Occupiers, Humanitarian Workers, and Polish Displaced Persons in British-Occupied Germany

This innovative study explores the interaction between humanitarian workers and military officials in occupied Germany during the post-war period, focusing on the lives of Polish displaced persons (DPs). It combines archival material and personal collections to present a sophisticated analysis of Anglo-Polish-German relations in post-war Europe, which will be of immense value to scholars of modern Europe, Polish history, and displacement studies.

Format: Hardback
Length: 264 pages
Publication date: 09 February 2023
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Concepts of migration and displacement are frequently disconnected from notions of international humanitarianism and occupations, yet between 1945 and 1951, victims of war became the joint responsibility of humanitarian workers and military officials in occupied Germany. In this groundbreaking study, Samantha K. Knapton focuses on the lives of Polish displaced persons (DPs) – one of the largest groups in occupied Germany – to shed light on this interaction for the first time. From the everyday experiences of clothing, feeding, and sheltering to governmental policies and military actions, Occupiers, Humanitarian Workers, and the Polish Displaced Persons in British-Occupied Germany investigates the impact of occupation on post-war refugees and explores how the birth of state-driven international humanitarianism played a vital role in both the identity of the Polish people and the reconstruction of Germany. To accomplish this, Knapton fuses together archival material and personal collections such as memoirs, letters, and diaries to present an account that considers both the macro and micro issues of displacement, occupation, and humanitarianism. The result is a sophisticated analysis of Anglo-Polish-German relations in post-war Europe that will be of immense value to all scholars of modern Europe, Polish history, and displacement studies more generally.

The study explores the complex relationship between Anglo-Polish-German relations in post-war Europe, focusing on the experiences of Polish displaced persons (DPs) during the British occupation of Germany. Through a combination of archival material and personal collections, including memoirs, letters, and diaries, Knapton provides a detailed account of the challenges faced by DPs during this period. The study highlights the ways in which the occupation affected their lives, from the everyday struggles of clothing, feeding, and sheltering to governmental policies and military actions.

Knapton also examines the role of humanitarian workers and military officials in assisting DPs, highlighting the challenges they faced in providing aid and support to a population that had been traumatized by war. The study explores how the birth of state-driven international humanitarianism played a vital role in both the identity of the Polish people and the reconstruction of Germany. Knapton argues that the humanitarian efforts of these individuals helped to establish a sense of shared humanity and responsibility for the victims of war, and contributed to the development of a more inclusive and peaceful post-war Europe.

Occupiers, Humanitarian Workers, and the Polish Displaced Persons in British-Occupied Germany is a valuable addition to the literature on post-war Europe, Polish history, and displacement studies. It provides a nuanced and comprehensive analysis of the complex relationship between Anglo-Polish-German relations, and sheds light on the experiences of a population that has often been overlooked in historical narratives. The study is well-researched and well-written, and will be of interest to scholars and students of these fields alike.

Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350189256