Throughout the course of the Second World War conflict, over 60 million Europeans fled their homes and were forced to find shelter in countries far away from their own, through absolutely no fault of their own. The process included what the UK described as the Middle East Relief and Refugee Administration (MERRA), allowing at least 40,000 refugees to set up homes in Syria, Palestine and Egypt during the never ending war.
Hundreds of thousands of refugees from countries like Syria, Iraq and Afghanistan are now desperately attempting to find refuge in Europe from fierce conflicts, but many governments are working around the clock to keep them out. It really does put what the current European migrant crisis into perspective.
To really make this truth hit home, Sanna Dullaway colourised some photographs of WII refugees making their way from Poland, France, Germany and Belgium to countries that were safer to the south and east of them. Hopefully this project will help to remind people that migrants and refugees are just human beings searching for very basic aspects of life; safety and comfort.
Mass evacuation, forced displacement, expulsion, and deportation of millions of people took place across most countries involved in World War II.
Courtesy of konbini.com
The major location for wartime displacements was the East-Central and Eastern Europe although Japanese people were expelled during and after the war by Allied powers from locations in Asia.
Courtesy of konbini.com
The refugee crisis across occupied territories in World War II provided groundwork for much of the new international refugee and global human rights architecture existing today.
Courtesy of konbini.com
The Soviets deported hundreds of thousands of Polish citizens, most in four mass waves. The accepted figure was over 1.5 million.
1944 saw the evacuation of almost total civilian population of Finnish Lapland, as a joint Finnish-German effort, before Finnish and German troops began fighting in the Lapland War.
Courtesy of konbini.com
After 12 months of fierce conflict which claimed the lives of many, The 168,000 evacuees were finally able to return to their homes and be re-united with loved ones.
Courtesy of konbini.com
Between 1944 and 1947, 1.5 million Poles were deported from the eastern territories annexed by the Soviet Union into the western territories, which Soviets transferred from Germany to Poland.
Courtesy of konbini.com
By 1950, 1.6 million Poles from the eastern territories annexed by the Soviet Union were settled in what the government described as Regained Territories.
Courtesy of konbini.com
The United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) was set up in 1943, to provide humanitarian relief to the huge numbers of potential and existing refugees in areas facing Allied liberation.
Courtesy of konbini.com
UNRRA provided billions of US dollars of rehabilitation aid, and helped about 8 million refugees in total throughout the course of the second world war.
A little bit obsessed with all things film and and tennis. You can catch me binging on films and writing furiously about them, or darting around the court like a mad man.
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
Cookie
Duration
Description
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional
11 months
The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance
11 months
This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy
11 months
The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.