"Comfort and New Hope." Il Welfare Assistance dell'Unrra in Europa (1943-1947)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.13135/2384-8987/3706Keywords:
post-second WW, reconstruction, welfare assistance, displaced Persons, camps and assembly centers for refugees, dopoguerra, ricostruzione, Displaced Persons, campi e centri di raccolta profughiAbstract
In 1943 the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (Unrra) was founded, as an agency which had a strategic role in reconstruction processes for most post-second World War European countries; it was called a “UN agency”.That organization acted in many fields: food aid and public health, row material and commodities and fuel provision, reconstruction with the aim of sustaining the economic, industrial and social recovery for the recipient countries. In the same time it developed assistential programs for weak and vulnerable classes, for abandoned children, for refugees and displaced persons (DPs). Most of its activities were closed at 30th June 1947, when Iro (International Refugees Organization) took over the lease. Based on documents issued by Unrra as main source, the article analyses with special attention the most significant dynamics and characteristics of the welfare assistance programs set in place by the agency. Besides health and food programs, the article analyses the policies developed for refugees and DPs not onlyby considering the assistance in camps and assembly centers but also by deepening other aspects, such as repatriation and recovery, as well as professional and rehabilitation courses.
Nel 1943 venne fondata la United NationsRelief and Rehabilitation Administration (Unrra), organizzazione delle Nazioni Unite che ricoprì un ruolo strategico nei processi di ricostruzione di molti paesi dell’Europa post-bellica. L’organismo operò sul terreno dell’assistenza alimentare e della salute pubblica, della fornitura di materie prime e carburanti con l’obiettivo di favorire la ripresa economica, industriale e sociale delle nazioni assistite. Parallelamente elaborò programmi di assistenza per le fasce più deboli della popolazione, per l’infanzia abbandonata per i profughi e per le DisplacedPersons (DPs), continuando la sua attività fino al 30 giugno 1947, quando venne sostituita dall’Iro (International Refugees Organization) che ne raccolse il testimone.Prendendo come punto di osservazione privilegiato la documentazione prodotta dall’Unrra, l’articolo si propone di indagare con particolare attenzione le dinamiche e gli aspetti più significativi caratterizzanti i programmi di welfare assistance attivati dall’agenzia. Oltre a quella dei progetti sanitari e alimentari, l’articolo intende fornire un’analisi dettagliata delle politiche attivate in favore di profughi e DPs, soffermandosi non soltanto sull’assistenza fornita in campi e centri di raccolta, ma approfondendo anche altri aspetti come il rimpatrio e il reinserimento, fino ad arrivare ai percorsi di formazione professionale e di riabilitazione.
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