Selected records of the World Jewish Congress New York Office. Series D. Sub-series 3: Location Service

The World Jewish Congress, an international Jewish representative organization, was formed in 1936. In July 1940 the headquarters of the World Jewish Congress was moved from Geneva, Switzerland, to New York City, N.Y., due to World War II. Instrumental in its founding were the American Jewish Congress (AJC), established in 1918, and the Comité des Délégations Juives (Committee of Jewish Delegations), which was founded in 1919. The Location Service department began as the Refugee Relief Department or Division for Displaced Persons, which was established in October 1942 in New York by the WJC and American Jewish Congress. Later, it was renamed the Personal Inquiry Department (1944–1945), then, finally, the Location Service (1945–1947). Headed by Chaim Finkelstein, the purpose of the department was to trace Jewish survivors in Europe and help Jews in the United States and Europe reestablish contacts. The Location Division was transferred to the AJC Women's Division in February 1947 and discontinued in November of the same year. Activities of the department included compiling and publicizing lists of refugees and survivors and conducting a parcel service. The WJC also established search departments for displaced persons at their office in Geneva (1939) and London (March 1945 to 1955). The Location Service files include lists of survivors, known dead, and inmates of concentration and refugee camps. The subseries also contains correspondence, reports, and other materials pertaining to displaced persons camps and survivors after the war [Source: American Jewish Archives (AJA)]

American Jewish Archives

Source of acquisition is the Jacob Rader Marcus Center of the American Jewish Archives (AJA), the World Jewish Congress New York Office records. Series D. Relief and Rescue Departments, Sub-Series 3: Location Service. The USHMM Registry of Jewish Holocaust Survivors purchased the collection for research purposes in 1995. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Archives received it by transfer in August 1997.