Law, Order, and the Jewish Displaced Persons in the American Zone of Occupied Germany 1945-1951

This study examines the criminal justice system of the American zone of occupied Germany and the interaction between this system and the Jewish displaced persons (DP). The persistence of the perception of Jewish criminality is examined through these interactions. The Jewish DPs fell under the jurisdiction of Jewish DP camp authorities, the United States military, and the reconstituted German government. A detailed examination to each of these law enforcement entities is provided to give a clear assessment of the criminal justice system that existed. It then moves on to look at the position of the Jewish DPs within this system. In occupied Germany, the Jewish DPs were depicted as a criminal element, responsible for the black market and other crimes. An examination of the level of Jewish participation in crime and study of the crimes the Jewish DP were often accused provides a balanced assessment of these accusations. It has been argued that the persistence of the perception of Jewish criminality was simply caused by continued anti-Semitism in occupied Germany. It is contended here that there were a number of factors contributing to this view, including anti-Semitism. These factors include the physical appearance, mental trauma, continued use of survival techniques developed in the concentration camps, and the crime of their survival. It shows that the Jewish DPs were not a criminal element in occupied Germany, but were in fact victims of continued prejudices and conditions that were beyond their control.