Displaced Persons

(D.P) Camps.

A girl in the Kloster

Indersdorf children's center
who was photographed in an
attempt to help locate
surviving relatives. The
photographs were published
in newspapers to facilitate
the reunification of families.
Germany, after May 1945.

A group of Jewish children

waving goodbye to friends in
Buchenwald DP camp. They
have been recently released
and are on their way to
France, from where some
will go to Palestine.

American military
police help three little
girls find their parents
at the Fort Oswego
Refugee Center in
Oswego, New York.

Street scene in the

Foehrenwald
displaced persons'
camp.

Escorted by American
soldiers, a large
transport of children
survivors of
Buchenwald file out of
the main gate of the
camp, April 27, 1945.
They are being taken to
homes and medical
centers in France. Eli
Wiesel appears as the
fourth child in the left
column.

Emigration
Only people who could do physical work
were sent into typical emigration countries.
Therefore, many families remained in
Germany.

Barracks/ Blocks
6 toilets for all inhabitants of a block.
All inhabitants were distributed between 1622 rooms (4 people a room).
14-22 families lived in a large block.
Each family was assigned a wash day
because there was only one wash basin per
block.

Food
Mostly bread.
Meat once a week from the butcher.
Most shop owners would come once a day.
Coal sellers would come once a week.

Clothes
Usually only had one set.
From time to time packages would show up
with second hand clothes and would be
distributed by the women.

Social Relations
People could send letter within the camp.
Letters would be addressed like:
NN Schierholzstrasse 41
block/ barrack number
room number
Hanover Buchholz

Church
There were Jewish teachers in the camps
and would lead church activities.
Camps would celebrate Jewish holidays.

Positives
These camps gave hope to children and
people who had lost their families.
Allowed people to have a home.
Gave them rehabilitation help.

Negatives
Many people would never leave these D.P
camps due to emigration problems.
They were cut off from the outside world.
Rarely any contact with Germans because
the Germans discriminated against them.

Bibliography
Holocaust Memorial Museum
Displaced Persons (abridged article)
Holocaust Encyclopedia
www.ushmm.org
04/11/15

A Teachers Guide to the Holocaust

Photos: Displaced Persons
http://fcit.coedu.usf.edu
04/11/15
DP camp 41
http://www.dpcamps.org
04/11/15