20 June is World Refugee Day, designated by the United Nations to honour the resilience and courage of people forced to flee their homes.
The history of German-speaking Jews is, in large part, a history of refuge and displacement. From the mass emigration that followed 1933 to the desperate flight of those who sought safety in Britain, Palestine, the United States, and beyond, the experience of being a refugee is woven through the archives held at LBI London.
Our pamphlet collection includes first-hand accounts, emigration guides, and records of the organisations that worked to help displaced people rebuild their lives. Among these is a memoir by Hanna Bergas documenting fifteen years spent teaching refugee children at Bunce Court School in England between 1933 and 1948 – a remarkable record of education and care in the face of persecution.
These documents do not simply record the past. They speak directly to questions that remain urgent today.
Image: Wikipedia
