Collection Guide: Displaced Person Camps

The Displaced Person Camps collections at YIVO consists of several hundred reels of microfilm across three different geographic locations: Germany, Austria, and Italy. The collections are digitized and available online. 

This Research Guide aims to provide a simplified overview of these collections to better focus your research as well as highlight related collections and library materials for further research at the Center. 

There are three main collections for displaced person camps and centers.

Displaced Person Camps and Centers in Germany (RG 294.2)

Displaced Person Camps and Centers in Austria (RG 294.4)

Displaced Person Camps and Centers in Italy (RG 294.3)

There are also two collections of posters and photographs: 

Displaced Persons Camps and Centers Poster Collection (RG 294.6)

Posters produced by diverse Jewish groups within individual camps, such as administrative and cultural committees, sports clubs, Zionist and religious groups, and landsmanshaftn; as well as organizations active throughout the camps, including the Jewish central committees in the respective countries, the World ORT Union, the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (AJDC), the Jewish National Fund, and the Jewish Agency. 

Displaced Persons Camps and Centers Photograph Collection (RG 294.5)

NOTE: Photographs from Italy are not digitized. 

Diverse aspects of daily life among the DPs are depicted, such as school, vocational training, mealtimes, distributions of food and clothing, handicrafts and trades, sports and recreational activities, children at play, committee meetings, religious life, theater, children’s performances, Jewish holiday celebrations and parades, and gatherings on festive occasions, including weddings.

If you have any questions about any of the collections listed in this guide or how to request them for use in CJH's Lillian Goldman Reading Room, please contact our Reference staff at inquiries@cjh.org.