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German-Jewish Children's Aid Records

 Collection
Identifier: RG 249

Scope and Content Note

The records found in this collection document the work and administration of the German-Jewish Children’s Aid, later named the European-Jewish Children’s Aid. The vast majority of documents in this collection is correspondence. Much of the correspondence is between German-Jewish Children's Aid and other refugee organizations and discusses the identification and emigration of children from Europe.

The first two series primarily hold correspondence, although there are also some lists and biographical information on children. The correspondence in these series discusses the locating and emigration of children out of Europe. Series III and IV are composed mainly of specific individual cases of children who were helped by the German-Jewish Children’s Aid. Series VIII also contains information on children’s cases, but is concerned with those of children still in Europe after the end of World War II. Series VII holds identity papers for many of the children assisted by the German-Jewish Children’s Aid. Series X holds records of cases administered by the Jewish Child Care Association, which dealt with individual children already in the United States.

Series V, VI and IX hold records which are of administrative importance to the organization. Series V is comprised of narrative reports of agency personnel travelling with the children or upon meeting ships arriving in America. Series VI holds records focusing on the logistics of transporting children, and is mainly comprised of correspondence with transportation companies. Records in Series IX contain reports of administrative interest, including financial information and activity reports.

Dates

  • Creation: 1933 - 1956

Creator

Language of Materials

The collection is in English and German.

Access Restrictions

The collection is open to the public. Permission to publish part or parts of the collection must be obtained in writing from the YIVO Archives.

Use Restrictions

Conditions governing use:
There may be some restrictions on the use of the collection.

For more information, contact: YIVO Archives
YIVO Institute for Jewish Research
Center for Jewish History
15 West 16th Street
New York, NY 10011

email: archives@yivo.cjh.org

Historical Note

The German-Jewish Children's Aid Society was formed in New York in 1934 by a coalition consisting of the New York Foundation, the Baron de Hirsch Fund, B'nai B'rith, the Hofmeimer Foundation. the American Jewish Committee and the Women's Committee of the American Jewish Congress. These organizations contributed the funds for the German-Jewish Children's Aid to operate.

The purpose of the German-Jewish Children's Aid was to act as the receiving organization for unaccompanied or orphaned children emigrating from Europe to the United States. It acted as financial sponsor for the children (to avoid their "becoming a public charge") and attempted to secure housing or foster home placement.

In 1938, when difficulties were encountered with fund raising, the National Council of Jewish Women assumed financial responsibility for the German-Jewish Children's Aid and the administration of the German-Jewish Children's Aid was taken over by the National Refugee Service. Both of these functions were, in turn, taken over completely by the National Refugee Service in 1941.

In November 1942, to accommodate federal government refugee legislation and coordinate with the United States Committee for the Care of European Children, the German-Jewish Children's Aid changed its name to the European-Jewish Children's Aid.

Extent

81 Linear Feet

Abstract

The German-Jewish Children's Aid, later known as the European-Jewish Children's Aid, was involved in bringing Jewish children to the United States from Europe before, during, and after World War II. The records in this collection are comprised of correspondence, reports and case files, which may contain biographical information as well as questionnaries and correspondence concerning the case.

Arrangement

This collection has ten series, arranged as follows:

  1. Series 1: Administrative Correspondence, 1933-1956
  2. Subseries 1: Domestic Administrative Correspondence, 1933-1956
  3. Subseries 2: European Affiliates Correspondence, 1934-1949
  4. Series II: Emigration Correspondence, 1933-1950
  5. Series III: Children's Case File Correspondence, 1939-1952
  6. Series IV: Children's Closed Cases, 1946-1951
  7. Series V: Reception Reports: 1935-1944
  8. Series VI: Transportation Fund-Raising, 1934-1944
  9. Series VII: Identity Papers, 1941-1948
  10. Series VIII: "Children Abroad" Case Files, 1945-1949
  11. Series IX: Administrative Reports, 1934-1952
  12. Series X: Jewish Child Care Association Case Files, 1947-1948

Acquisition Note

Organizational records of the German-Jewish Children's Aid were received by YIVO from the United HIAS Service in 1965 with additional material arriving in 1974.

Processing Information

In 1971, the records received from HIAS in 1965 were arranged by Zosa Szajkowski and microfilmed on 34 reels, after which the originals were discarded. In 1974, a large lot of German-Jewish Children's Aid case files were received and placed in warehouse storage.

Title
Guide to the Records of the German-Jewish Children's Aid (GJCA), 1933-1956 RG 249
Status
Completed
Author
Processed by Zosa Szajkowski and Gunnar M. Berg
Date
© 2004.
Language of description
Undetermined
Script of description
Latin
Language of description note
Description is in English.
Edition statement
This version was derived from GJCA.xml

Revision Statements

  • January 2006.: Entities removed from EAD finding aid.

Repository Details

Part of the YIVO Institute for Jewish Research Repository

Contact:
15 West 16th Street
New York NY 10011 United States