The lives of the thousands of displaced Jews in Austria “would not be worth ten cents” once the occupation troops withdraw, Ira A. Hirschmann, who has just returned from Europe where he toured DP installation as a special inspector-general for UNRRA, said today.
Hirschmann told a press conference that in light of the fact that the removal of occupation troops is fairly imminent since a peace treaty for Austria is to be negotiated within the next months, it is imperative that the Jewish DP’s be transferred from the country to prevent their “slaughter.”
In Germany, Hirschmann found that the morale in the Jewish DP camps had deteriorated since he visited them last July, as a result of the inability of the refugees to emigrate to Palestine or any other country. He urged that the United States take the lead in immediately admitting 50,000 DP’s.
Hirschmann praised the efforts of the Polish Government to crush anti-Semitism and said that the authorities in Poland were doing everything possible to enable surviving Jews to rebuild their lives there if they so desire.
Help ensure Jewish news remains accessible to all. Your donation to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency powers the trusted journalism that has connected Jewish communities worldwide for more than 100 years. With your help, JTA can continue to deliver vital news and insights. Donate today.
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.
