Cyprus Detention Camps papers

The Cyprus Detention Camps collection consists of collected administrative records, immigrant papers, and printed materials documenting the British army’s administration of detention camps established in Cyprus at Kraolos and Dekalia to hold Jewish immigrants illegally trying to enter Palestine. The collection includes administrative correspondence; a program for a British military performance of Ali Baba and the Forty Thieves; identification and immigration papers and luggage tags documenting a number of Romanian immigrants; and newspaper and magazine articles documenting the immigration efforts of Jewish refugees to Palestine.
Topics addressed in the administrative correspondence include political and religious groups among the refugees, procedures for the arrival and movements of immigrants, escapes and attempted escapes, supply shortages.
Immigrant papers primarily consist of identification papers of Romanian immigrants who were presumably held in the Cyprus detention camps and shipping tags, presumably used by immigrants held in the camps.
Printed materials include three issues of The Cypriot and clippings describing the Cyprus detention camps, immigrant ships, and Palestine.

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Carved stone book with a painted map of Cyprus and Palestine acquired by a British officer

Object

Small, carved stone book with painted maps of Cyprus and Palestine made by an internee at a British detention camp on Cyprus. It was given to or found by Lt. D.P. Grehan, Royal Irish Fusiliers, British Army, an officer at the Karaolos camp from March 1947 to June 1948. This piece was made from the local limestone, a frequently used material. Their tools were often made of recycled materials, such as tin cans, or nails and wood. The Joint Distribution Committee set up craft workshops to alleviate the boredom of confinement and the British encouraged it as a way to occupy the inmates. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and with restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Carved stone book with an inscription made for a British officer by a Jewish internee in Cyprus

Object

Carved stone book made by an internee at a British detention camp on Cyprus with a dedication for Lt. D.P. Grehan, Royal Irish Fusiliers, British Army, an officer at the Karaolos camp from March 1947 to June 1948. The signed inscription also has a Biblical quote from Leviticus about showing kindness to strangers. This piece was made from the local limestone, a frequently used material. Their tools were often made of recycled materials, such as tin cans, or nails and wood. The Joint Distribution Committee set up craft workshops to alleviate the boredom of confinement and the British encouraged it as a way to occupy the inmates. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Heart shaped carved stone ashtray acquired by a British officer

Object

Handcarved ashtray in the shape of a heart made by an internee at a British detention camp on Cyprus. It was given to or found by Lt. D.P. Grehan, Royal Irish Fusiliers, British Army, an officer at the Karaolos camp from March 1947 to June 1948. This piece was made from the local limestone, a frequently used material. Their tools were often made of recycled materials, such as tin cans, or nails and wood. The Joint Distribution Committee set up craft workshops to alleviate the boredom of confinement and the British encouraged it as a way to occupy the inmates. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Clip-on Daimon battery operated German flashlight acquired by a British officer

Object

German battery operated flashlight given to or found by Lt. D.P. Grehan, Royal Irish Fusiliers, British Army, who served as a commanding officer in the Karaolos detention camp in Cyprus from March 1947 to June 1948. This type of hanging flashlight was manufactured during the 1930s-40s by the German company Daimon, and was often used by the German military. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Square clip-on Daimon battery operated flashlight acquired by a British officer

Object

German battery operated flashlight given to or found by Lt. D.P. Grehan, Royal Irish Fusiliers, British Army, who served as a commanding officer in Karaolos detention camp in Cyprus from March 1947 to June 1948. This type of hanging flashlight was manufactured from the 1930s-40s by the German company Daimon, and was often used by the German military. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Stein marching compass in a hinged case acquired by a British officer

Object

German marching compass in a hinged Bakelite case acquired by Lt. D.P. Grehan, a Royal Irish Fusilier in the British Army who served as a commanding officer in a Karaolos detention camp on Cyprus from March 1947 to June 1948. This compass was manufactured by the German company Carl von Stein around 1939, and often used by the German military. It is likely a variation of the TYP 39, although it does not have a sighting slot cut into the lid or inner disk. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Borochov Group white flag with 2 blue stripes, yellow Star of David and fleur-de-lis acquired by a British officer

Object

Eretz Israel style flag, white with two blue stripes and a yellow Hashomer Hatzair logo acquired by Lt. D.P. Grehan, a Royal Irish Fusilier in the British Army who served as a commanding officer in Karaolos detention camp on Cyprus from March 1947 to June 1948. It also has the name of the Borochov Group, a Zionist Youth movement, whose members were interned in Camp No. 55 in Karaolos. The Ha-shomer Ha-tsa'ir Workers Party of Palestine, a Marxist-Zionist political party allied to the Kibbutz and socialist youth movements, was founded in 1946. Banners like these were used by internees at their tents and in parades and ceremonies. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Kibbutz Safiach red banner with a Star of David and fleur-de-lis acquired by a British officer

Object

Kibbutz Safiach banner with a Hashomer Hatzair logo acquired by Lt. D.P. Grehan, Royal Irish Fusilier, British Army, an officer in Karaolus detention camp on Cyprus from March 1947 to June 1948. The Ha-shomer Ha-tsa'ir Workers Party of Palestine, a Marxist-Zionist political party allied to Kibbutz and socialist youth movements, was founded in 1946. Banners like these were used by internees at their tents and in parades and ceremonies. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach Eretz Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.

Hashomer Hatzair white and blue banner for Kibbutz Safiac acquired by a British officer

Object

White and blue cloth banner with a blue and white Star of David and Hashomer Hatzair emblem acquired by Lt. D.P. Grehan, a Royal Irish Fusilier in the British Army who served as a commanding officer in Karaolos detention camp on Cyprus from March 1947 to June 1948. It is emblazoned with the slogan: Be strong and of good cheer. The Ha-shomer Ha-tsa'ir Workers Party of Palestine, a Marxist-Zionist political party allied to the Kibbutz and socialist youth movements, was founded in 1946. Banners like these were used by internees at their tents and in parades and ceremonies. The internees were Ma'apilim, illegal immigrants, most Jewish survivors of the Holocaust, captured while trying to reach . Israel without permission from the British. Great Britain controlled Palestine under a United Nations mandate and enforced very restrictive immigration policies. The huge number of postwar displaced persons led the British to set up the camps in 1946 as a deterrent. Ships attempting to bring unauthorized refugees were stopped by the British Navy and the passengers were interned on Cyprus. On May 14, 1948, the State of Israel was established. Within six months, most of the refugees interned on Cyprus were welcomed into the Jewish homeland.