Laffitte 1

Luis Laffitte
Period 2
World History
8 April 2016
Inquiry Question #2: Displaced Persons Camps and Emigration
After World War II, the victorious allied armies entered Germany to find millions of Jews
and other enemies of the state had been killed in forced labor or death camps, and that
hundreds of thousands more were left homeless and without families. Upon finding these war
ravaged prisoners of war, the Allies immediately realized they had a huge problem on their
hands: Where could they go? Their families were dead and their homes were destroyed.
Eventually, a couple different parties and solutions would arise to help give the displaced a home
to go to.
Before the Allies could accomplish their primary goal, which was to return DPs to
their home countries as quickly as possible, (ORT) the DPs still needed a place to stay for the
time being. The UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration) worked with
the allies to solve this problem: In November 1944 it was decided on creation of assembly
centers for displaced persons. The so called DP camps were to be run by the UNRRA,
(ORT). Many of these camps were established in Western Europe, most prominently in Alliedoccupied Germany, Austria, and Italy, (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum). Many people
were housed in these internment camps, with the Jewish population reaching 250,000 at its peak.
Within the DP camps, the Jews were very autonomous and worked hard to provide for

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themselves and to help each other. A variety of Jewish agencies were active in the displaced
persons camps. The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee provided refugees with
food and clothing, and the Organization for Rehabilitation through Training (ORT) offered
vocational training, (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum). But the Jews couldnt stay in the
DP camps forever, and many of them didnt want to return to Europe.
When the Jews would ultimately have to leave the DP camps, they would have to return
to a still very anti-Semitic Europe. The antisemitism by local Europeans continued even
after World War II, (Jewish History). Violent attacks and discrimination continued to occur
against the Jews. Because of this, many Jews wanted to emigrate to other countries and
continents, but couldnt because of harsh immigration restrictions imposed by other countries.
In the United States, immigration restrictions strictly limited the number of refugees
permitted to enter the country. The British, who had received a mandate from the League
of Nations to administer Palestine, severely restricted Jewish immigration there largely
because of Arab objections, (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum). Many Jews wanted to
move to Palestine due to the fact that it is the alleged Promised Land for the children of Israel.
Because the Jews had no official homeland, Palestine was the optimal place to go, but
immigration restrictions denied them of that right. Regardless, many Jews attempted to get into
Palestine illegally, and many failed to make it. Most of the ships headed to Palestine were
captured by the British. The most famous of these is when the British stopped the Exodus
1947 at the port of Haifa. The ship had 4,500 Holocaust survivors on board, who were
returned to Germany on British vessels, (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum). This and
many other ships were intercepted, with the refugees on board either being detained or sent back
to Germany by the British. But this didnt stop the Jews, and The British use of detention

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camps as a deterrent failed, and the flood of immigrants attempting entry into Palestine
continued, (U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum). Eventually, Britains dominion over
Palestine ended, allowing the Jews to begin work towards establishing a Jewish homeland in
Palestine.
As British power over Palestine dwindled, a Jewish state there became closer and closer
to reality. After the British began the withdrawal of their military forces from Palestine in
early April 1948, Zionist leaders moved to establish a modern Jewish state, (U.S.
Holocaust Memorial Museum). With help from the United States and the United Nations, these
Zionist (Jews trying to establish a homeland) leaders would ultimately succeed in the mission.
After hearings in the U.N. were held, The resolution [to partition Palestine into Jewish and
Arab sects] was passed in the United Nations with a vote of 33-13, (Jewish History).
Directly after this move was passed, the British immediately pulled out of Palestine completely.
On May 14, 1948, the British officially left Palestine and on the same day, the State of
Israel was immediately declared by David Ben Gurion, acting as its provisional Prime
Minister, (Jewish History). As soon as Israel was established, the United States, the U.S.S.R.,
and many other world powers recognized the state of Israel as independent. But the struggle
wasnt quite over yet. The local Arabs, having rejected the Jews, retaliated towards the new
Jewish state. Immediately after the declaration an all-out war broke out between the Jews
and Arabs. Seven Arab armies attacked the new Jewish State, (Jewish History). Ever since,
there has been constant violence and fighting in the area. Even to this day, attacks occur on
Israel, and widespread conflict and panic is a common issue
Through all the hardships that the Jews and other DPs had to face, they managed to
persevere. Having to wait in camps for years, just to be rejected immigration to where they

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wanted to go, and establishing a new nation for themselves took a lot of effort and willpower.
And even today people can see the fallout and effects of the violence that was and still is a very
deadly conflict. Until people learn to coexist, the fighting will continue in Israel.