Life Reborn JEWISH DISPLACED PERSONS 1945-1951

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS WASHINGTON, D.C. JANUARY 14-17, 2000

Edited with an Introduction by MENACHEM Z. ROSENSAFT Preface by RABBI

ROMANA STROCHUTZ PRIMUS Conference Chairperson ROSITTA EHRLICH KENIGSBERG Chairperson, Second Generation Advisory Group

A project of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and its Second Generation Advisory Group in association with The American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee Contents PREFACE 1 Rabbi Irving Greenberg INTRODUCTION 5 Menachem Z. Rosensaft FOREWORD 13 Sara J. Bloomfield

Friday, January 14, 2000 OPENING SESSION WELCOME 17 Rositta Ehrlich Kenigsberg

OPENING ADDRESS 19 Miles Lerman

RESPONSE 22 Romana Strochlitz Primus FRAMING THE CONFERENCE OVERVIEW 23 Romana Strochlitz Primus

THE DP LEGACY 25 Yehuda Bauer

Saturday, January 15, 2000 THE JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE IN THE DP CAMPS INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 37 Jonathan W. Kolker

TRIBUTE TO DR. JOSEPH J. SCHWARTZ 39 Michael Schneider

LIFE IN THE DP CAMPS: THE SPECIAL ROLE OF THE JDC 43 Ted Feder Isaac Norich

CLOSING REMARKS 48 Ted Comet SECOND GENERATION PERSPECTIVES ON THE DP YEARS INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 51 Felicia Figlarz Anchor

CHOOSING LIFE: OUR PARENTS, OURSELVES 53 Samuel Norich

THE CHALLENGE WE FACE TODAY 56 Congressman Sam Gejdenson

Sunday, January 16, 2000 THE DP EXPERIENCE INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 61 Romana Strochlitz Primus

A HOLOCAUST SURVIVOR'S PERSPECTIVE 62 Sam E. Bloch

A MILITARY CHAPLAIN'S PERSPECTIVE 67 Rabbi Herbert A. Friedman

HISTORICAL ISSUES 75 Henry Friedlander

REMEMBRANCE MY FATHER: A MODEL FOR EMPOWERMENT 77 Menachem Z. Rosensaft

INTRODUCTION OF 82 Menachem Z. Rosensaft

KEYNOTE ADDRESS 83 Elie Wiesel COPING WITH THE PSYCHOLOGICAL AFTERMATH OF SURVIVAL AND EXTREME TRAUMA 89 Eva Fogelman

L'CHAIM—TO LIFE! DEDICATION 97 Rositta Ehrlich Kenigsberg

RESPONSE 99 Benjamin Meed

DP CAMP ZIEGENHAIN 100 Susan Strauss Taube Monday, January 17, 2000 ALLIED POLICY TOWARD THE DPs INTRODUCTORY REMARKS 103 Dina Porat AMERICAN POLICY 104 Leonard Dinnerstein BRITISH POLICY 108 Jo Reilly SOVIET POLICY 114 David Engel

RESPONDING TO OUR LEGACY OVERVIEW 121 Jean Bloch Rosensaft SECOND GENERATION PERSPECTIVES 125 Thane Rosenbaum Debbie Teicholz-Guedalia Gary John Schiller CONFERENCE ADJOURNMENT 137 Romana Strochlitz Primus

GLOSSARY OF HEBREW, , AND GERMAN TERMS 139 SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY 141 MAP OF MAJOR JEWISH DP CAMPS AND ASSEMBLY CENTERS, 1945-46 .* 146 CONFERENCE PROGRAM 147 LIFE REBORN STEERING COMMITTEE 160 SECOND GENERATION ADVISORY GROUP 161 DONORS TO THE LIFE REBORN CONFERENCE 162