UNRRA
(United Nations Relief Rehabilitation Administration)

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44 governments founded this organization on 9 November 1943. Former POWs (Prisoners of War), refugees and DPs (Displaced Persons) were given a place to stay, food, clothes, the possibility to work, to advance their education and skills and in some cases to find employment. The camp accommodated POWs, foreign workers and DP´s from Eastern Europe.

Tasks of the UNRRA:

1. Collecting and publishing information about the numbers, place of domicile, state of health and quality of life of DPs and refugees.
2. Providing measures of legal protection, health and any kind of support
3. Establishment of DP-camps in respective countries of DP´s and refugees which refer to number 1 and 2
4. Provide accommondation, work and medical care for DP´s and refugees during time before and after repatriation
5. Enforcement of transportation from DPs and refugees to their native country
6. Supporting reincorporation to their native country
7. Establishing a search organization with administrative offices to facilitate the search for displaced persons and to execute death certificates if necessary.

In October 1945, UNRRA took over camp Wildflecken. Within the camp five buildings were furnished as hospitals to fight disease. 15000 camp inhabitants were supplied with food. Medical care was secured by a unit of the former German Armed Forces (Wehrmacht). The unit had been captured by US Forces in 1945. 12 doctors and 50 nurses did their best to bring diseases like tuberculosis, heart conditions and deficiency disease under control.

The largest group within the camp were Polish people from the Ukraine, whose native country had meanwhile been occupied by soviet troops. The number rose to over 17000 by the year 1947. They could not and would not return to their home country.

Based upon various difficulties, UNRRA was not able to clear the camp until 1947. Mainly the polish people declined their repatriation for above mentioned reasons and remained in camp Wildflecken. For this reason IRO took over the camp in July 1947.