UNRRA’S WORK IN GERMANY

Press, Volume LXXXIII, Issue 25247, 28 July 1947, Page 3

UNRRA’S WORK IN GERMANY

DISPLACED PERSONS’ CAMPS “I have no doubt that history will record UNRRA as ‘being one of the greatest philanthropic movements of the ages,” said Mr Owen Davies in a national broadcast last evening entitled “A Problem in Germany.” Mr Davies, who is an UNRRA official, recently spent 12 months on the Continent. He was attached to the headquarters of the United States zone at Munich, in the personnel, supplies, and medical administration. The most important part of UNRRA’s work was with the displaced persons’ camps, said Mr Davies. The camps were run on an entirely democratic system with a committee appointed by the inmates of the camp. This system had worked admirably. The work of UNRRA began immediately the war ended. In some parts it had taken over former German army barracks for displaced persons’ camps. At first the relations between the Germans and displaced persons were strained,, some of the displaced persons going out at night poaching from the Germans and even burning down their homes. This difficulty was overcome when the UNRRA police force was established. The health of the displaced persons had been adequately erovided for in all the camps, and the nited States military government had had hospitals and tuberculosis sanatoria specially provided. One of the chief functions of UNRRA had been repatriation of displaced persons. There were three courses open to them. They could return to their own countries —this meant for most living under Russian domination; they could migrate to Allied countries or stay where they were and become German citizens. Returning home was unacceptable for most, neither did they want to stay in Germany. UNRRA had provided a propaganda campaign to urge displaced persons to return to their own countries and this had been fairly effective. Poles were given two months’ rations if they returned home. Arrangements for Education In the camps schools were established with accredited teachers of the various countries. In large camps arrangements had also been made for adult education. UNRRA had also sponsored special Universities for displaced persons and one at Munich opened with an attendance of 2000 students. This was believed to be the most cosmopolitan University in the world. The Heidelberg University, which had escaped bomb damage, had taken 400 displaced persons as students and these were studying along with Germans, the only difference being I hat the displaced persons received 3500 calories a day and the Germans only 1550. Another important work of UNRRA was the central searching bureau, established for the purpose of reuniting families. Searching teams, comprising linguists who spoke eight or nine languages, visited allocated areas. This work had been fairly successful, and more than 3000 children had been

i eturned to their parents and more than 2500 adults reunited with their families. When this great humanitarian work would stop one could not tell, said Mr Davies, but it was certain that the United Nations would keep it going long after UNRRA had died.