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THE SITUATION of the United Nations displaced persons and refugees still in Germany, a tragic reminder of the Nazi scheme of forced labor and subjugation, is an- other of the complexities of postwar Europe. This sociological dilemma is existent in the three Western Zones of Germany and apparently is either liquidated or not recognized in the fourth zone. As of Dec. 1, 1947, there remained in the US occupation area in Ger- many approximately 475,000 homeless persons in this heterogeneous group, the disposition of 'which poses a tremendous humanitarian and prac- tical problem. The continued presence of these persons constitutes another economic problem of the occupation, and a political question of many implications on the scene of inter- national affaires. The majority of DP's are in Ger- many as a result of the Nazi labor policy to exploit the manpower of conquered countries in furtherance of themaster plan for worlddomination. Millions of workers were transplanted to the Reich to help it fight the war of supply by replacing German workers conscripted into the German Army. Some of these workers came to Ger- many of their own volition. But the majority came under conditions ranging from persuasion to forcible removal from their homelands. In any case, the impetus was provided by the Nazi plan to enslave. Also included among the DP's are the survivors of the greatest crime against humanity committed by the Nazis-the concentration camp vic- tims. Still others were prisoners of war who were captured and im- prisoned by the Germans while fight- ing alongside Allied troops. The US Army's direct contact with DP's began with D-Day in June, 1944. As the Allied forces overran the enemy, increasing numbers of DP's were uncovered until a total of ap- proximately 8,000,000 persons had passed from Nazi custody into Allied hands in western Europe. About 6,000,000 of them were re- turned to their homelands in the latter part of 1944 and the first seven months of 1945. Approximately 688,000 more went home from July 13, 1945, to Dec. 1, 1947, in response to intensive repatriation efforts. The remainder, consisting of Es- tonian, Latvian, Lithuanian, Polish, Ukrainian, Jewish, Yugoslav, and stateless people, has not responded to voluntary repatriation. They can- not or will not return to their home- A group of Baltic displaced persons leave a train at Bremerhaven to board the US Army transport Gen- eral Heintzelman for Australia. They came from the Diepholz processing camp in the British Zone, near Hanover. nSignal Corps photo)
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