Where to settle.

Many Displaced Persons seeking to relocate to the United States did not have family who could sponsor their immigration. Those refugees instead relied on churches or other, unrelated, sponsors. Unrelated sponsors often contracted to support an immigrant on condition that the new arrival work for them for a period of time. This system—though not a government program—was similar to the relocation structure that operated in in Canada. My paternal Grandmother Tatjana, for example, worked as a cook in the home of a Russian family. Other Displaced Persons lived and worked on farms after their arrival.

Howard Lake, Minnesota, May 21, 1950. A friend of my maternal Grandfather, Jake, wrote, "Here you can see our boss's farm."