOro thu first to bo nttcckod nnd tho only ;:,nos t o bo nlnc,st ontiroly oxtorninutod by tho Nazis nnc.1 thoir foll c~,1ors . Tho physic1l condi tLn ;:; f' thv survi vc· rs is such th .t only quick holp CJU+d S C.VO thon, TThiJ.o [~ny doloy in dvinG S ) ·,7 ul:J., r'..C st prcbably, cor:plotc tho r,c,rk , f tho Nazis .

Whoroas : tho Hobro'i7 po. plo as such has no st t, tus in tho UNRR. org1mi znti..m and is thorof.. ro unable to pr0sunt its nocds and its suggosti 0ns; it ic thoruforo:

IfilSOLVED a. That tho •• c1ninistratL,n bo roquustod t o stucly tho

pcssibili ty uf rocogni zing thG Hcbror1 pouplo for purp.;sus of Rvlicf and R.,habili tr.,ti n as .. no vf thu Uni to~~ NnGiOns and t -., pr.Jsunt tho rvsul ts t:::, tho nuxt s,Jssi ,n vf tho Cr;uncil .

b . In .., rd0r t ,., onsuro tho aid of UNRR..... t , Hobrows 0f ,.mcr:ry r; r ux- onorzy nationality and to othur .:muny or ox- onur.iy nationals -:1ho he.vE:i boon victi~~ of rc.ciul or rvligivus porsccutions,

7

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Council II Docur.i_,n t 111 1G/Cubn 4

( r0vision ND/Cuba 3)

Ro solution No. 1, role.ting to tho Scopo of •· .. cti vi tios of tho i.dnini strution, Part I, pu:-..·e;;rnph 3, should. bo supplon0ntod at tho ond by tho folloTiing passago:

"Tho so restrictions (rognrding roliof to be e;ivon in onocy or ox-onony arocs) do not apply to the roliof and rohabili tat ion acti vi tio::i of UNRRl. for thu bonofi t of Ho brows and othor victir.:s of :racial and_ r cli6ious porsocutions in ono:-.iy or ox-onor.zy- countrios, ,7ho hav0 boon sub ject-.:d since 1933 to discrirtinations and porsucutions by tho Nazis, thoir allies and their satelli tcJ. _.,id to the.co r.:inori ti 0s should bo gi van by UNRR' .. undor tho snr.10 principles as in tho li borntod aroas , fron such tino nnd for such purposos as r.1ey bo agrood upon by tho nili tary conr.iand and tho ... ·.dninistration. Tho financial oost of this roliof shall bo charged to tho account of thoso countrius, to bo ropaid by than at sono future dato."

r

19 e tember 1 44

r. Tartakower came to see me today and said that the orld J wish Congre s hioh he re res nts is going to try to get som government delegate to bring b fore the Co ittee on Policy the follo ing r solution 1th regard to ssi tanoe to tb victi s of raoi 1, religious or political r ecution in enemy or ex-enemy territories:

"In ord r to n ur the aid of RA to the victim of racial, r ligio s or olitical ersec tions ho re loca­ted in enemy or ex-enemy res, esolution o. 1, relating to the Scop of th otivities of the dm.inistration, Part I, ar. 3, hould b su lem nted at th end by the follo ing assage,

"These restrictions {regarding relief in enemy or ex-nemy area) do not a ly to the relief and rehabilit tion

activities o UNRRA for the ben fit of those religiou, racial eµid olitioal minoriti sin enemy or ex-enemy 001 ntri ho h ve been subjected during tne ar to disoriminntion nd rsecutions by the Nazis, th ir allies nd th ir satellites. id to thes minorities should be given by UNRRA und r the same rinci les a in th liberated areas, from sch tim nd for such ur oses as my be agreed u on byte military command and the

d inistration. The •in ci l cost of thio relief shall be charged to the account of these countries, to be re aid by them at some future t e.'

MEMORANDUM sttbmitted to the

Second Session of the Council

of the

UN IT E D NAT I ON S RE LIEF and REHABILITATION ADMINISTRATION

September 1944

MONTREAL CANADA

by the

AGUDAS ISRAEL WORLD ORGANIZATION

MEMORANDUM

Submitted to the Second Session of the Council of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration

MONTREAL

Gentlemen :-

The "Agudas Israel T1l orld Organi:::ation" , with headquarters in London and Executive branch offices in New York and Jerusalem rep re ent orthodox religious Jewry all over the world.

Before the war, "Agudas Israel" had national organizations in 22 European countries. It was represented by deputies elected to various parliament and maintained a far-flung network of religious, cultural and educational institution . In Poland, "Agudas Israel" was one of the leading Jewish partie , numerically the trongest, and likewise in the Baltic countries and in Czechoslovakia the inf1uence of "Agudas Israel" prevailed in many spheres of public life.

In order to deal adequately with Jewish post-war problems, our organizations in the United tates, England and Palestine have created a "European Council" composed of leading personalities of orthodox European Jewry, experts n its pro! !ems. Our Executive Body in New York and London, in conjunction with this European Council, has prepared a number of suggestions for Jewish post-war relief which we hereby respectfully submit.

I.

OR.GA IZA TIO AL PROPOSALS

The plight of the surviving European Jews after the ces ·ation of hostilities will be unparalleled by that of any other part of the enslaved p pulation o( Europe. Deprived o[ all their property, displaced from their homes, tortured and tarvecl in concentration camp ·, these victim of a premeditated and systematical policy of annihilation face slow but certain extinction, even after the war, if their special needs are not duly recog­nized and taken into consideration.

This can only be achieved by adequate Jewish representation on all bodies responsible for the practical work of the U.N.R.R.A.

Although ·there is no national political Jewish organization of official character ( the official "Jewish Agency for Palestine" only possesses com, petence in Palestinian affairs), there are confessional authorities, legally recognized, such as the Chief-Rabbinate of the British Empire, which, represented by its "Religious Emergenc3• Council" (with chapters also in the United States and Canada), could be admitted to the counsels of the U.N.R.R.A. to safeguard Jewish interests. In coordination with the major Jewish world-organizations it should be invited to delegate per­manent "OBSERVERS" to the Council, the Regional Standing Committee on Europe and the technical committees specifically concerned with Jewish problems ( those on Displaced Persons, Health and \ Velfare) and to their respective Regional European Sub-Committees.

In the event of a favorable decision in this respect, we stress the necessity to admit representatives of "Agudas I sracl World Organi:::a­tion". We have always been responsible for safeguarding the religious and cultural welfare of the Jewish community in liberated Europe, and clue to the all-embracing character of the Jewish Religious Law, this is closely connected with physical and economic relief problems.

II.

RELIEF POLICIES

If discrimination against the most pitiable group of Nazi­victims in liberated Europe is to be avoided, it will be necessary to remove the limitations provided, at the present date, in the program of the U .N .RR.A. regarding relief for and rehabilitation of inhabitants of enemy territory.

\Ve propose that a general resolution be adopted by the Council, declaring that German or stateless Jews or other victims of Nazi racial and religious persecution should not be considered enemy-aliens for U. .RR.A. purposes, and, even if they are living in enemy territory, must be cared for by U.N.R.R.A. in the same way as citizens of the United Nations.

The legal con equence of this principle should be expre sed in all statutory provision and regulations of U."N.R.R.A. concerning priorities in housing, in medical services, child-care, and the care for displaced persons.

l l

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As regards the latter point, we trust that refugees will not be com­pelled to return to their former countries of residence, since political, economic and security conditions iri the liberated areas of Europe during the post-war years are unpredictable.

III.

RELIGIOUS REQUIREMENTS

(a) Food.

For feeding the surviving Jews of Europe, the majority of whom are deeply devoted to their traditional religious faith, an adequate supply of Kosher food, especially of meat and fats, must be provided. No time can be lost, because, although some canned and frozen meat may be available in the United States, orders for the manufacture of the necessary dehydrated Kosher meat would have to be placed in time.

Rations of fats should for Jews be supplied in vitarninized vege­table margarine.

Priority of meat and fat rations should be granted to Jews and especially their aged and children, in view of the fact, that Jewish Ghetto inhabitants, for instance in Poland, received only 32% of the bread rations allotted to Poles and no allocations at all of the most important protective foods.

(b) Hospitals and Orphanages.

In the establishment of soup kitchens, hospitals, orphanages and other communal institutions, the requirements of the Jewish dietary laws must be duly observed, and in general clue recognition must be given to the importance of the religious factor.

(c) Ritual Slaughtering.

The organization of local ritual slaughtering should be taken in view as soon as livestock is available. In view of the urgent need for food it should be legally sanctioned, wherever that is necessary, at the earliest possible moment.

( d) Rabbinical S11 pervision.

For the administration of point (a)-( c), adequate Rabbinical assistance and supervision is required and we are prepared to submit concrete proposals to that encl.

(e) Reco11struction of Co1nmum1l Life.

Jews, emerging from the agonies of five years of inhuman oppression, will be in urgent need of religious and spiritual guidance to revive their will to live and to re tore their social and spiritual standards. This pre­requisite of economic and social rehabilitation must be given due recog­nition. It seems, therefore, highly necessary to nominate a sufficient number of Jewish experts to work within the U.:1\'.R.R.A. regional teams and we are prepared to submit proposals for this purpose.

(f) Sabbath-Observance.

As far as the work of U.N.R.R.A. will comprise initial economic rehabilitation (employment), we venture to stres the fundamental importance of Sabbath-observance for orthodox Jews. The Jews will, of course, always be prepared to make up the working-time lost on Sabbath-days by overtime-work on evenings and unday . o discri­mination against them, on account of their religious scruple should be permitted.

(g) Repair of School-Houses.

Priorities for the repair of school-houses should be extended to all the educational buildings destroyed by the Nazi , especially the Yeshi­voth ( Rabbinical high-schools) in the Eastern European countries. The reconstruction of these institutions is one of the basic prerequisites for the spiritual revival of European Jewry.

\Ve remain most respectfully,

AGUDAS ISRAEL WORLD ORGANIZATION

JACOB ROSENHEIM, President.

AGUDAS ISRAEL WORLD ORGANIZATIO::-Y

EXECUTIVE OFFICE, NEW YORK BRANCH

226 West 97th Street. ~C\\" York 25, N.Y.

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ANGLO-JEVvISH ASJ UC IATION

----------.---------------Observations on the Reports Eind Renolutions of

the Firat des.J ion of the Ctou.n..cil of UNRRA · ;,. A_4&.u_s ___ 1~44. ·

(·.rhc., page numbers in the mc:.~rgins refer to the White Pn9cr (Cmd 6497) conta ining tho Res olutions and Reports of the firut se s ion of UNRBA Council)

On April 13th tho President of the Angl o-Jewish

Associotion addressed to tho Europeon Dir0ctor of the

United Nat ions Relief ond Ro hnbilito tion Administr~tion a

l ette r indicot ing the Associ8tion 1 s gene ral ngreoment with

tho contents of n memorandum which had bo on submitted to tho

Administr:...~ tion by the Boo rd of Do putio s of British Je ws and

expressing e. de sir(; to join in ony discussions which might ,

arise as to its subject mottcr . Further consideration h2s

now bvcn given to those espects of tho ,ork of UNRRA in which

the Anglo-Jewish Association is esp0ciolly interested, 2nd tho

Association d0sires to avoil it self of this opportunity of

eddressing to the Admini.str.::.. tion the following observations

arising out of tho Reports and Resolutions Ddootod by the

Council o t its first session in Nov ember r· nd Docombor , 1943.

2. The Association docs not ask that Jaws should r eccivu any­

thing in the neture of proferanti~l trootmant, nor docs it

se ek for them diffcrentintion from their f<wl.low citizens,

exc0pt where rendered dbsiroble by their religious,

linguistic or cultura l requirements. It will be obvious,

however , thot, by r o~s on of the measures directed against

them sine & 1933 by tho Germen Gov0rnmcnt ~nd Nazi 9arty , the

Jewish communiticls of Europe will prcsi.,nt problems of grcot

importance tho s olution of which ce lls for sp0cinl considera tion.

3 . The sc1li nt f ic ts of tho Nazi persecution of the Jaws

n rc well knovm and do not need to 1Je re-st ,, ted here. As o

result of this p~rs~cution the condition of the survivors of

the J 0wish communiti c8 of Europ0 mey be cxooctcd to disolay

the following ch[•r· ctcr-istics: -

p . 6 .

- 2 -

(a) Almost all of them will have been displaced from their homes, many outside their own countries.

(b) They will be living under particularly bad sanitary conditions in territories infected with contagious diseases and will be suffering from malnutrition to a very high degree .

( c) 1.rhe proportion of elderly persons and persons oermon-· ently incapable of work will be high .

(d) Whole families will be without ony property and will have been prevented for many years from pursuing any gainful occupation .

(e) Transport in most of the territories where Jews will be found will be particularly difficult .

(f) Repatriable Jews will have no families to give them even temporary shelter or maintenance .

(g) Many Jews will be of enemy or ex-enemy nationality and a considerable number of them will be stateless .

In the course of the observations which follow , considera ­

tion will be given to the effect of the Resolutions and Reports

adopted by the Council of UNRHA on persons to whom one or more

of the above mentioned conditions apply .

4 . The Ass ocation desires first to draw attention to the

position of Jews of enemy or- ex - enemy nationality . VI/here

such persons are found on the territory of the State of which

they are or were nationals , they can benefit from the opera ­

t ions of the Administration only if the Council "approve the

s cale and nature of the opetations it is proposed to undertake

and the standard of provision , and ••• all expenses con..~octed

with such possible operations ••• should be carried by the

enemy or ex enemy country concerned . 11 (Resolution 1 , II (30

In countries such as Hungary and Rumania there are large

numbers of Jews who will be in serious need of the Adminis ­

tration's services , and , unless the Administration's policy

is defined in advsnce , both as to the circumstances in which

oper ations may be undertaken and the terms of payment therefor ,

the enforcement of this provision might result in delay in

the granting of relief . It is therefore suegested thot the

Administration shoulJ ask tho ·council -

p. 18

p. 73 •

P. 74.

- 3 -

To approve opera tions in enemy or ex-enemy territory in f8vour of persons, whether stateless or of enemy or ex-enemy nationality who have been persecuted by an enemy, ex-enemy government, or a government collaborating with the enem~ on grounds of race , religion or political belie-f; and to authorise the financing of operations in favour of such persons where it is found that the government of the country concerned is unable· -to meet the expenses thereof .

It may be desired to authorise the application to enemy or

ex-enemy governments the provisions of Resoluti on 14 , sec t ion

19, which enable member governments to pay for relief and

rehabilitation supplies furnished by the Administration in

local currency by the proceeds of sale of such supplies .

5 . Sub - Committee 4 of Committee N , reporting its acceptance

of the necessity of the Administration's discharging certain

responsibilities in reletion to repatriation "in agreement

with the appropriate governments •••• " (par . 7) , ststes: "As

regards agreement with ~ppropri~te governments , the Sub - Commi~­

·.tee understands that the governments concerned may include

the government or governing authority ("other than an enemy

or ex-enemy government or governing 2uthori ty • •• 11) (par . 8 ).

The 1-1.ssociation would be glad to know whether the exclusion

of enemy or ex~enemy governments indicates an intention not

to engage in ony repatriation activities within their territ or ­

ies or whether it is merely to be taken t o dispense with the

necessity for their consent or for consultation with them.

6 . It is not clear how fnr the resolutions of the CoUJ.~cil

relating to repatriation apply in the case of persons of

enemy or ex-enemy nationality who are found upon Allied

territory . In the Report of Sub-Committee 4 (on Displaced

Persons) of Committee IV , par.lo ., it is stated that 11 mrnRA

will assist in the care and repatriation of such of those

persons (i . e. 11 persons who hc1ve been obliged to leave their

homes for reasons of race , reli.gir·.:. or political belief 11 )

as can are and willing to return to their countries of origin

and former residencc . 11 This paragraph does not appear to

hsve been embodied in any Resolution of the Council but

- 4 -

merely "transmitted to the Director-Gener a l for his informa ­

tion and for such further conside r a tion a nd a ction a s he

pi;>. 12,56.ma y deem nec e ssary" (See Resolution 10 and Re port o:f Committ e e

p. 72.

p. 12.

r:v, par.5)

The Report of Sub-Committee 4 of Committee IV, par,5 (d),

recommends "that UNRRA should also assist those nationals of

the United Nations and those stateless persons who heve been

driven as a result of the wa r from their pla ces of settled

residence in countries of which they are not nationals, to

return to those places". This paragraph has been embodied in

Resolution 10 (3) which may therefore bring within the classes

of pe rsons to be repatria ted by UNRRA certain of the victims

of Nazi persecution.

The position is rendered still more obscure by the limittJ:e

words "by reason of the war 11 or "as a result of the war"

appea ring in the definitions of the classes of persons for whose

pp.6,12,72.repatriation UNRRA will be responsible {See Resolutions l,II(2)

p. 72.

p. 12.

and 10 (3) and Report of Sub-Committee 4 of Committee r:v par.5)

It 1s therefore open to question whether the jurisdiction of

UNRRA will extend to victims of the Nazi regime whose displa ce­

ment was not the direct result of militGry operations, particu­

larly those who were affected before the outbreak of the

present war.

The Association trusts that an early opportunity will be

sought to clarify the position and suggests that it be

expressly stated that -

7.

Persons who have be en drived from or obliged to leave their homes or exiled on account of their r a ce, religion or politica l belief by en enemy or ex-enemy government or a g overnment collabora ting with the enemy shall, whether they are of a llied, enemy or ex-enemy nationDlity or stateless, f ull within the proper scope of the nctivitiGs of UNRRA in ~ccorda nc e with the Re port of Sub-Committe e 4 of Cornmi tto e r:v, peJ r .s ·

The Associa tion desires to draw attention to a question

connected with the settlement of displ~ced pe rsons to which the

Administre tion 1 s opera tions may give rise ,

Under the terms of Resolution lu (3) tho Administra tion is

p. 69.

- 5 ...

authorised to assist those nationals of the United Nations

and those stateless persons who as a result of the war have

been driven from their places of settled residence in countries

of which they are not nationals to return to those places,

However, the r e solut i ons of the Council a re not binding upon

member govenunents, which e re therefore not bound to admit for

settlement persons who a re not their na tiona.ls. · In most of

the countri es of Europe there were to be found a number of J ews

who had been settled there for many years, whose parents even

had lived there (jus soli not applying to nationality in most

parts of Europe) but who had severed a ll connection with the

cou...!tries of which they were nominally na tiona ls. The number

of persons involved rnay not be great, but it is to be expected

that the g overnments of the places of their residence may in

some cases be reluctant to admit them for re-settlement.

Every effort should be made to prevent these persons from

being added to the number of refugees , and the Association

trust s that the Administration will find it possible to use

its influence to secure for them the right to return tot he

countries in which they had their settled residence.

8. It is possible tha t the governments of certain countrie s

will desire to refuse re~admission even to their own nationals

on grounds of political undesirable. The Association trusts

that efforts will be made to ensure that no person is deemed

undesirable solely by reason of the fact thflt he uses the

language of 2 minority group,

9. The Report of Sub~Committee 3 of Committee IV,pars. 16 and

1; indica tes that it may be necessary to establish priorities

and t hat high among the priorities will be young children,

youths, pregnant women, nursing mothers, key workers and

welfare institutions. It is permissible to hope that, as

regards food, clothing, medical assistance and other basic

necessities of life, the needs of a ll classes will be met

after a rola tively short time. On the other hand, prioritie s

..... 6 -

ma y h8ve to be ob se rved for 8 longer pe riod a s r e spects

shelter a nd tra nsport,

The ca t egorie s of per son s r efe r red to in par .3 (b)-(f) of t hi s

memora ndum will be li ke l y t o hove a low pr iority; they wi ll

therefore be li ke l y a rr ive l o t e in t he c ou..."1.t r i es of per ma n ent

s ettlement, 8nd , i f so,may find difficulty in r e - es t ab l i sh ing

themse lve s., It i s submitted t ha t such per s ons would be

pla ced a t a n undue disa dvantage i f , t h rough having suffered

more extended and i n t en s ive ha rd shi ps a t t he hands of the

Nazis, they were to be ha ndi ca pped i n the ma tt e r of restora-

tion to norma l living cond itions . The Ass ocia tion apprc ci e t

the difficultie s which t he d e t e r mi na tion of prioritie s

necessa rily involves e nd is conf i dent t ha t the Adminis t ra tion

will alwa ys giv e s ympa t he tic considera tion to the cl.Di ms of

victims of re cia l pe r se cut ion. At the pr esent moment, the

Associa tion doe s not put f orwa rd spe cific proposa ls, but

sugge sts tha t the Admini s tra tion should dr aw the a tt ention of

the governments of count ries like l y to b e a f fe ct ed to the

need f or mea sure s to count e r- bo l a nc e the ha rdshi ps r ef erred to.

10. The Report referred to in the pr ec eding pa r ag r a ph is

sta ted to be 11 For Informa ti on a nd n ot for Action11 a nd is not

embodied in a specific r e solution. The Associa tion sugge st s ,

however, that inmates of concentra tion camps ~ who will be

found to be in a sta t e of ex treme ex~a ustion, should find a

high place in any priori t y list which may fina lly be esta bli shed.

11 . A question applying morG pa rticula rly to t he ca t egory of

pers-ons referred to in par ,3 (d) of this memora ndum is r a i se d

by the report of Sub-Comm ~tt ee 3 of Committee rr, par. 1 .

The importanc e of providing wc lfo r e se rvic es i s s tressed, the

p . 67 (f-eot--•term "welfa re" be ing define d as including • •• (b) s e rvic es note)

for the porsona l reha bilita tion of individua ls r equiring

specia l help". The AssociDci on would bo gl a d to know whe the r 11 pe rsona l r ehebili t a tion" i s to be t a ken to includ e the

systematic exploita tion of occu p~ c~ one l opp or tunities to be

provided b y relief and r ehabj_litc1 tion s up plie s and se rvices

p. 15.

p. 69.

p. 10.

- 7 -

in favour of persons requiring special help in this respect.

A reply in the affirmative would appear to be supported by

Resolution 12 (l u ), which lays down that in establishing

priori ties in connection with requirements for raw materials,

etc, "social factors s·uch :::s the necessity of providing re ­

employment" should (inter alia )be taken into consideretion .

The Association would be glad to have the Administration's

confirmation of this view.

12. The Report of Sub-Committee 3 of Committee rv, oar . 25 ,

refers to the need for 11cJ id to broken families to help bread -

winnora and dependants to reunite". In the case of a great

many Jewish families , as indica ted in p2 r,3 (f)_!:.nteL all the

members of the family will hevo be 0 n uprooted from their homes,

ond none of them will know the whereabouts of the other members .

The various J Gwish communities are likely to be in a favourable

position to re-establish conta ct between the members of

scattered Jewish femili Gs , and the Association trusts th.at the

Administration will facilitate the ir work in this r e spect.

13, It is also sugges ted thet in matters effecting Jewish

comn1u.,.""liti e.s the assistance should bf) invoked of local Jewish

advisory groups, the "wide userr of locol advisory groups

be ing r0ommended in the Re:,:iorts of Sub-Committee 3 of

Commi ttec TV, oar. 18.

14 . In p2r. 26 of the seme Report it is 18 id down among the

gvnere.l welfar0 principles that "accou.,.""lt must be taken of the

various cultural a nd religious as v..ell as social sensibilities" .

The Association would here drew attention to the fact that

vrthodox Jews have specic::l requirements in the matter of diet;

if d sired, it would b e pleased to furnish detail~ of this and

oth r espocts of Jewish religious observance which IDDY beer .

upon the Adr.ninistra tion I s programme .

15. The Association desires to refer to Resolution 7 (2) ,

which provid~s: 0 The.t in general the responsibility for the.,

distribution, within en erea, of relief ond reru.bilitetion

supplies should be borne by the government or recognised

p. 72.

p. 38.

p. 41.

... 8 -

netional authority which exercises adm1n1strstive authority,

Par. (1) of the same resolution lays down that relief and

rehabilita tion supplies shall not be used as a political

weapon and that discrimination shall not be made in their

distribution on grounds of race, creed or political belief.

The Aasociation begs leave to enquire whether any decision has

boen taken as to the manner in which it is proposed to enforce

the responsibility of national authorities for proper distrib"

ution in the spirit of the Administration's policy against

discrimination. In particular, the Association would be

glad to know whether it is intended that persons who may

complain of discrimination will be entitled ,to seek redress

direct,

16 • . In pars. la and ··llof this Memorandum reference has already

been made to the use by the Administration of Jewish bodies.

In many European countries the fabric of Jewish communal life

has been completely broken,~nd the Administration's work among

Jew~ who have remained in or who will be repatriated to those

areas will be facilitated the return of former officers of

Jewish organisations. It is suggested that such persons

should be regarded as coming within the provisions of the

Report of Sub-Committee 4 of Committee IV par.5 ( c ), which

provides "that UNNRA should also assist in the repatriation

of those nationals of the Upited Nations in other countries

who are exiles as a result of the war, and whose return to

their homes is a matter or urgency".

17. The Rules of Procedure of the Council, Art,VII,provid~.

for the attendance at meetings of the Council of observers

from inter~ "relief and welfnre agencie~ or others"; and

Annex I, Art, II {3),makes similar provision as respects meet~

1ngs of Standing Committees of the Council, The Association

trusts that in the issuing of invitations to send observers

sympathetic consideration will be given to the claims of

organisations operating among the Jewish communities.

- 9 -

The Administration might find it convenient to delegGte to

one or more of its officers the duty of acting as liaison with

the J ewish organisations.

18. The obs 0rvations conte ined in the preceding peragraph

pp. 11,12, a pply also with respect of Rbsolutions 9 (2)(3) and 10(4),

which direct . co-operation with voluntary agenc i es in the

provision of welforo services and the repatriation of displ0 ced

persons r espe ctively.

p. 33 •

19. Finally, the Association ventures to ex press the hope

that, in view of the special problems which will arise in the

execution of the Administration I x programme in relation to

Jews, every effort will be made to include among its personnel

officers who are qualified by reeson of their special knowledge

of the situation and needs of the Jews of Europe. Resolution

37 lays down 111. That the staff of the Administration should

be of an internatioml character, selected ••• without discrimin­

ation on grounds of sex, race, nationality or cre ed •• " and 11

2 •• (a) That all member governments endeavour to make avail ­

able to the Administration such persons in their own civil

service as the Dir ector General mny invite to join the steff

of the Administr2tion ••• 11 Am ong the questions whi ch arise in

this connection are : (a) whether it is the policy of the

Administro tion to recruit staff solely through member govern­

ments or whether, e , g ., appropriate volu..~tary agencies have

been invited to suggest personnel; and-(b ) whether stateless

persons are considered as elig ible for recruitment,