Figure 1.--The first overseas adoptees were mostly Jewish children who could hardly return to Germany or to Eastern Europe where Jewish comminities had been destroyed in the Holoicaust. We then begin to see adoptions of German children, first by military families stationed in Germany as part of the occpation and then by Americans state side. Here are three of those children. The press caption read, "Fly to New Homes: Three child war orphns, two boys and a girl boarded an American Airlines Flagship at La Guardia Airport tonight (Tues., June 13) en route to California where they will find new homes. Thy have been living at the receotiin centr of th Catholic Committee for Refugees, New York City, since their arrival in the U.S. six months ago. , during which time homes were being found for them. Pieter and Dieter, brothers, ages four and five will live in Fresno, California; while Jass, age six, will join a family who have had a boy war orohn living with them since Dec. 1948. Mrs. Cherry Mulke, a representative of the Catholic Community, accopanied the children on the flight. Left to right: Pieter, Dieter and Jass." The photogrph was dated June 13, 1950.

Some fortunte children were adopted by people in foreign countries, primarily America. After World War II the plight of war orphns was especually compelling. Many Jewish orphans were moved to the United States by Jewish orphans, After the creation of Israel this opened more options for the apauling small number of child survivors of the Holocaust. Gradually interest in American began to build for war orphans. Not all international adoptions were made by Americans, but the vast majority were. Press coverage of the War and the terrible conditions following the War gave considerable visability to the problem and appealed to American humanitarian instincts. There was even a popular comic strip about an Italian war orphn--'Dondi'. U.S. servicemen stationed around the world were the most exposed to the problem. The largest numbers were after the War stationed in Germany and Japan. Another factor was children fathered by American servicemene, esentilly creating half-Americans. After tge War, international adoptions mobilized Lutherans, Catholics, and Seventh Day Adventists, among others, and inspired the formation of such organizations as the League for Orphan Victims in Europe (LOVE) and the American Joint Committee for Assisting Japanese-American Orphans. This gave sympathetic American families access to the orphans. These adoptions came primarily from the European Axis countries (Germany and Italy). This was a phenomenal development. Rarely in history had a victorious coubtry began adopting children from eneny nations. This occurred because most of Western Europe quickly recovered abd were able to care for their own countries. The Soviets who seized cntrol of Eastern Europe prevented such adoptions, we think becaue it showed how poor their economy functioned--not good press for people claiming to be creating worker paradices. Thus the adoptees came largely from Germany and to a lesser extent Italy. This was fed in part by a baby boom that developed in Germany and healthy children abandoned by irresponsible fathers or men who had never even been told of their children’s existence. Another factor was the large number of German women raped by Soviet soldiers and the mothers did not want them. Military families began adopting these children, but mass media reports resulted in creating an interest among Americans at home. evicemen quickly spread the news to Americans at home. One such story which had a major impact was that of the Doss family, desribed as 'THe Family Nobody Wanted' by Readers's Digest. This magazine had an enormous readership and massive impact. ['Our ....']

Countries

Here we have two groups of countries to consider. This was the countrie from which displaced children came. And the counties that took in the children. The countries from which the children came were the countrie that witnessed the heaviest fighting and most severe occupation like Greece and the Netherland. Jewish children were a special case. This included the Soviet Union, Poland, Yugoslavia, and Germany. Most children were cared for by authorities in thit\r own countries. But the Germans transported milliins of people to the Reich to work in war industries. This left children of all nationalities in Germany at the end od the War. Abd it mean that children were born after the War in the DP camps. Some fortunte children were adopted by people in foreign countries, primarily America. After World War II the plight of war orphns was especually compelling. Many Jewish orphans were moved to the United States by Jewish orphans, After the creation of Israel (1948) this opened more options for the apauling small number of child survivors of the Holocaust. Gradually interest in American began to build for war orphans. Not all international adoptions were made by Americans, but the vast majority were. Press coverage of the War and the terrible conditions following the War gave considerable visability to the problem and appealed to American humanitarian instincts. There was even a popular comic strip about an Italian war orphn--'Dondi'.

Chronology

American Servicemen

U.S. servicemen stationed around the world were the most exposed to the problem. The largest numbers were after the War stationed in Germany and Japan. Another factor was children fathered by American servicemene, esentilly creating half-Americans. Military families began adopting these children, but mass media reports resulted in creating an interest among Americans at home. quickly spread the news to Americans at home. One such story which had a major impact was that of the Doss family, desribed as 'THe Family Nobody Wanted' by Readers's Digest. This magazine had an enormous readership and massive impact. ['Our ....']

Organizations

After the War, international adoptions mobilized Lutherans, Catholics, and Seventh Day Adventists, among others, and inspired the formation of such organizations as the League for Orphan Victims in Europe (LOVE) and the American Joint Committee for Assisting Japanese-American Orphans. This gave sympathetic American families special access to the orphans. These adoptions came primarily from the European Axis countries (Germany and Italy). This was a phenomenal development. Rarely in history had a victorious country began adopting children from eneny nations. This occurred because most of Western Europe quickly recovered abd were able to care for their own countries. Germany was a pecial case because the country was ovewealmed with displaced children and did not have the means to care for them.

Iron Curtain

The Soviets who seized control of Eastern Europe prevented such adoptions, we think becaue it showed how poor their economy functioned--not good press for people claiming to be creating worker paradices. Thus the adoptees came largely from Germany and to a lesser extent Italy.

Baby Boom

This was fed in part by a baby boom that developed in Germany and healthy children abandoned by irresponsible fathers or mpther who had no way of providing for their children. And there were men who had never even been told of their children’s existence. Another factor was the large number of German women raped by Soviet soldiers and the mothers did not want them.

Sources

“Our 'International Family,” Reader's Digest (1949).

Created: 3:44 PM 1/9/2015
Last updated: 7:59 AM 7/13/2019