Educational Media Reviews Online

Displaced is the true story of two U.S. Army privates who embarrassed the military occupation powers into improving the treatment of displaced Jews at the end of World War II. This video is based on the book of the same name that goes into much more chilling detail of the systemic cruelty that the concentration camp survivors received immediately after the Allied forces freed them. They existed in a limbo of passive neglect from the US while trying to survive in a blasted post War Germany that still vehemently blamed the Jews for their defeat.

Often released far from home, they found themselves herded into displaced person camps with inadequate shelter, food, hygiene and clothing. At best the weakened survivors had to subsist on 700 calories a day of rations, while the conquered Germans received much more. Nazi sympathies were still strong and contrary to popular opinion there was little done to de-Nazify the country. Soon, Nazi party member were back in their positions of power or working close with the American occupiers, making life miserable at every chance for the Jewish survivors.

These two privates discovered the horrendous treatment of the displaced Jews at St. Ottilien, a camp run by the US military. They protested to their superiors but they would take no action. In an effort to alleviate the suffering, the two GI’s smuggled food out of their canteen and into the camp. Security was increased when the U.S. military began to catch on.

They knew they had to do more, so one, who was a writer for local military newspaper wrote a scathing letter addressed to the American people. They bribed a printer to reproduce it, and personally mailed thousands of letters to people all over the United States, begging for donations. Their superiors did find out and threatened to send them to the Aleutians as punishment but they did not stop sending out the letters. A copy caught the attention of President Harry Truman who ordered an investigation, which led to the end of the abuse. The story is partially narrated by one of the surviving privates and features some of the survivors of St. Ottelien. This is a moving story that will make you want to also read the book. The only possible drawback is the rather steep price ($275).