Gallery- 16 -
Clothing Distribution.
Clothing was warehoused in a somewhat haphazard fashion, records were incomplete, and clothing issues when clothing became available, were not frequent enough to keep pace with needs, probably because of the inability of Miss Portman to delegate her functions. In a letter dated 20th September 1945, the Chairman of the Latvian Relief Committee in Junkers wrote to the local UNRRA Field Supervisor listing the clothing shortages among the Latvians, and as his letter is believed to give a reasonably accurate picture of the pitiable conditions then prevailing, it is quoted below:
"On behalf of the Latvian Relief Committee of the DP Junkers Camp Bettenhausen I beg to report you briefly about what are our urgent needs and what has hitherto been done to mitigate them.
"At Junkers Camp we are 680 Latvians. Since the year 1940 when Latvia lost its independence we were not able to buy any clothes and shows. During the last time of war many of us lost everything they had. And remained with only what they had on.
"Since we are here we have received 49 pairs linen women and children shoes
| 133 knickers | |
| 280 shirts | |
| 250 socks | |
| 60 clothings | |
| 27 girl dresses. |
"Still we are in a very great need of clothes and shoes for
| grown-ups. | |
| 32 (20%) | children who have no shoes at all. |
| 346 (51%) | who have one pare of quite worn out shoes. |
| 330 (50%) | who have no winter overcoats. |
| 78 (32%) | persons who have no suits and are wearing worn out over-alls. |
| 27 (10%) | women who have no winter dresses. |
| 164 (69%) | men who have no hats. |
| 189 (70%) | women who have neither hats nor kerchiefs. |
| 187 (70%) | women who have no stocking. |
| 78 (15%) | men who have no underwear (shirts and pants). |
| 201 (40%) | have only one pair of underwear. |
| 207 (41%) | have only one very worn out suit or dress. |
"As is to be seen from the said above the supply in clothes and shows has been deficient.
"Therefore we kindly ask your assistance in supplying us with the above mentioned necessities before the cold weather arrived."
Sanitation and Camp Maintenance.
Dr. van Ackere, Team Medical Officer (see paragraphs at the end of this section on the camp hospital) write in a report dated July 29th, 1945:
"Each apartment has electricity, running water, drainage and toilet. There is a swimming pool in which the water is chlorinated
and
