An album containing 200 photographs of Holocaust survivors and survivors of the death camps in the Rosenheim Displaced Persons (DP) Camp. A fascinating variety of photographs capturing all aspects of life in the camp during 1947-1948. A moving historical testimony of Jews who had lived alongside death during the war and were now rebuilding their lives. The album belonged to a survivor named Chaim Finkel, and in some of the photographs, he appears alongside his fellow camp residents.
The album includes numerous group photos taken in the camp’s courtyard and rooms, some of which depict individuals holding Zionist flags with inscriptions such as “The Pioneer Socialist Committee – Dror Group” and “Zionist Socialist Organization – Rosenheim Branch”. Other images showcase the camp’s barracks and central courtyard, the camp committee members (including Chaim Finkel, who appears in these photos), sports activities, a social gathering in the camp with an Israeli flag and a portrait of Theodor Herzl in the background, the camp hospital, a group photo of “Children of Kibbutz Noam”, the camp’s barbershop, educators from Eretz Israel who arrived to provide education, a Passover Seder, and many more.
Additionally, the album includes two identity documents of Finkel from after his immigration to Israel in 1951, various correspondences, and several detached photographs from the album.
The Rosenheim DP Camp was located in the city of Rosenheim, Bavaria, southern Germany. The area was under American control after the war and operated between 1945 and 1951 as part of a broader network of DP camps managed under American military supervision and the UNRRA (United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration). The camp’s residents were primarily Jewish refugees who had survived the Holocaust. It was established within existing buildings, such as former German military camps, public buildings, or repurposed residential structures. Food, clothing, and medical services were provided by the UN and Jewish relief organizations, especially the Joint Distribution Committee (JDC). Other Jewish organizations, such as the World Jewish Congress and the Jewish Agency, played a role in rehabilitating the community and promoting Zionist aspirations.
The camp developed into a thriving Jewish community, featuring synagogues, schools, and Talmud Torah institutions. It had local Jewish newspapers, a theater, and active Zionist youth movements. Organizations like “HeHalutz” (The Pioneer) worked to train DP residents for immigration to Eretz Israel, including agricultural and vocational training. Hebrew-language classes and Zionist education programs were established, while conferences, ceremonies, and events were held to focus on the rebuilding of the Jewish homeland and national renewal. Over time, following the establishment of the State of Israel and the emigration of most residents, the Rosenheim DP Camp closed in the early 1950s.
Album size: 34×25 cm. Photographs in various sizes (average size: 16×12 cm). Condition: Good – Very Good. Some photographs have become detached from the album pockets.
