Normal Activities Under Abnormal Circumstances

It's easy to forget that most World War II refugees lived in the Displaced Persons camps for four or five years. For those seeking permission to emigrate to the United States, it took an Act of Congress—the Displaced Persons Act of 1948—to authorize their arrival.

Many Displaced Persons, like my Parents, filled their time in the American-occupied zone of Germany by going to school or working (or both). People fell in love, had children, engaged in hobbies, relaxed in parks, and played sports.

They loved their sports:

Schweinfurt, Germany, 1948. A group of DPs gets ready to play a game of volleyball.

 

 

Schweinfurt, Germany, 1948. The game begins.