When the War was Over. European refugees after 1945
Published: 1 February 2013
1 - 11 February. An exhibition that tells the stories and experiences of people displaced in Europe by the Second World War at the University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel, 10-5pm daily.
Date: 1 - 11 February with an official opening and documentary film screening on 7 February at 11am
Location: University of Glasgow Memorial Chapel The Square, off University Avenue, Glasgow
This timely exhibition, in light of Holocaust Memorial Day in January, aims to tell the story and convey the experiences of people displaced in Europe by the Second World War. It addresses who they were and where they came from, their time in Displaced Persons camps, the relief work conducted by various organisations and the refugees' eventual return home or resettlement in new countries.
The exhibition was created by historians Jenny Carson and Peter Gatrell (University of Manchester) and Siobhan Peeling and Nick Baron (University of Nottingham). It is based on in-depth research conducted by the team into the causes and consequences of mid-twentieth century East European population displacements, with a particular focus on the immediate aftermath of the Second World War. It also seeks to encourage visitors to view current asylum policy and refugee stereotypes in historical perspective, and to consider alternative ways of thinking about migration and migrants.
In 2008, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) the world total of registered displaced people stood at 25 million, including 11.4 million who were refugees outside the border of their own country and 13.7 million were internally displaced. Around 43% were in Asia, 34% in Africa and 11% in Latin America. Fewer than 10 per cent were to be found in Europe.
More information about the exhibition and the wider research and public engagement project can be found on The University of Nottingham Website.
First published: 1 February 2013