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Last Dp Camp for Jews Closed in Germany; J.D.C. Transfers Direct Relief

April 2, 1956
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The Foehrenwald DP camp for Jews, the last remaining center in Germany, was formally closed yesterday. With the closing of this camp the Jewish DP era came to an end, nearly 11 years after the overthrow of the Nazi regime. The vast majority of Jewish DP’s, however, were-taken out of Germany and other parts of Europe in the few years immediately after the establishment of the State of Israel in 1948.

The Joint Distribution Committee also closed an era in Germany yesterday, when it stepped out of the direct relief picture in the German cities. Although the Central Welfare Agency of the Jews in Germany and the Jewish communities have taken over responsibility for social welfare work in the past few years, it was not until yesterday that the JDC could bow out of direct relief. The move was delayed because of the large number of welfare clients in the various cities and because of other communal problems.

The JDC, which cooperated in the Jewish and German efforts to close down Foehrenwald, was responsible in part for relocating Jews from the camp who would not or could not leave Germany. They have been helped to find housing and to make initial adjustments within the German economic community.

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