Refugee Documents UNRRA – Alien Passport

Refugee Documents UNRRA – Alien Passport – Post War Germany

This large lot of refugee documens tells the awesome story about a Estonian couple during early post war Germany emigrating to USA, after waiting five years in refugee camps in Germany, managed by International Refugee Organization (IRO). There are plenty of handwritten letters and other documents in English or German, from the IRO and War Relief Services which gives us a glimpse of how difficult times they had. The documents include e.g. a very nice Nazi Germany Alien Passports, Temprary Estonian Passport, luaggage labels U.S. Army and buttons “War Relief Services” and many other documents which I can’t list here all.

I found a letter dated Chicago, October 14, 1949 where the Estonian Relief Committee in Chicago is stating “We have a secured job and housing assurances for you”. These news must have been a huge relief for them after years in unsecured circumstances. So they finally traveled by ship (SS General Blatchford) from Bremerhafen to New York and then further to Chicago to start their new life as Housekeeping couple with a US family of German heritage.

A handwritten letter in German of their future employer says:

“…we signed today your documents at the Estonian Relief Committee for your emigration to the United States. We are business owners and very occupied during the day and we need a maid and nanny for our two sons (9 and 3). For Mr. Kallaspalu we will have enough work to be done in the house and our property…”

Truly a unique and most complete documentation about the fate of only two Refugees longing for a better new life after WWII.

Here are some pictures…