Conditions after release from captivity

Abstract

After Nazi Germany’s death struggle in which she tried to drag as many prisoners as possible with her, there were, in spite of everything, a few survivors left. Having previously described briefly the different destinies awaiting the Norwegian groups and the Israeli groups immediately after their liberation, I will now enlarge on this with a few figures. Between 80 and 90 per cent (84.6, 88.1, and 88.7 per cent of the 3 Israeli groups) of the investigated persons had lost the majority of their closest relatives, i.e. parents, siblings, husband, or wife. Of the remaining 10–20 per cent, more than two of the family had survived. There was not one single person among those investigated who had not lost at least one near relative. Between 75 and 80 per cent (80.6, 76.7, and 75.7 per cent) were totally isolated at the end of the War, i.e., they were the sole survivors of their families. Only 7 of the married investigated persons (2 + 3 + 2) had not had any children or had not lost them; apart from these, all the married persons said that beside their other relatives they had also lost their children. As mentioned before, all the married persons had lost their partners.