Records of The Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees -- General Records of the Department of State (RG 59) [CIVILIAN AGENCY RECORDS -- Department of State and Foreign Affairs Records]

The Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees was organized in London in August 1938 as a result of the Evian Conference of July 1938, which had been called by President Roosevelt to consider the problem of racial, religious, and political refugees from central Europe. Its main purpose was to assist in the resettlement of refugees from Europe in countries allowing permanent immigration. At the Anglo-American conference at Bermuda in April 1943, recommendations were made to the Committee and adopted in August 1943 for an extension of its mandate and structure in order to take into account not only immediately urgent situations but also the longer-term problems of the postwar period. After the establishment of the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration the Committee's responsibilities were limited to refugees in areas in which that Administration was not active and to refugees who for one reason or another did not come within the jurisdiction of the Administration, such as stateless refugees.

In July 1944, 37 governments participated in the work of the Committee. Of these, representatives of nine countries, including the United States, served on its Executive Committee. The primary responsibility for determining the policy of the United States with regard to the Committee was that of the Department of State. It ceased to exist in 1947, and its functions and records were transferred to the International Refugee Organization of the United Nations. Records of the Washington representative of the Committee were maintained at the State Department.

Records Relating to the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees [lot file 52D408]

Alphabetical Subject File, 1938-1941
   
                Boxes 1-15 location: 250/49/29/03
        Box #  File Title or Subject
        1  American Jewish Committee
                        American Jewish Joint Distribution Commiittee
            American Joint Distribution Committee location: 250/49/29/03
        2  Child Refugees location: 250/49/29/03
        2-3  Clippings location: 250/49/29/03
        4  German Refugees location: 250/49/29/03
        5  Hadassah
            Hebrew Shelting and Immigrant Aid Society
            Italian Refugees
            Jewish Central information Office
            Jewish Communities in Latin America
            Jewish Joint Distribution Committee location: 250/49/29/03
        6  Jewish Refugees
            Jewish Welfare Fedeal location: 250/49/29/03
        8  Polish Refugees location: 250/49/29/04
        9  Polish Refugees location: 250/49/29/04
        10  Rabbis location: 250/49/29/04
        10-11  Refugees location: 250/49/29/03
        11-12  Taylor, Myron C. location: 250/49/29/04

Miscellaneous Subject File, 1942-1947

        Boxes 1-4 location: 250/49/29/01
        Box #  File Title
        1  IGC Activities in Italy
            IGC-Comments on Statement Issued December 10, 1943 Concerning Aid  for Jewish Refugees
            IGC-Earl G. Harrison Report
            IGC-Emerson Report on International Assistance to Refugees
            IGC-Mr. Kullmann's Report After Visit to Switzerland [1944]
        2  IGC-Relations with War Refugee Board
            IGC-Relations with UNRRA
            IGC-War Refugee Board

Country Files, 1938-1941

        Boxes 1-7 location: 250/49/29/02
        Box #  Country
        5  Germany (2 folders)
        7  Switzerland

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