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I was lately studying the book by Emil Gluck - Hachshara and Youth Aliyah in Sweden 1933-1948. In this book there is reproduced a very interesting document concerning number of Jews that "might emigrate to Eretz Israel". 3 311 persons are listed in this document, not by name but by the numbers at the different locations in Sweden. Places like a camps and schools that were run by Swedish grants or by grants from different Jewish organisations or jointly. The list is dated May 15th, 1946. In this list there are also listed 472 Holocaust survivors that were still in the Swedish hospitals and sanatoria.
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What I mean with the Holocaust survivors? I mean Jews! This statement is important to do directly in the beginning as nowadays many peoples, also in Sweden are starting to use the Holocaust in many un appropriate ways, the way that is suitable for their own, in many cases as in Sweden, for the political reasons. Immigrants that arrived to Sweden mainly for economical reasons used to be compared with the Holocaust survivors. This also year 2020 in the governmental institution Forum för Levande Historia that compare children from kinder transport with youngsters from Afghanistan selling narcotic in the central areas of Stockholm.
The number of Jews transferred to Sweden at the and of WWII is still discussed. This big question can be, however, easily solved by going through SUK archives.
Jews, Holocaust survivors came during Spring and the Summer 1945 when Red Cross White Buses action was followed by White boat action. To start with the Red Cross White Buses action was run by Danish and had nothing to do with saving the Jews. Red Cross mandate was however, later, extended to non-Scandinavians and thereafter as well to "the transfer to Sweden of a number of Jews".
After that, on 21 April, when Red Army already encircled Berlin and day before they started shelling Berlins city center and actually advanced at the Berlins southern suburbs, Himmler gave his consent to the Swedish Red Cross to transport women of all nationalities out of Ravensbrück camp. The war was over, both Himmler and Red Cross representative knew it well.
Some 3 000 women were brought out from Ravensbrück by the White buses, and a German "ghost train" with some 4 000 female prisoners that were transported from Ravensbrück to Denmark and onwards to Sweden. It is likely that 40-50% of women that were brought out from Ravensbrück on that train were Jewish, approximately, 2800-3500.
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| Early, Red Army encircled Berlin. White busses were driving in this dangerous area. |
With the UNRRA action, White boats, that followed previous Red Cross action - White Buses, approximately 9 300 persons were brought to Sweden mainly from the Bergen-Belsen. Here the percentage of Jewish man and woman was much higher, 60-80%.
I was lately studying the book by Emil Gluck - Hachshara and Youth Aliyah in Sweden 1933-1948. In this book there is reproduced a very interesting document concerning number of Jews that "might emigrate to Eretz Israel". 3 311 persons are listed in this document, not by name but by the numbers of people at the different locations in Sweden. Places like a immigrant detention camps and schools that were run by Swedish grants or by grants from different Jewish organisations or jointly are listed. The list above is dated May 15th, 1946. In this list there are also listed 472 Holocaust survivors that were still in the Swedish hospitals and sanatoria.
May 1946 means one year after White Buses and White boat action. At that time all the beredskaps sjukhus - temporary emergency hospitals that were hosted over the Summer 1945, in the Swedish schools were already closed and the Holocaust survivors were treated in ordinary hospitals, camps and sanatoria. 22 places with hospitals and sanatoriums are listed. Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg are not listed although there were numerous of the Holocaust survivors treated där. It is likely that Hachscharah peoples just lost the contact with them as patient were moved rather often between the hospitals.
Most of Holocaust survivors wanted to leave Sweden as quickly as possible. However, they and all others in Europe knew that "the repatriation " was not the first choice. For many the entire Europe was a big cemetery. Many Holocaust survivors were witnessing the destruction of their loved ones. Both "by bullets" and in gas chambers.
May 1946 means one year after White Buses and White boat action. At that time all the beredskaps sjukhus - temporary emergency hospitals that were hosted over the Summer 1945, in the Swedish schools were already closed and the Holocaust survivors were treated in ordinary hospitals, camps and sanatoria. 22 places with hospitals and sanatoriums are listed. Stockholm, Malmö and Gothenburg are not listed although there were numerous of the Holocaust survivors treated där. It is likely that Hachscharah peoples just lost the contact with them as patient were moved rather often between the hospitals.
Most of Holocaust survivors wanted to leave Sweden as quickly as possible. However, they and all others in Europe knew that "the repatriation " was not the first choice. For many the entire Europe was a big cemetery. Many Holocaust survivors were witnessing the destruction of their loved ones. Both "by bullets" and in gas chambers.
It is therefore that Eretz Israel (Palestine) was the first choice for most of the survivors that came to Sweden during 1945. Many left actually 1945 when they got information that someone of their family survived in Poland or in Hungary. Many knew that reach of relatives by Red Cross was meaningless !!!
In Harrison report to the President Truman one can read following analysis and thereafter the conclusions concerning the Jews in DPs camps.
With respect to possible places of resettlement for those who may be stateless or who do not wish to return to their homes, Palestine is definitely and pre-eminently the first choice. Many now have relatives there, while others, having experienced intolerance and persecution in their homelands for years, feel that only in Palestine will they be welcomed and find peace and quiet and be given an opportunity to live and work.
In the case of the Polish and the Baltic Jews, the desire to go to Palestine is based in a great majority of the cases on a love for the country and devotion to the Zionist ideal. It is also true however, that there are many who wish to go to Palestine because they realize that their opportunity to be admitted into the United States or into other countries in the Western hemisphere is limited, if not impossible. Whatever the motive which causes them to turn to Palestine, it is undoubtedly true that the great majority of the Jews now in Germany do not wish to return to those countries from which they came.
In conclusion, I wish to repeat that the main solution, in many ways the only real solution, of the problem lies in the quick evacuation of all non-repatriable Jews in Germany and Austria, who wish it, to Palestine. In order to be effective, this plan must not be long delayed. The urgency of the situation should be recognized. It is inhuman to ask people to continue to live for any length of time under their present conditions.
In conclusion, I wish to repeat that the main solution, in many ways the only real solution, of the problem lies in the quick evacuation of all non-repatriable Jews in Germany and Austria, who wish it, to Palestine. In order to be effective, this plan must not be long delayed. The urgency of the situation should be recognized. It is inhuman to ask people to continue to live for any length of time under their present conditions.
The present conditions - means the conditions in DPs camps that where very bad. Shortage of food, clothing and the fact that Jews were kept in many cases in the camps that were build by Nazis as the concentration camps.
Some of the Holocaust survivors in Sweden reunite actually with their relatives in DP camps in Germany and Austria. The biggest aktion of leaving Sweden was that by ship S/S Ulua in January 1947 and some transports that went first to Calais and Antwerpen and thereafter to Eretz Israel. There were also trains leaving Sweden to Gdynia. They were aimed for the Jews that got permit to stay to USA and went there on the ship from Gdynia. Was entire ship chartered by Jewish organizations?
Great area to make a proper research!!
Some of the Holocaust survivors in Sweden reunite actually with their relatives in DP camps in Germany and Austria. The biggest aktion of leaving Sweden was that by ship S/S Ulua in January 1947 and some transports that went first to Calais and Antwerpen and thereafter to Eretz Israel. There were also trains leaving Sweden to Gdynia. They were aimed for the Jews that got permit to stay to USA and went there on the ship from Gdynia. Was entire ship chartered by Jewish organizations?
Great area to make a proper research!!
