All of the post-World War II refugees had their stories of hardship and triumph. Here we tell two of them.

In 1943 and 1944, as the Red Army fought its way across Ukraine, people faced a stark choice: stay and live under Stalin or flee and take their chances with Hitler. Neither was a pleasent prospect. Many chose to flee.

After Hitler's defeat they ended up in refugee camps with whatever minimal personal property they were able to carry with them, and with no food, money, and little possibility of employment.

Nonetheless, the Displaced Persons formed a self-contained society within the DP camps, including churches, schools, theaters, and political orgainizations. Eventually, most DPs were resettled to North America, South America, and Australia.

Here are the stories of two DP refugee experiences that come from materials in our archival collections.