latviski
Flensburg Antwerp-Westerallee DP campUNRRA Team 73 transitioned to IRO Area Office 901
While transcribing Latviskā Virtuve, we conducted our initial reasearch of Antwerp-Westerallee (Antverpe) DP Camp where the Auniņš family—Hermanis, Lina, and daughter Anda and "adopted" Ruta Marija Zalacis-Soloks—arrived in Flensburg in the fall of 1946. See "Refugees in Post-WWII Flensburg" below.
What we know:
- The camp was in the British Zone, at the Danish border and on the eastern coast of the Jutland penninsula.
- As in many other Baltic-population DP camps, a high value was placed on education. Flensburg even featured a UNRRA/IRO-sponsored maritime school for DPs.1
- "Westerallee" is not a British term, but German for "Wester avenue." Westerallee stretches for a bit over two kilometers through the Flensburg's Westerlee neighborhood, which continued to house post-war German homeless after the DP camp was gone.2.
Camp residents included Latvians, Lithuanians, Poles, and Ukrainians.4 As uncertain as the future was in the DP camps, life was even more stressful in Flensburg. In an act of forced repatriation, a very possible death sentence for those who had fled the Soviets, "British soldiers reportedly surrounded 500 Ukrainian DPs at Flensburg in August 1945 and dragged them away, assisted by Soviet NKVD (secret police) agents."5 What could be more nerve-shattering than watching the very same Soviet thugs who came in the early hours of the morning to rip family, relatives, friends out of their beds to deport them to Siberia, come for fellow refugees in the very camp where you now resided? We can't even imagine.
“Tedium” in Flensburg
In researching conditions and events in Flensburg we encountered a number of pertinent reports in Nedēļas Apskats ("Weekly Review") Nr. 8, November 9, 1946, shortly after the Auniņš clan arrived.
Our first article mentions the recent arrival of a large number of transplants from the DP camp in Husum, likely the Auniņšes as well. It presents a far less vibrant picture of cultural life in the face of adversity than has been romanticized.
„ DOMĀTĀJI UN PLĀNOTĀJI “
Glīta, bet visādu pretrunu pilna ir ziemeļu pilsēta bagātās Dānijas aizdurvē. Tautu tiesības, spēki, jūtas un pārticība ir grozīgas lietas, un to Flensburgā jūt tikpat krasi kā divu jūru mitrā klimata straujās maiņas. Pirms divi gadiem, kad no jūras viņa krasta te atnāca pirmie latvieši, robežstabu ēnas krita vēl uz Dānijas pusi un hitleriešu lāsti uz sveštautu mugurām. Dānim sikšņotie pilsētas saimnieki pa laikam uzsauca: „Arā no Flensburgas!“ — bet latvieti pielika pie ielu mazgāšanas vai Rērupa ceplī. Laba daļa bēgļu izklīda pa apriņķa kūtīm par lopkopjiem. Tagad daudz kas mainījies. Divu zemju robeža vairs nav nieka sētiņa, bet augsts žogs starp gaļas podu un nabagu.
Daudz kas mainījies arī pie latviešiem, un šodien, iebraucot Flensburgā, viesim vecie ceļi, pazīšanās, un ieskati vairs neder. Marijas parka barakās bēgļi vairs nedzīvo, un citas ir sejas arī jaunajā nometnē Antverpē. Tie ir galvenokārt ļaudis, kurus pirms pusgada varēja satikt pie otras jūras — Hūzumā. Inteliģences rindas paretinājušās, mākslinieki, studenti aizbraukuši. Mazāk dedzības un spara rādās arī starp palikušajiem.
„Flensburgā ir bezgala garlaicīgi“, saka kāda kundze. Iebraucēja atmiņai aiz pieklājības vajadzētu vilt un teikt, ka tāpat ir bijis agrāk, bet sasodītā atmiņa lāgā neviļ un pasprūk, ka toreiz latvieši bija tik nevaļīgi, ka dienas laikā nevarēja ne satikt kādu mājās, neaprunāties. Tagad ir otrādi: var sastapt dienu, bet vakarā nē — kundzes vīrs, kultūras darbinieks, aizgājis pīķus spēlēt, un tas nav labs piemērs stāstam par Flensburgu — kaut to nepamanītu Rirdāns, kas tepat dzīvo! Bet nometne liela un pārrunām cilvēku netrūkst. Tas labi. Ciemiņš dzird, ko domā ziemeļos . . .
Daži Antverpē sūdzas par garīga kūtruma vilni. Ja tas nozīmē apmēram savu jūtu un ideju nelaišanu apgrozībā, tad viņiem nevar gluži piekrist: tās ir katrā ziņā idejas un labas idejas, ko papauduši citi, tautsaimnieciski raksturi — par arodu skolu. Ļaunuma tik tikdaudz, ka realizēšanai nepieciešama tautas interese, vairāk skolnieku. Un jutas arī ir, tās ir noteikti stipras jūtas, kas Vesteralejā liek paklejoties daždažādiem trimdas pārīšiem.
1200 cilvēku nometnē, zināms, netrūkst arī prātvēderu. Viens no tādiem pastāsta plānu par to, kā tāds laužu skaits varētu apsaimniekot paris lielu pagastu, jo lielākā tiesa ir dzimuši zemkopji. Taču viņš baidoties, ka tādas domas daudzinātājam būšot nelāga maz piekritēju. Darba iespēju pie anģliem te ari nav un tāpēc jāgaida citi drosmīgi plāni. Ja tādi neradīsies, pārmetumi par neapskaužamajām kalorijām kritīs arī uz nometnes komiteju.
Tie, kas domā, ka domāšana ir laika kavēklis, aizstaigā uz mazo nometni Mirviku pilsētas otrā pusē, kur savu kārt uzņēmīgāki gari, kam domāšana vienojas ar darbu, lasa ik nedēļu pa referātam. Tas jau kaut kas ir un kaut ko rosina, tas rada ari, ka nometnes darbīgums dažkārt pretējs lielumam: Mirvikā dzīvo tik pilni četri simti, bet te garīgu nodarbju vairāk. Pat savs ziņu biļetens tiem ir, un Antverpē, stāsta, no trīskārt vairāk ļaudīm daždien pat neesot neviena, kas tam atnāktu pakaļ. Ko tad lai pasaulei rāda divas nomalās un pašas mažākās nometnītes, Fruerlunda un Veddigena? Labākās zāles pret skumīgajām noskaņām būtu sadarbība.
No kultūras kopējiem Mirvikā vēl sastopams sirmais bursaks Pāvils Gruzna, atmiņās un darbos iegrimis. Manīt var vienu otru mūzikas daudzinātāju. Savs kambaris te piešķirts labsirdīgajam laužu smīdinātājam Rirdāns, kurš, kaudamies ar siltuma un kusuma trūkumu, taisa smalkas un jokainas lelles un uzzīmē katru palaidnību, kas ievresusies trimdas ļaudīs. Teicama lieta, gan drusku pretrunīga trimdinieku tagadnei, un nākotnei ir Flensburgas jūrskola. Bet labi, lai tik rodas klāt vel citas derīgas lietas! Tad Flensburga vairs nebūs gaŗlaicīgi. — A.Bd.
“THINKERS AND PLANNERS”
Tidy, yet full of all sorts of contradictions, is a city in the north, in the backdoor of wealthy Denmark. The rights of peoples, power, feelings, and prosperity are changeable things, and that is felt in Flensburg as sharply as the rapid changes of the damp climate between two seas. Two years ago, when the first Latvians arrived by sea to its shore, the shadows of the border posts still fell towards the Danish side and the Hitlerites’ curses on the backs of foreigners. The thicket-dwelling Danish masters of the city would occasionally call out: “Leave Flensburg!” — while it was the Latvian who was put to work washing streets or at the Rårup kiln. A large part of the refugees dispersed among the district's barns as livestock hands. Much has changed since. The border between the two lands is no longer a trifling fence, but a tall barrier between the pot of stew and the pauper.
Much has also changed among the Latvians, and today, arriving in Flensburg, the old routes, acquaintances, and impressions no longer apply for the visitor. Refugees no longer live in barracks in Maria Park, and there are also new faces in the new camp in Antwerp. These are mostly folks who half a year ago one would have met by the other sea [the North Sea, on the west coast of the Jutland peninsula] — in Husum. The ranks of the intelligentsia have thinned, artists and students have left. And less zeal and vigor is visible among those who remain.
“Tedium stretches without end in Flensburg,” says one woman. For the sake of politeness, a visitor’s memory should deceive and say that nothing has changed, but damned memory refuses to lie and lets slip that back then Latvians were so busy that in the daytime you could neither find anyone at home nor to even stop to have a chat. Now it is the other way around: you can run into anyone during the day, but not in the evening — the wife's husband, a cultural worker, has gone to play cards, and that is not a good example for a story about Flensburg — if only Rirdāns↗↗lv, who lives right here, would not notice! But the camp is large and and there is no shortage of people to chat up. That's good. The visitor gets to hear what people think in the north . . .
Some in Antwerp complain of a wave of spiritual lethargy. If that means roughly the not putting of one’s feelings and ideas into circulation, then one cannot quite agree with them: there are in any case ideas, and good ideas, borrowed from others, economic-minded types—about a trade school. The only drawback is that its realization requires public interest, more students. And there are also feelings, and they are definitely strong feelings, which in Vesterallee lead various exile couples to take walks.
In a camp of 1,200 people, of course, there is no shortage of big talkers. One of them tells a plan about how such a number of people could manage a couple of large parishes, since the majority are born farmers. However, he fears that for one who proclaims such ideas there will be unpleasantly few supporters. There is no work available here with the British either, and therefore one must wait for other bold plans. If such do not arise, complaints about unappetizing calories will also fall upon the camp committee.
Those who consider thinking a pastime wander to the small camp in Mürwik on the other side of the city, where in turn more enterprising spirits, for whom thinking is combined with work, deliver a lecture each week. That is already something and inspires something; it also creates the fact that a camp’s activity is sometimes inverse to its size: Mürwik has only a full four hundred residents, but here there are more intellectual pursuits. They even have their own news bulletin, and in Antwerp, it is said, among three times as many people some days there is not even one who would come for it. Then what should the two outlying and smallest camps, Fruerlund and Weding, show to the world? The best remedy for gloomy moods would be cooperation.
Among cultural figures in Mürwik there can still be found the wizened spell-caster Pāvils Gruzna↗↗ru6, immersed in memories and works. One can also see a few promoters of music. A room here has been assigned to the affable elicitor of smiles Rirdāns7, who, grappling with the lack of warmth and coziness, creates small and humorous dolls and portrays every bit of mischief that has crept into exile folk. An excellent thing, though a bit contradictory to the exile present and future, is the Flensburg Maritime School. But fine—let there only arise more other useful things! Then Flensburg will no longer be boring. — A.Bd.
Early departures
While both our parents had to wait another four years to emigrate, the same issue of Nedēļas Apskats included news of Baltic women setting forth to England for employment — similar to Peter's father's first job in New York being a hospital orderly. They often took such jobs in hopes their families could eventually join them. Of the reported 47,000 Latvians residing in the British zone (mentioned in this issue), we read of 750 heading into their post-WWII future.
„ 750 baltietes brauks uz Angliju “
Darbam tbc sanatorijās Anglijā pavisam pieteikušās 750 baltietes. Par pirmo grupu, kas jau ieradusies Anglijā, kāds tautietis no turienes raksta: „Baltietes šeit uzņēma ar neliekuļotu simpātiju. Laikraksti ievietoja intervijas un attēlus. Arī mēs, Londonas latvieši, viņas uzņēmām, cik varēdami silti. Sestdienas vakarā notika kopība dziedāšana, bet svētdienas rītā dievkalpojums un pilsētas apskate. Sūtnis K.Zariņš teica sirsnīgu uzrunu.”
Otrais baltiešu transports Anglijā ieradies 26. oktobrī.
“750 Women from the Baltics to Travel to England”
A total of 750 women from the Baltics have signed up for work in tuberculosis sanatoriums in England. [There had been more than 500 across England and Wales before the war, prior to the availability of antibiotics.] About the first group, which has already arrived in England, a compatriot from there writes: “The women from the Baltics were received with undisguised sympathy. The newspapers published interviews and pictures. We, the Latvians of London, also received them as warmly as we could. On Saturday evening, there was a communal singing event, and on Sunday morning, a church service and a tour of the city. Envoy K. Zariņš gave a heartfelt speech.”
The second transport of Balts to England arrived on October 26.
Also on the same page, a more personal account of leaving sooner rather than later, this time for the United States:
„ UZ ASV “
“To the U.S.A.”
In a single newspaper page microcosm of connected Latvian lives in exile, Rihards Artūrs Otto Zariņš became pastor to the Latvian Lutheran community of New York City. He was tireless in tending to the needs of his congregation, including meeting every boat of arriving refugees including Peters' parents. He was a man of insatiable intellectual curiosity, of dedication to building community and preserving Latvian culture. Under his leadership and organizational talents, the New York Latvian Evangelical Lutheran Church, founded by the „ veclatvieši “ in 1896 (“old Latvians”, many seafaring — likely including Captain Saukants, prior owner of Peters' parents home in Brooklyn, who from one immigrant account captained refugees across the Atlantic in 1950), became the largest Latvian congregation in the West during the 1950s and 1960s. The congregation developed a broad and diverse public and cultural life, paying special attention to the Latvian upbringing of its youth, the spiritual care of its members, and the care for its elderly. New York became the leading center of the Latvian community, where all central and many local organizations were active, several book publishers operated, and Latvian newspapers including “LAIKS” and magazines were published.
Peters' parents and Zariņš developed a close friendship. Peters' father drew the masthead for the congregations' newsletter, in use until printing was discontinued. After Peters' father passed unexpectedly at only 57, his mother arranged that the Zariņšes should become Peters' legal guardians should anything happen to her.
But we digress.
Deterioration of conditions
We could not help thinking what circumstances could be so dire that someone would offer themselves up as a prostitute to earn money for food for their family. A year later, Latviešu Ziņas: Latvian News, Nr. 11, February 8, 1947, provides a glimpse. Also, read YWCA Children's Home for more about the Rīga and Majori orphanages evacuated to Germany.
„ PĀRTIKAS GRŪTĪBAS ŠLEZVIG- HOLŠTEINAS LATVIEŠIEM “
Latviešu pārstāvis Slezvigas-Holšteinas un Hamburgas apgabalā, 30. janvāri Ķīlē, bija aicinājis uz pārrunām apgabala latviešu nometņu vadītājus. Ieradās ap 60 nometņu vadītāju, to vidū pat no attālākām vietām — Hamburgas, Libekas un Geschtachtas, un apgabalu nozaru vadītāji. Līdz šim tik plaša pārstāvju sanāksme nebija notikusi.
Sanāksmi atklāja latviešu pārstāvis Jaundzems, sniegdams plašu pārskatu par Slezvigaš-Holšteinas novada latviešu dzīvi. Pesimistiski par veselības stāvokli ziņoja Dr. med. A. Pakalns. Tautieši ārkārtīgi strauji zaudē ķermeņa svaru: kopš pēdējās svēršanās (pirms pārtikas devu samazināšanas) caurmērā 3—4 kg, bet daži zaudējuši pat 18 kg. Ari tuberkulozes slimnieku skaits Libekas nometnēs pavairojies jau līdz 15 proc. Zīdaiņi, bērni un jaunieši, tāpat pieāugušie, nesaņem paredzētās kalorijas. Sajā sakarā iesniegti vairāki memorandi militārām pārvaldēm. Iesniegumos uzsvērts, ka devas ir mazākas nekā starptautiskās normās minētās kaŗa gūstekņu devas. Vairākas nometnes ilgāku laiku nav saņēmušas kartupeļus.
Par darba lietām un ārodizglītību referēja inž. T. Silkalns. Vēl arvien neesot skaidrības, ko īsti uzskata par strādājošo. Darbu pie angļiem atraduši 2000, UNRRA 1.600, bet nometņu pasākumos 2.600 tautiešu. Darbnīcu un darba rīku trūkums nometnēs radijis arī atslābumu arodizglītības pasākumos. Rosību darbā parādijusi Alterfrādes lauksaimniecības skola, par kuru informēja tās dir. agr. A. Eglīus. Ar naudas līdzekļu trūkumu cīnās Flensburgas DP jūrskola. Tiekot gan solīts atbalsts, bet vajadzības esot jāapmierina pašiem audzēkņiem no savas kabatas — ziņoja kapt. P. Neimanis.
Tālākās pārrunās sanāksmes dalībnieki guva novada pārstāvja informāciju gan ari norādījumus turpmākā darbā. Pašreiz ir iespējams no bij. Majoru bērnu nama dabūt bērnus audzināšanā, tos adoptējot. Bērni ir no 6 līdz 10 g. veci. Sākumā bērnus izdos audzināšanā izmēģināšanai uz 2 mēn. Ja arī pēc šī laika audžu vecāki izšķirsies bērnu paturēt, tad to viņiem nodos adoptēšanai. To oficiāli var nokārtot ar angļu un latviešu iestāžu piekrišanu vācu tiesās.
Pārrunas skāra ari emigrācijas jautājuma Daži nometņu vadītāji izteicās, ka neievērojot atsevišķus cilvēkus, kas paši uz savu roku interesējas par izceļošanu, vairums vēl nogaida un, ja būs jāizceļo, tad tikai organizētā veidā. Visi atrod, ka Vācijā nevar palikt, bet kā pašreiz par konkrēto izceļošanas zemi var uzskatīt vienīgi Angliju, kur jau aizbraukušas darbā no Š.-H. novada 250 latvietes. Dažās nometnēs jau reģistrē arī vīriešus, speciālīstus, izbraukšanai uz Angliju līdz ar visām ģimenēm.
Pārrunājot kustības brīvību apgabalā, bija jūtamas lielas savdabības. Piem., Neištatē DP var kustēties bez atļaujas tikai 5 km radius no nometnēs. Turklāt mūsu pārstāvim angļu militārās personas paskaidrojušas, ka mēs neesot nekādi gūstekņi un varot brīvi ceļot sav apgabala robežās. Bija ari ziņa par mutisku skrīningu sākumu dažās nometnēs.
Sanāksmes laikā, Ķīles nometnē visiem rādīja Jankovska un Rudzurogas vadīto darbnīcu izstrādājumus. Bija paredzēta ari izrāde Bīstamais vecums, ko iestudēja Ķīles latviešu teātris, bet aukstā laika dēļ, izrāde bija jāatliek. — O. A.
“FOOD DIFFICULTIES FOR SCHLESWIG-HOLSTEIN'S LATVIANS”
The Latvian representative for the Schleswig-Holstein and Hamburg area had called the leaders of the area's Latvian camps for discussions in Kiel on January 30. Around 60 camp leaders arrived, among them even from more distant places — Hamburg, Lübeck, and Geesthacht, and the area branch leaders. Until now, such a broad meeting of representatives had not taken place.
The meeting was opened by the Latvian representative Jaundzems, providing a broad overview of the life of Latvians in the Schleswig-Holstein region. Dr. med. A. Pakalns reported pessimistically about health conditions. Compatriots are losing body weight extremely rapidly: since the last weighing (before the reduction of food rations) an average of 3-4 kg, but some have lost as much as 18 kg. Also, the number of tuberculosis patients in the Lübeck camps has already multiplied to 15 percent. Infants, children and youth, as well as adults, do not receive the intended calories. In this connection, several memoranda have been submitted to the military administrations. The submissions emphasized that the rations are smaller than the prisoner-of-war rations mentioned in international norms. Several camps have not received potatoes for a some time.
On matters of work and vocational training, engineer T. Silkalns gave a report. There still is no clarity on who exactly is considered a worker. Work with the British has been found for 2000, with UNRRA for 1,600, while in camp activities for 2,600 compatriots. The lack of workshops and work tools in the camps has also caused a slackening in vocational training activities. The Alterfreden agricultural school has shown activity in work, about which its director, agric. A. Eglītis, reported. The Flensburg DP maritime school is struggling with a lack of monetary resources. Although support has been promised, needs must be met by the students themselves from their own pockets — reported Capt. P. Neimanis.
In further discussions, the meeting participants received information from the area representative, as well as instructions for future work. Currently, it is possible to get children from the former Majori orphanage for upbringing by adopting them. The children are from 6 to 10 years old. Initially, the children will be given out for upbringing on a trial basis for 2 months. If after this time the foster parents decide to keep the children, then they will be given to them for adoption. This can be officially arranged with the consent of English and Latvian institutions in German courts.
The discussions also touched upon the question of emigration. Some camp leaders expressed that, not considering individual persons who are themselves interested in emigrating on their own, the majority are still waiting and, if they must emigrate, then only in an organized manner. Everyone finds that one cannot stay in Germany, but currently, as a concrete emigration country, only England can be considered, where 250 Latvian women from the S.-H. region have already gone for work. In some camps, they are already registering men — specialists — for departure to England together with their entire families.
When discussing freedom of movement in the area, large discrepancies were noticeable. For example, in Neustadt a DPs can move without permission only within a 5 km radius of the camp. Furthermore, it was explained to our representative by British military personnel that we are not any kind of prisoners and can travel freely within the boundaries of our area. There was also news about the start of oral screening in some camps.
During the meeting, in the Kiel camp, everyone was shown the products of the workshops led by Jankovskis and Rudzurogs. A performance of "Bīstamais vecums," [Dangerous Age] staged by the Kiel Latvian theatre, was also planned, but the performance had to be postponed because of cold weather. — O. A.
Maritime academy
We can't discuss Flensburg without touching on the aforementioned Baltic maritime school, jūrskola — officially the UNRRA / IRO “DP Navigation and Sea-Engineering School” — established by and for Baltic (Latvian, Lithuanian, and Estonian) Displaced Persons. It operated from 1946 to 1949. Using a former German naval facility and a minesweeper for training, the school provided formal nautical education. Its goal was to give refugees a marketable skill to escape the DP camps. The International Refugee Organization recognized its certifications, allowing graduates to find work on merchant ships and emigrate globally. The school proved a successful vocational program that provided some 200–3008 Baltic refugees a viable future career and path forward from post-WWII displacement.
„ Chronika “ — jūurskola
Flensburgas jūurskola uzņem jaunus audzēkņus: baltiešus, poļus, ukraiņus ar labām vācu valodas zināšanām. Mācības gads sāksies 1. novembrī. Darbosies navigācijas un mechanikas nodaļas. Audzēkņiem, kas vēlas iestāties jūurskolā, jābūt mazākais ar 3 kl. vidusskolas izglītību, vai arī pabeigtu pamatskolu un priekšzināšanām mašīnu mēchanikā. Uzņemšanas lūgumi 2 eksemplāros iesūtāmi: O. C. 114. DPAC's (24) Flensburg.
“Chronicle” — nautical school
The Flensburg nautical school is admitting new students: Balts, Poles, and Ukrainians with good knowledge of the German language. The school year will begin on November 1. Navigation and mechanics departments will be in operation. Students wishing to enroll in the nautical school must have at least three years of secondary education, or have completed primary school along with prior knowledge of machine mechanics. Applications for admission, in two copies, should be sent to: O. C. 114. DPAC’s (24) Flensburg.
It was housed on the premises of the Flensburg Merchant Marine School — the UNRRA / IRO “DP Navigation and Sea-Engineering School” was established there in October 1946 for Baltic Displaced Persons. Classes at that DP school ended in June 1949.
Refugees in Post-WWII Flensburg9
As the end of the war approached, Flensburg became both a transit point and haven after Soviet forces broke through the East Prussia front in the summer of 1944. The only escape route for refugees was north. Two million were evacuated via the Baltic. Others were dusted with DDT for lice and ushered westward. These included not only refugees such as our parents, who had fled down the Baltic and arrived in Danzig (Gdansk), moving west from occupied Poland, but Germans fleeing their homes in Königsberg and East Prussia ahead of a devastating Soviet occupation as the Red Army pillaged and raped their way across pre-war German territory. Indeed, Germans reported that the Russians raped every woman from 8 to 80 in East Prussia.10
Before the end of the war, the population of Flensburg numbered 59,000 (1944). By 1946, that had ballooned to 109,000. Refugees lived wherever they could, crowded into private homes, former barracks, schools, warehouses, and camps—twenty or more, peaking at 26 in 1951. Overcrowding was rampant. A 1948 report observed an "occupancy of rooms with 14 up to 19 persons or 3-4 families."
While the UNRRA camps came and went, Flensburg continued to struggle with its homeless population born of post-war refugees. Indeed, in 1960 "there were still 2,436 people in camps. Only in 1966, twenty years after the and of the war, did Flensburg Nachrichten ("The Flensburg News") run the headline: "Flensburg's Last Barracks Vacated." But that was only officially. Unofficially, people continued to live in camps, precipitating a homeless crisis in the 1970's.
Public outrage exploded as conditions in Flensburg's homeless shelters became catastrophic for its inhabitants, characterized by poverty, overcrowding, and unsanitary conditions. Of the 600 who died in shelters in 1969, more than half were children. Some public officials even declared Flensburg's homeless problem "immutable." Slowly, conditions in the Schleswig-Holstein district were addressed, including federal assistance.
Homelessness decreased through the 1980's, but rose again in the aftermath of unification as "East" Germans flowed to former West Germany seeking better opportunities. In the 1990's city authorities worked to lower eviction rates in housing, also (finally) establishing a "Department for the Homeless." While the homeless issue is largely addressed by 2000, challenges persist, for example, in prociding suitable housing for larger families of limited means and sufficient employment opportunities.
In many ways, then, our parents fared better than Germans who remained post-war refugees in their own country after the UNRRA camps were gone. To enter the United States, immigrants were required to have sponsors, required to have jobs lined up (no matter how menial) and a place to stay (including a month's rent paid up front, as applicable). Had they truly gotten off the boat with just the belongings they could carry, without those first stepping stones of assistance set in place, who knows how long it would have taken them to get back on their feet. Post-1940's Flensburg offers a sobering possibility.
Read more
- Rihards Zariņš biography↗lv at encyclopedia.lv.
- Displaced Persons from the Baltic States in Northern Germany: The case of Lübeck and Flensburg↗, Christian Pletzing Sandelmark Akademy Center, c.pletzing@sandelmark — an excellent detailed and illustrated article on both camps. Lübeck was of primary importance as it housed the national Latvian committees in exile.
| 1 | Gilbert, E.. Rebuilding Post-War Britain: Latvian, Lithuanian and Estonian refugees in Britain, 1946-51, Pen and Sword, 2017, ISBN: 9781473860599. LINK↗ |
| 2 | Dr. Dieter Pust — Ein dreiviertel Jahrhundert Geschichte, Flensburg Journal Nummer 142, "Until 1949, the family shared a 50 square meter room with four other families. Cover was used to divide the room, trying to create a touch of privacy. A single oven warmed the Spartan domicile. The move to a warehouse in Westerallee provided a slight improvement.". LINK↗ |
| 3 | From http://www.dpalbum.lv/ |
| 4, | Kaczynski, W. and Brinson, C.. Fleeing from the Führer: A Postal History of Refugees from Nazism, History Press, 2015, ISBN: 9780750967037. LINK↗ |
| 6 | Latvian playwright, it's a bit embarrassing Russian Wikipedia has a biography while Latvian Wikipedia does not |
| 7 | Pseudonym of artist, cartoonist and columnist Ernests Rirdancis |
| 8 | Records indicate 242 attendees in 1947 |
| 9 | Adapted and greatly abridged from Eine Zäsur in der Stadtgeschichte, Die Flüchtlinge und die Nachkriegszeit in Flensburg (A Turning Point in the History of the City, Refugees and the Postwar Period in Flensburg). LINK↗ |
| 10 | Beevor, Antony. They raped every German female from eight to 80. LINK↗ |
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