"Refugees," Article from Encyclopaedia Britannica Book of the Year for 1953
Images (7)
Document
| id |
id
502720044
|
|---|---|
| contentType |
contentType
document
|
| source |
source
import
|
Source image fields (6)
Extracted text
OCR Page 1 of 7TRUMAN
NATIONAL
ARCHIVES AND
RECORDS
REFUGEES
SERVICE"
The effort of the free world to resolve the problems of refugees
and to reduce the tensions which they create in their countries of
residence continued without abatement in 1953. The most conspicuous
movement of refugees during the year was the continuing flow of German
refugees into west Berlin which reached its peak in Marchhwhen over 3,000
arrived in a single day. In the first six months of 1953, 225,000 residents
of east Germany sought passage through Berlin to west Germany. After
careful political screening they were flown out to west Germany where
they were distributed for residence in the several laender according to
plans drawn up by the government of the German Federal Republic. These
refugees possess full rights of German nationality and are accepted as
a responsibility by the west German government. Their greatest need was
for housing as 300,000 of the German "expellees", members of former German
minorities in the eastern European countries, were still living in camps
in western Germany as they arrived. The Born government with some economic
assitance from the United States expanded its building programs for 1953
and 1954 to meet the situation. The voluntary agencies assisted in
organizing youth programs and in supplying needed clothing.
The liquidation of the International Refugee organization was completed
during the year. Over $5,000,000 in residual assets were distributed to
voluntary agencies for the relief and rehabilitation of former beneficiaries
of the organization. During its lifetime from 1947 to 1952 1,038,750
refugees had been moved out of Europe and 72,834 repatriated to their
countries of origin at a cost to the sixteen member governments of $406,867,295.
The organization was a temporary specialized agency of the United Nations.
Approximately $20
000,000 of the funds were spent in providing continuing
care
Relations
belongs_to
belongs_to