After millions of Germans from East Prussia and other Baltic areas fled
from the Red Army, those left behind were forcibly expelled from 1945
to 1947 in the Polish or Lithuanian areas. The dismal situation produced
a population of an astounding 25,000 orphaned or abandoned children
who sometimes roved in gangs for comfort, support and mutual survival
throughout East Prussia and eastern Poland. Today, they are referred to
as "Wolfskinder" or Wolf children. Some of these children were actually
from the Ruhr area and had tragically been sent to East Prussia for safety
from the intense bombing in the west. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 of
these children were captured and sent to Russian internment camps where
many soon died of starvation, exploitation and disease.
from the Red Army, those left behind were forcibly expelled from 1945
to 1947 in the Polish or Lithuanian areas. The dismal situation produced
a population of an astounding 25,000 orphaned or abandoned children
who sometimes roved in gangs for comfort, support and mutual survival
throughout East Prussia and eastern Poland. Today, they are referred to
as "Wolfskinder" or Wolf children. Some of these children were actually
from the Ruhr area and had tragically been sent to East Prussia for safety
from the intense bombing in the west. Approximately 2,000 to 3,000 of
these children were captured and sent to Russian internment camps where
many soon died of starvation, exploitation and disease.
Sometimes local farmers took them in, but often they were worked as slaves and poorly treated,
especially in Polish areas. There were about 5,000 in Lithuania alone who went begging in search of
food and work. The "Nazi children" were strictly forbidden to speak German, lest there be
repercussions against the hosting families or employers, therefore they suppressed their language and
even their names and pretended to be citizens of the Soviet Union with Lithuanian nationality. At the
beginning of the 1950s, about 1,000 of the "wolf children" were sent to communist East Germany.
especially in Polish areas. There were about 5,000 in Lithuania alone who went begging in search of
food and work. The "Nazi children" were strictly forbidden to speak German, lest there be
repercussions against the hosting families or employers, therefore they suppressed their language and
even their names and pretended to be citizens of the Soviet Union with Lithuanian nationality. At the
beginning of the 1950s, about 1,000 of the "wolf children" were sent to communist East Germany.
In the late 1980s early 1990s, several hundred of their survivors formed the association "Edelweiss".
They organized petitions and tried to bring attention to the issue in German newspapers, hoping to
discover the fate of others and reunite some with long lost relatives. They organized material and
financial assistance to support the now aging "wolf children" in their attempts to obtain a German
passport and be recognised as German citizens. However, a simple naturalization was not possible
because of legal difficulties in substantiating their claims due to their culture and language having been
suppressed for so long. An often inhumane bureaucracy inflicted even more distress upon these
victims but the group remained energetic, resulting in some successes. Approximately 200 of these
people gained German citizenship in the 1990s and settled in Germany, some with their families. By
2008, 93 known wolf children, now all in retirement age, still live in Lithuania. In 2007, a donation
and sponsorship campaign raised a small supplementary pension for the 93 former Ostpreußischen
children. All attempts to obtain financial assistance from the German government have thus far failed.
They organized petitions and tried to bring attention to the issue in German newspapers, hoping to
discover the fate of others and reunite some with long lost relatives. They organized material and
financial assistance to support the now aging "wolf children" in their attempts to obtain a German
passport and be recognised as German citizens. However, a simple naturalization was not possible
because of legal difficulties in substantiating their claims due to their culture and language having been
suppressed for so long. An often inhumane bureaucracy inflicted even more distress upon these
victims but the group remained energetic, resulting in some successes. Approximately 200 of these
people gained German citizenship in the 1990s and settled in Germany, some with their families. By
2008, 93 known wolf children, now all in retirement age, still live in Lithuania. In 2007, a donation
and sponsorship campaign raised a small supplementary pension for the 93 former Ostpreußischen
children. All attempts to obtain financial assistance from the German government have thus far failed.
| Wolfskinder |
And in 1945-1946, the Irish Red Cross organized "Operation Shamrock" where over a thousand
children from bombed out or starving areas of the Continent were brought to Ireland to live with Irish
families, some later to be adopted by their Irish host families. German children were among those
helped by the `Save the German Children Society' which was set up in the aftermath of the razing of
German cities in World War 2. The children included orphans and those children sent off to a far off
land for three years by heart-sick mothers who could not feed them. In the weeks following the
appeal, more than 1000 children between the ages of five and ten docked at Dublin port. They were
fed a special diet to help them get used to normal food again before they were sent off to their new
Irish families. Some of the children went home to their parents and some remained in Ireland.
children from bombed out or starving areas of the Continent were brought to Ireland to live with Irish
families, some later to be adopted by their Irish host families. German children were among those
helped by the `Save the German Children Society' which was set up in the aftermath of the razing of
German cities in World War 2. The children included orphans and those children sent off to a far off
land for three years by heart-sick mothers who could not feed them. In the weeks following the
appeal, more than 1000 children between the ages of five and ten docked at Dublin port. They were
fed a special diet to help them get used to normal food again before they were sent off to their new
Irish families. Some of the children went home to their parents and some remained in Ireland.
| The Youngest Victims |
Allied leaders had vetoed efforts of the Famine Relief Committee, formed in 1942, to send food to the hard-
pressed civilians of occupied Europe. Allied leaders, above all Roosevelt and Churchill, were obdurate in their
refusal to cooperate with the Famine Relief Committee and the Red Cross. These actions were later transformed
into an American and British military ban on all private and church humanitarian aid to about 85,000,000
Germans. Millions were intentionally starved to death. Churchill had experience: he engineered the German
hunger blockade in WW One that starved to death up to a million German civilians..
pressed civilians of occupied Europe. Allied leaders, above all Roosevelt and Churchill, were obdurate in their
refusal to cooperate with the Famine Relief Committee and the Red Cross. These actions were later transformed
into an American and British military ban on all private and church humanitarian aid to about 85,000,000
Germans. Millions were intentionally starved to death. Churchill had experience: he engineered the German
hunger blockade in WW One that starved to death up to a million German civilians..
International charitable aid to Germany immediately after the war was
banned for a year, then restricted for more than a year. When it was
permitted, it came too late for millions of people, thousands of whom were
children. For months in parts of Germany, the ration set by the occupying
Allies was 400 calories per day; in much of Germany it was often around
1,000, and officially for more than two years it was never more than 1,550.
The number of German victims, for the most part civilian: women, infants
and children, as well as the elderly was a minimum of 9,300,000 and a
maximum of 15,700,000.
banned for a year, then restricted for more than a year. When it was
permitted, it came too late for millions of people, thousands of whom were
children. For months in parts of Germany, the ration set by the occupying
Allies was 400 calories per day; in much of Germany it was often around
1,000, and officially for more than two years it was never more than 1,550.
The number of German victims, for the most part civilian: women, infants
and children, as well as the elderly was a minimum of 9,300,000 and a
maximum of 15,700,000.
If one "googles" 'starving German children' or 'German war orphans', very
little pops up, as if there were no such thing. Yet, apart from a very low
estimate of 75,000 German children killed or maimed by World War Two
Allied bombing, thousands of others found themselves abandoned, orphaned,
lost and even stolen. Many were left to starve or fend for themselves at the
mercy of the elements or predators, and some were even murdered.
Thousands never saw their homes, friends, parents or relatives again. The
fates of many thousands of children was never learned. Posters such as the
one on the left of missing children were put up all over Germany and Austria.
little pops up, as if there were no such thing. Yet, apart from a very low
estimate of 75,000 German children killed or maimed by World War Two
Allied bombing, thousands of others found themselves abandoned, orphaned,
lost and even stolen. Many were left to starve or fend for themselves at the
mercy of the elements or predators, and some were even murdered.
Thousands never saw their homes, friends, parents or relatives again. The
fates of many thousands of children was never learned. Posters such as the
one on the left of missing children were put up all over Germany and Austria.
Switzerland, in contrast, took in thousands of orphaned and starving children
from Germany and especially in Austria after the war, nursing them back to
heath and organizing adoptions. They also set up kitchens in displaced persons
camps, attempted to reunite separated families and arranged medical care.
Countless thousands of children would have died without their assistance.
from Germany and especially in Austria after the war, nursing them back to
heath and organizing adoptions. They also set up kitchens in displaced persons
camps, attempted to reunite separated families and arranged medical care.
Countless thousands of children would have died without their assistance.
35,000 Austrian children were sent to the city of to Berne alone between 1945 and 1955 through the Swiss Red
Cross, and thousands more were sent to places all over Switzerland. The Swiss Red Cross in Austria struggled to
gain access to the children being starved in the Soviet occupied sector of Vienna.
Cross, and thousands more were sent to places all over Switzerland. The Swiss Red Cross in Austria struggled to
gain access to the children being starved in the Soviet occupied sector of Vienna.
Nutrition was poor and medical care absent. In 1945 alone, more than 13,000 people needlessly died,
among them some 7,000 children under five. The Danish Association of Doctors had decided in
March 1945 that German refugees would not receive any medical care. That same month their Red
Cross refused to take any action because public sentiment was "against the Germans." 80% of the
small children that landed in Denmark did not survive the ordeal. They either starved or were unable
to fight infections due to extreme malnutrition.
among them some 7,000 children under five. The Danish Association of Doctors had decided in
March 1945 that German refugees would not receive any medical care. That same month their Red
Cross refused to take any action because public sentiment was "against the Germans." 80% of the
small children that landed in Denmark did not survive the ordeal. They either starved or were unable
to fight infections due to extreme malnutrition.
In one horrible situation, some ten thousand German children under five died in Danish camps after
"liberation." In the final weeks of the war, between February 11 and May 5, about 250,000 German
women, children and elderly refugees from East Prussia, Pomerania and the Baltic provinces fled
from the Red Army across the Baltic Sea. A third of them were younger than 15 years old. They
were interned as enemies in hundreds of camps in Denmark, placed behind barbed wire and guarded
by heavily armed overseers. The largest camp was located in Oksboll, and had 37,000 detainees.
"liberation." In the final weeks of the war, between February 11 and May 5, about 250,000 German
women, children and elderly refugees from East Prussia, Pomerania and the Baltic provinces fled
from the Red Army across the Baltic Sea. A third of them were younger than 15 years old. They
were interned as enemies in hundreds of camps in Denmark, placed behind barbed wire and guarded
by heavily armed overseers. The largest camp was located in Oksboll, and had 37,000 detainees.
A childrens camp called Bischofswerda was set up near Leipzig
after thousands of refugees from the east poured into the city.
Typical of camps erected for orphaned and displaced children
without families, all such children who lived in the city were
registered and most went through hellish experiences, struggling
to survive with inadequate food and heat. Like most refugees,
those who experienced a starvation diet as children were
burdened with numerous health problems as adults.
after thousands of refugees from the east poured into the city.
Typical of camps erected for orphaned and displaced children
without families, all such children who lived in the city were
registered and most went through hellish experiences, struggling
to survive with inadequate food and heat. Like most refugees,
those who experienced a starvation diet as children were
burdened with numerous health problems as adults.
The death rate in 1945 reached a similar level to that of the 30 Years War nearly 300 years earlier,
at one point taking 4,000 people a day in places such as Berlin. There were approximately 53,000
orphans at war's end, many roaming the devastated countryside, living wherever they could find
shelter: in holes in the ground or hollows of trees, in boxes, old barns and bomb-damaged buildings.
at one point taking 4,000 people a day in places such as Berlin. There were approximately 53,000
orphans at war's end, many roaming the devastated countryside, living wherever they could find
shelter: in holes in the ground or hollows of trees, in boxes, old barns and bomb-damaged buildings.