DP Camps in Italy
Title: DP Camps in Italy
Inclusive Dates: 1945-1950
ID: RG 294.3
Extent Information
19'10"; [art section]: 3 5"lgl, 6 bankers boxes, 11 map folders; [records]: 29 5"
Arrangement
The collection is arranged in 9 series: I) Central Committee of the Organization of Jewish Refugees in Italy (folders 1-91); II) Department of Statistics (92-172); III) Central Court (173-217); IV) Central Committee Cultural Department (218-246); V) Camps (247-334); VI) Organizations (335-385); VII) Landsmanshaftn (386-435); VIII) Miscellaneous Materials (436-439); IX) Posters & Children's Art works (440-499)
Administrative/Biographical History
Following the end of World War II, up to the time of the Displaced Persons Act, Italy was the principal transit country for Jewish DP's who wished to leave Europe and settle in Palestine. Their stay in Italy was prolonged by the British anti-immigration policy which until 1948 barred them from entering Palestine en masse. In 1945 there were about 12,000 Jewish displaced persons in Italy. The DP population rose at times to 30,000 as it was constantly replenished by newcomers who took the places of those who had succeeded in leaving for Palestine. The DP camps were set up in Italy and cared for by UNRRA (later IRO), with supplementary aid from AJDC, ORT and other voluntary organizations. The camp residents were governed by their own elected representation, the Central Committee of Liberated Jews (Merkaz Ha-pleitim; Organizzazione dei Profughi Ebrei), and by local camp committees. The Central Committee was headquartered in Rome. The closing of the camps began in 1948. In that year alone 20,000 DP's left for Israel. The Central Committee resolved to cease activity on October 1, 1950. These records were gathered in Italy by individuals as well as by Friends of YIVO groups active in the DP camps. The majority of the records were transferred to YIVO from the offices of the Central Committee by David Kupferberg.
Subjects (links to similar collections) Administrative InformationAccess Notes: YIVO Archives collections are open to researchers only by appointment with an archivist. To inquire about papers and records, write to
Chief Archivist, archives@yivo.cjh.org. To inquire about photographs and films, write to Photo and Film Archivist at Photofilm@yivo.cjh.org. To inquire about sound recordings, write to Sound Archivist, lsklamberg@yivo.cjh.org. For art works and artifacts,
write to Chief Archivist at archives@yivo.cjh.org.
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Other Formats:
MK 489 (31); MK 286
