The Joint Distribution Committee announced here this week-end that it would close the Foehrenwald camp, last remaining Jewish DP camp in Germany, as well as its camps in Austria and Italy. The JDC also revealed that it has allocated $650,000 to help the DP’s emigrate to countries of their choice or, in the event they cannot do that, resettle them on a permanent basis in the countries where they now find themselves.
The funds will come from monies assigned to the agency by the Conference on Jewish Material Claims Against Germany. The conference received the funds as reparations payments by West Germany to world Jewish organizations, in recognition of the harm done the Jewish people by the Nazi regime. The West German Government will also match the $650,000 to be spent by the JDC with $714,000 of its own.
The Foehrenwald camp still houses some 1,300 Jews, while the JDC centers at Asten and Hallein, in Austria, have approximately 600, and the Italian assembly centers have another 150 among them. This remaining “hard core” is all that is left of some 250,000 survivors of the Nazi holocaust who were collected in DP camps after the collapse of Hitler’s regime.
In a statement by Moses W. Beckelman, JDC’s European director, it was noted that, thanks to funds provided by the Claims Conference, it is possible to “give first consideration” to the camp inmates. “Their tragic lot makes it imperative to speed their rehabilitation by moving them into normal communities away from the demoralizing camp atmosphere they have breathed for far too long, ” Mr. Beckelman declared.
WILL PAY TRANSPORTATION EXPENSES OF EMIGRANTS
He revealed that for those DP’s able to obtain immigration visas the JDC will pay transportation expenses plus a cash grant to cover expenses incidental to quitting Europe. If the country to which they migrate is in South America, where social service facilities available to them are not comparable to those in North America and Australia, needy newcomers will be tided over the initial difficult period of adjustment.
It is not, however, contemplated to pay immigrants a fixed lump sum, as demanded by the Foehrenwald Camp committee, the JDC official stressed. The circumstances of each individual case will govern the amount to be made available.
For Foehrenwald inmates unable or unwilling to leave Germany help will be given to settle in German cities. The German authorities have declared their willingness to finance housing units for 500 persons, while the JDC will make grants to cover the purchase of furniture and household goods for such persons, as well as to provide general living expenses for an initial adjustment period.
Similar arrangements are planned for DP’s who are now in the Austrian and Italian centers. Although a number of perplexing problems loom ahead, it is believed here that the program may substantially empty the camps within a year.
JTA has documented Jewish history in real-time for over a century. Keep our journalism strong by joining us in supporting independent, award-winning reporting.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
