Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter
On June 12, 1944, the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter was established in Oswego, New York by order of President Franklin D. Roosevelt and was operated by the War Relocation Authority.
In August 1944, the shelter received 982 refugees of predominantly Jewish descent and of various national backgrounds, especially Yugoslavian, Austrian, Polish, German and Czechoslovakian.
At various points, it was a British fur trading post, then an active military post for the US Army from the war of 1812 all the way through World War II as well as a major supply depot for its whole active service, then an educational camp for people who were illiterate, before finally being closed on March 15, 1944.
The War Relocation Authority already had previous experience running a refugee camp within the United States.
Initially, plans were made to install spotlights along the existing 6-foot chain-link fence, as well as having 150 armed guards around the camp perimeter.
When Germany surrendered on May 6, 1945, twenty-four days after President Roosevelt's death, the question of what to do with the camp became a pressing issue.
Some refugees chose to return to Europe, whether to find family members, or under the impression that their homes and businesses still remained as they had left them.
Many were granted permanent or temporary status and allowed to stay in the country, sometimes ending up in the homes of family or friends.
When it came to selecting the refugees who would be permitted to come to the United States, there were special criteria established by the WRB and President Roosevelt.
Refugees who had fled Yugoslavia who were communist sympathizers or had political ties to Josip Broz Tito were not allowed.
Only those who swore loyalty to Yugoslavia's monarch Peter II and wanted nothing to do with Tito, Joseph Stalin and the Communist party were accepted.
Notification of acceptance for movement will be given as quickly as possible after your applications has been received.An abandoned mental asylum in Aversa, Italy was used as a central collection area for the refugees.
After the selection, Ackermann brought the refugees to Naples, Italy, where the USAT Henry Gibbins, a troop transport ship, was waiting to join a convoy.
In addition, the mix of a normal diet and sea travel had a bad effect on those who had been used to hunger and poor nutrition.
They were subjected to the same routine performed on all returning servicemen, but without explanation, adding to their confusion and fear.
Some local citizens from Oswego visited the camp to welcome the newcomers, passing sweets and gifts through the fence and people from Syracuse, Utica, Tupper Lake, Sackets Harbor, Mexico, Rome, Poland, Russia, Frankfort, Ilion, Watertown and Queensbury of Jewish, Catholic or Protestant descent came to give parcels or donations of clothes, food and even toys for the children.
In the Fort Ontario Emergency Refugee Shelter, there were 496 "units" (which are defined as either families or unaccompanied individuals).
Others were hidden and aided by members of Resistance groups, kindly neighbors or who made deals with black market smugglers and to get them to where advancing Allied Soldiers were nearby.
There was no plan for health care other than that which threatened the health of an individual or the group, and there were no plans to educate any of the child refugees although refugee children and teenagers were allowed by the town to attended local schools and tutors were allowed to come into the camp.
A large majority of the group was Jewish, while others were Roman Catholic, Protestant, and Greek and Russian Orthodox.
