Efforts to bring out Jewish orphans and aged from institutions hitherto maintained by the Jewish Community in the Soviet sector of Berlin to Jewish institutions in West Berlin are being made by Jewish community leaders, it was revealed here last night. Twenty-five aged Jews and 16 children have already been evacuated.
Most of the buildings of Jewish institutions in Berlin are situated in the Soviet part of the city. Since the top leaders of the Jewish community have been compelled to flee from the Soviet zone to West Berlin, the life of the inmates of these institutions–especially those in homes for the aged and in orphanages–has become very complicated. A further problem is the Joint Distribution Committee’s inability to offer relief in the Soviet zone.
Officials of the Joint Distribution Committee revealed that the Jewish orphans and the 25 old people were brought from their institutions to West Berlin in small groups to escape detection while crossing the border. It was also revealed that their evacuation took place on January 16 and that they were placed in a new 20-room house near Lake Wansee which has been converted by the JDC into a shelter for Jewish refugees from the Soviet zone.
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.
