CHILD REFUGEES

Bay of Plenty Beacon, Volume 11, Issue 3, 10 March 1947, Page 5

CHILD REFUGEES

PROBLEM IN BELGIUM

CONCEALED FROM THE GESTAPO

Belgium is still the foster parent to many of the 4000 to 5000 children who became its wards after liberation. It is one of the unstressed stories of humanitarian heroism during the war.

For in 1942 the German occupation authorities began closing down the special schools which had been set up by Jewish refugees who had fled to Belgium. It began to be clear that these Austrian and German children were to be deported for execution as were manjr of their parents.

But the children began to disappear before the Nazis completed their plans. Public officials, the churches, and hosts of private individuals “absorbed” the youngsters in advance of Gestapo roundups. Scores of refugee children found foster parents among the non-Jew-ish population, others were taken over by religious institutions which concealed these foreign guests among their students. In November, 1944, 416 Jewish children lived in convents, 400 in other religious institutions and 1000 with foster parents.

The return of these children into their usual surroundings posed some delicate problems which, however, thanks to the goodwill of all parties involved, have been solved satisfactorily. Many of the children had lost contact with their families and their religion and felt genuine attachment toward the institutions or foster homes in which they were living. On the other hand, many foster parents considered their guests as part of their family and treated them like their own children. « Network of Relief

Supported by American money, a newly formed organisation, “Aide aux Israelites Victims de la Guerre” has built up a network of social'institutions in Belgium. There,are 12 Jewish Orphan Homes in the country where 'approximately 400 children are being educated at the expense of the special children’s fund. Two hundred and twenty received agricultural and industrial training in four vocational training centres, set up after the war. The ‘Aides aux Israelites” also is supporting children who are living with their families. This assistance, however, has been reduced considerably as many returned families now are earning their own livelihood.

Despite the generally friendly atmosphere which prevails in Belgium, a number of refugee children, now grown up, want to emigrate and to build a new future abroad. The majority of these would-be emigrants want to go to Palestine to participate in the construction of the Jewish National Home. Others are inquiring on the possibilities of going overseas, especially to North and South America. A group of refugee children wants to stay in the country where they will adapt themselves to the political, economic and social life.