EightDecadesSinceConclusionofWar-HessePreviouslyAccommodatedMoreRefugees - Prolonged Warfare in Hessen: Highest Refugee Count over Eight Decades
Title: From the End of War to Newcomers: Reflecting on Hesse's Hospitality
Hey there, bud!
As we commemorate the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II, let's take a moment to appreciate Hesse's historic generosity. Back then, this state welcomed a massive wave of displaced folks, far surpassing the number it accommodates today. "The end of the war 80 years ago on May 8, 1945, offers a timely opportunity to reflect on this remarkable feat," says Markus Krzoska, who oversees a research project on displaced persons at the Herder Institute.
Hesse found itself in the American occupation zone post-war. Krzoska suggests that a staggering number—hundreds of thousands, potentially up to a million—displaced people from the east and southeast of Europe descended upon the state created in September 1945 in search of a safer haven, free from Soviet influence.
Most of these new arrivals were Sudeten Germans, Silesians, and East Prussians. Many traveled by train. According to Lutz Vogel from the Hessian Institute for Historical Research, this resulted in a startling change: "Within a year after the war, the population of many Hessian districts suddenly consisted of a quarter of displaced persons."
Fast-forward to today, and the narrative is starkly different. In 2024, only around 18,000 refugees filed an initial asylum application in Hesse. Most came from Syria, Afghanistan, and Turkey.
Historians laud the successful integration of displaced persons
"Post-WWII, Germany faced enormous challenges, and not every displaced person was fortunate, but overall, their integration was a triumphant tale," Krzoska maintains. While this triumph may not serve as a blueprint for today's Hessian migrants, reminding ourselves of the prevailing solidarity at the time could prove valuable, Krzoska suggests.
In 2023, Minister-President Boris Rhein stated, "Nearly a third of all Hessians have known the grim reality of displacement, either directly or through their relatives, or live here as late repatriates." Given this context, Rhein emphasized the importance of freedom, peace, and home.
Bombed-out cities offered a new life in the countryside
Post-war, the battered cities of Hesse offered little solace. Instead, these newcomers were housed in decentralized transit camps before being dispersed to villages and small towns due to the devastation in the cities. Locals opened their homes to accommodate the new arrivals, a generous move not always met with enthusiasm.
With high unemployment among the displaced, however, new industries, like the glass industry, emerged to provide employment opportunities. The Brokatweberei Egelkraut, a business founded in the Egerland in the Czech Republic and later shifted to a prisoner-of-war camp in Schwalmstadt, stands as a testament to this economic transformation.
The Marshall Plan, West German economic boom, and the Hessian plan for regional development facilitated the integration of displaced persons. Legacy remains visible today, with village community houses and the Hessentag, Germany's largest state festival, being key reminders.
Memorials of the past are gradually fading, yet stories of immigration from Eastern and Southeastern Europe eight decades ago resonate with many Hessians. "The disparities between rich and poor were smaller then than they are today," Krzoska remarks, a factor that likely contributed to the seamless integration of the displaced. Additionally, language barriers were minimal, as the displaced spoke dialects that seemed foreign but were readily understood by the locals.
Recent Exhibition Unveils a Snapshot of History
Just weeks ago, a permanent exhibition on the history of displaced persons was unveiled at the Hessenpark open-air museum in Neu-Anspach. The exhibition, housed in two authentic emergency shelters for newcomers, offers a poignant glimpse into the lives of the displaced, complete with personal accounts, artifacts, photos, and interactive media stations.
- In the aftermath of World War II, Hesse emerged as a beacon of hospitality, welcoming around hundreds of thousands, potentially up to a million displaced individuals from Eastern and Southeastern Europe.
- Today, the community policy in Hesse, as seen in the management of fewer than 18,000 refugees in 2024, contrasts sharply with the massive influx of post-war migration.
- Markus Krzoska congratulates the successful integration of the displaced individuals following World War II, suggesting that the solidarity displayed during that period could serve as a valuable lesson for current discussions on migration and integration.
- As a reminder of the past, an exhibition at the Hessenpark open-air museum in Neu-Anspach offers visitors a poignant look at the lives of displaced individuals, highlighting personal accounts, artifacts, photos, and interactive media stations.
