Letter, General Dwight D. Eisenhower to President Harry S. Truman

This letter details the actions taken by the military government of the U.S. Zone of Occupation to house, feed, and cloth Jewish displaced persons. Dwight D. Eisenhower wrote the letter in response to the report of Earl G. Harrison, U.S. Representative on the Inter-Government...

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Cop. or General Eisenhower 8 October 1945 E Dear Mr. President: This is my full report on matters pertaining to the and welfare of the Jewish viotims of Masi persegution within the United States Zone of Gormany. It deala with conditions reported by Mr. Earl G. Harrison, U. S. Representative on the Inter-dovernmental Committee on Refugees, which was forwarded to me under dover of your letter of 31 August 1945. Sines Mr. Harrison's visit in July many changos have talcen plaos with respect to the condition of Jowish and other displaced persons. Except for teuporarily crowded conditions, the result of shifts be'wween stablished centers and an influx of persons into centers as winter approaches, housing de on B reasenable basis. llovertheless, efforts to improve their condition continue unabated. Subordinate commandors are under orders to requisition German houses, grounds, and other facilities vithout hesitation for this purpose. The housing problem must be seem in full perspective. This winter the villages and towms in the U. 8. Zone of Germany will be required to house more than twico their normal population. One million and a hals Germen air raid refugees who were avacuated into Southwestern Germany. together with soma 600,000 Gormans, Volkedeutsche and Sudetena who fled from Poland, How Poland, Gzechoslovakia and Yugo- slavia before the advanoing Red Armies have crosted a condition of congestion in the U. s. Zone which foross the most gareful conservation of housing space. At this moments the U. 8. Zone is under orders to absorb 152,00 more Germans from Austria. Added to this influx of population, there is the loss of housing in bombed-out cities, averaging well over to percents the necessity for billeting large numbers of our troops; and the accommodation required for prisoners of war. The resulting housing shortage is not morely soute. but desperate. Not- withstanding this situation, in my recent inspections and those made by my staff of Jewish centera, although crowded conditions were found, copies to G-3, G-4,6-5. -]- 1024