Math Lessons in the Camp (1945-48)

Children were often the central concern of Jewish DPs. Many Jewish children had been selected for murder immediately upon capture by order of the Nazis, since they could not be exploited as slave labor. Therefore, at first, there were only a few children living in the DP camps in 1945. But as Jews from Eastern Europe fled en masse to the American occupation zone, the number of children grew considerably. Additionally, Jewish DPs became known for their extremely high birthrate, which was estimated to be the highest in the world in 1946-47. Many parents hoped that bringing new life into the world would help them bear the burden of the past, and they focused all their thoughts and activities on the children. Consequently, an educational system was developed in almost all the camps. This photograph shows a math lesson at the primary school in the Zeilsheim DP camp (1945-48). Photo by E.M. Robinson.

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