The principal mission of the American Joint Distribution Committee (AJDC) since its founding has been to deliver aid to Jews in distress, usually as the result of war and discrimination. The founders had hoped that they would be able to close their doors after World War I but that proved not to be the case and with the rise of the Nazis their mission became one of helping Jews to emigrate and deal with the refugees who had fled but had nowhere to go. The basic division of labor between the AJDC and the Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) is that the AJDC helped refugees to emigrate and HIAS helped them once they reached their safe haven.
The Evian Conference of 1938 foresaw the need for a concerted effort to help the refugees and established the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees (IGCR). During the war, a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) operated in Europe: Jewish, Catholic, Protestant, Quakers, Red Cross, etc. The representatives of these organizations were attached to the ICGR. Jewish activities were under the auspices of the AJDC; their field workers were officially part of the IGCR and, as such, wore special patches on their uniforms and were permitted to us the Army Postal Service.The IGCR was subsumed in to the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) on December 9, 1944. This arm of the UN was formed well before the formal establishment of the UN itself on May 7, 1945 and, indeed, functioned under the UNRRA name even before December 9, 1944. Its initial headquarters were in Italy, being the first Axis country fully occupied by the Allies. The modus operandi was established there and, by the end of the war in Europe, offices throughout the rest of Europe could be set up quickly.
Much like the AJDC in WWI, UNRRA initially hoped that their mission would be over relatively quickly. It wasn’t until the war ended that the full magnitude of the “displace persons” (DPs) was understood and UNRRA realized the enormity of the task before them. The UN recognized this by creating the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization (PCIRO) in December 1946. PCIRO began formal operation on June 30, 1947. The AJDC field workers were now under the aegis of PCIRO.
When the 15th member of the UN ratified the UN constitution in 1948, PCIRO was no longer a PC and bacme the IRO. The IRO continued its activities until February 1951 at which time it handed over operations to the United Nations High commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
It was not until February 1957 that the last DP camp, Foehrenwald, was closed.
This collection shows some of the many locations in which the AJDC served and is organized according to the organizational name in either the return address or printed corner card. There may be some overlap of dates since old stationery was often used even after the official name had changed. In some cases the organizational initials are not included on the cover and it is placed where is should be according to the “official” dates.
--Michael D. Bulmash, K1966
Browse the Bulmash Family Holocaust Collection.
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Envelope from the United National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration sent from APO 541 (Austria)
2012.1.215
White envelope with decorative blue and red border. Addressed to the Committee on Cultural Affairs, Joint Distribution Committee from M. Lomshow.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: UNRRA Team 325.
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The American Joint Distribution Committee as Courier post-World War II Letter, Sent from APO 411 (Linz)
2012.1.264
Tan paper titled, "American Joint Distribution Committee." Includes a typewritten message with the subject, "Undelivered Letter."
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
In addition to its various humanitarian missions, the American Joint Distribution Committee acted as a mail carrier not only for its field workers, but also for refugees, displaced persons and other Jews in need. For the most part, this service was provided through its Paris office. Mail would be gathered at other offices and sent by courier to Paris whence it would then be sent abroad either by messenger or under cover to a local Jewish agency for distribution. This letter is a reply to a search request from Switzerland.
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Letter Describing Discontinuance of U.S. Army Mail Services, APO 887
2012.1.227
Typewritten administrative order from the American Joint Distribution Committee, Paris in purple ink.
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Envelope from the United National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration sent from APO 170
2012.1.222
White envelope with typewritten address to Mr. Maurice Eigen. Includes stamped return address to M.J. Joslow.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: From AJDC HQ in Frankfort. Jacob Joslow was at the ADJC NY office, then at AJDC/UNRRA HQ Munich and then back in NY, always communicating through APO 757. From the AJDC HQ in Munich.
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Envelope from the United National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration sent from APO 757 (Munich)
2012.1.220
American Joint Distribution Committee stationery with typewritten address to the Asociacion Filantropica Israelita, Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
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Envelope from the United National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration sent from APO 171 (Kassel, Germany)
2012.1.216
White envelope with red and blue decorative border. Address typewritten to the American Joint Distribution Committee. Stamped return address from Morris Fishman.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: UNRRA Team 1034.
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The American Joint Distribution Committee as Courier post-World War II Envelope to Australia
2012.1.274
Green envelope with handwritten address to "A. Cymerman" with "Via A.J.D.C." purple hand stamp.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
In addition to its various humanitarian missions, the American Joint Distribution Committee acted as a mail carrier not only for its field workers, but also for refugees, displaced persons and other Jews in need. For the most part, this service was provided through its Paris office. Mail would be gathered at other offices and sent by courier to Paris whence it would then be sent abroad either by messenger or under cover to a local Jewish agency for distribution. Envelope from Stuttgart "via A.J.D.C./Paris" by courier to the Australian Jewish Welfare Society, Melbourne (hand stamp on flap, dated August 1, 1946), censored in Offenbach (May 5) with censor tape across flap, large AJDC double circle hand stamp.
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Jewish Joint Committee
2014.1.375
Front: Blue, typed address to Frederick Grubel at American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee. Back: Eight postage stamps with many hand stamps.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee airmail cover (triple-weight registered) from its Shanghai office to its New York headquarters, franked on reverse with various issues tied by Shanghai postmarks.
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American Joint Distribution Committee Correspondence Concerning Displaced Persons, Sent from APO 174 (Linz)
2012.1.258ab
Envelope: Green envelope with typewritten address to the American Joint Distribution Committee on American Joint Distribution Committee stationery.Form: Printed form with title "American Joint Distribution Committee Austria Search Bureau Search-Request." Includes typewritten information.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: An example form used to find the families of displaced persons.
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Envelope from the United National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration sent from APO 742 (Germany)
2012.1.217
Brown envelope with typewritten address to the American Joint Distribution Committee with return address and writing on back flap.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: AJDC c/o U.S. Embassy that used APO located in Germany.
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Jewish Orphan Refugee Girls Learning a Trade
2022.1.6
Front: Black and white photograph of several females seated at sewing machines. Back: “These Jewish orphan refugee girls are learning useful trades for a future life in Israel at a Youth Center established near Rome by the Joint Distribution Committee” and “Official AMERICAN JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE photo by Al Taylor.”
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
Real photo postcard of Jewish orphan refugee young ladies learning to be seamstresses or tailors in a youth center near Rome, Italy. Verso, the description states that the photo is from the “Joint,” the American Joint Distribution Committee, which helped establish these centers to help refugees learn trades for a future life in Israel. Al Taylor was the photographer.
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Letter from the American Joint Distribution Committee Concerning Displaced Persons
2012.1.262
Brown paper titled "American Joint Distribution Committee" with typewritten message in English addressed to "All Military Authorities" from the "AJDC Director French Zone, Austria.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: This form notifies military check points that the American Joint Distribution Committee truck is carrying materials for displaced persons from Innsbruck to Milan.
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Envelope from the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization Team 1062
2012.1.233
Tan envelope with typewritten address to "Grenblat Benjamin" in San Francisco. Includes handwritten return address to J. Gurfinkiel on back flap.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: PCIRO Team 1062 sent by Jewish Committee through German PO to San Francisco. Partial strike of AJDC Landsberg/Lech hand stamp.
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Envelope from the United National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration sent from APO 757 (Heidelberg)
2012.1.224
White envelope addressed to the American Joint Distribution Committee's UNRRA U.S. Zone Headquarters in Heidelberg, Germany. Printed return address to Blank and Gambino in New York.
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Envelope from the United National Relief and Rehabilitation Administration sent from APO 407
2012.1.223
American Joint Distribution stationery with typewritten address to Mr. Jacob M. Joslow.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: From AJDC HQ in Frankfort. Jacob Joslow was at the ADJC NY office, then at AJDC/UNRRA HQ Munich and then back in NY, always communicating through APO 757. From Munich. APO 757 stationery carried far afield.
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The American Joint Distribution Committee as Courier post-World War II Letter
2012.1.265
Tan half sheet titled, "Fédération des Communautes Juives en Yougoslavie" with illustration of the Mogen David. Includes a typewritten note addressed to the American Joint Distribution Committee.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: In addition to its various humanitarian missions, the American Joint Distribution Committee acted as a mail carrier not only for its field workers, but also for refugees, displaced persons and other Jews in need. For the most part, this service was provided through its Paris office. Mail would be gathered at other offices and sent by courier to Paris whence it would then be sent abroad either by messenger or under cover to a local Jewish agency for distribution. This note is from the American Joint Distribution Committee at Belgrade asking for letters to be forwarded to Spain through Paris.
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Envelope to the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization sent from APO 225 (Germany)
2012.1.229
White envelope addressed to Miss Engelson in the Personal Inquiry Department of the American Joint Distribution Committee from William Reus, New York in black cursive.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Return address APO 139 (Bamberg).
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Envelope from the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization sent from APO 225 (Germany)
2012.1.228
Tan envelope with typewritten address to the American Joint Distribution Committee with printed return address to the American Joint Distribution Committee on back.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: PCIRO Team 1046.
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American Joint Distribution Committee Envelope Concerning Displaced Persons, Sent from APO 571 (Belgium)
2012.1.255
Brown envelope with typewritten address to Mr. Frederick Grubel, from Beatrice Vulcan.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash:
The USFET (U.S. Forces European Theater) Mission in Belgium worked with the American Joint Distribution Committee on matters concerning Jewish displaced persons. Writer used APO 757 HQ return address.
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American Joint Distribution Committee Envelope Concerning Displaced Persons, Sent from Camps Bureau, AJDC, Milan
2012.1.261
Envelope with ten black and grey stamps with typewritten address to Mrs. Esther C. Elbegen and typewritten return address to Jack Altarad on the back flap.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Envelope sent from the Camps Bureau, American Joint Distribution Committee, Milan.
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Envelope from the International Refugee Organization sent from APO 154 (Germany)
2012.1.237
Green envelope with typewritten address to the Associacion Filantropica Israelita, Buenos Aires, Argentina with printed and typewritten return address to F.S. Levine, American Joint Distribution Committee, New York, New York.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: International Refugee Organization Team 1002, airmail to Argentina. This stationery predates the official IRO status.
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Envelope from the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization sent from APO 407 (Munich)
2012.1.230
Tan envelope with typewritten address to the American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, New York. Includes stamped and printed return address from the Personal Service Department of the America Joint Distribution Committee.
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Correspondence from Palestine from the International Refugee Organization sent from APO 742 (Berlin)
2012.1.247ab
Letter: Letter written in blue ink on Max Bogopolsky Real Estate-Mortgages stationary.Envelope: Max Bogopolsky stationery with address to Mr. Henry J. Meininger, American Joint Distribution Committee.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: ADC/IRO Area 1.
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Envelope from the Preparatory Commission of the International Refugee Organization sent from APO 541 (Austria)
2012.1.234
Green envelope with typewritten address to the American Joint Distribution Committee.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: Late designation of PCIRO just before change to IRO.
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Envelope to the International Refugee Organization sent from Poland from APO 742 (Berlin)
2012.1.248
Blue American Joint Distribution Committee Warsaw, Poland stationery with typewritten address to the American Joint Distribution Committee c/o IRO Area Team 1, Berlin Office, APO 742, c/o Postmaster N.Y.
Information Provided by Michael D. Bulmash: ADC/IRO Area 1.