Organizations

This subcollection covers the years 1937-1949 (the majority of the materials date from 1942-1946) and details the relationships and collaborations among JDC Istanbul's office and other Jewish organizations, NGOs, and governmental agencies and personnel. The files contain correspondence, cables, invoices, names lists, and expenditure statements.

Prominent correspondents include: the Jewish Agency for Palestine, whose rescue efforts were JDC-financed; the International Red Cross, under whose auspices JDC sent care packages to Jewish communities in Romania and Slovakia and to prisoners in the Theresienstadt concentration camp; and the U.S. Embassy in Ankara, Turkey. During World War II, mail from JDC's Istanbul office traveled via diplomatic pouch of the US Consulate in Istanbul. After the establishment of the U.S. War Refugee Board, of which JDC was the primary funder, in 1944 (learn more here), JDC staff worked even more closely with the U.S. Ambassador to Turkey, Laurence Steinhardt.

This Organizations subcollection contains three Record Groups:

Government

Jewish Organizations

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs)