# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1947_S659
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS 659

Barrack Churches
Several barracklike wooden structures have been bought in
witzerland for use in the larger cities. These barracks are pro-
vided to churches which have no temporary house of worship.
Seven such barracks have been provided —two for congregations
in Berlin, one for each congregation in Bochum, Frankfurt, Mal-
stadt, and Hamburg.
Representative in Europe
Because our relief work has gained such tremendous propor-
tions and because many contacts with European church officials
could be made more readily where a representative for European
relief is on hand, Dr. Martin Graebner was appointed at the request
of the NAEPC by Dr. J. W. Behnken to fill the post of Special
Representative in Europe.
Chaplains

Considerable advance work and preparation for the Emergency
Planning Council has been done by our Lutheran chaplains in
Europe. In many instances where strict military regulations
hampered the progress of our relief work, chaplains came to our
aid. In the early stages of our food shipments, their help in dis-
seminating packages, particularly into the Russian Zone, was in-
valuable. Without their assistance, our European commissioners
would have experienced considerable difficulty to secure proper
transportation facilities and accommodations. Our chaplains in
Europe today stand as representatives of true Lutheranism as
promulgated by the Missouri Synod and are recognized as such by
all with whom they come into contact.

Refugee Pastors

Hundreds of Lutheran pastors had to flee because of persecu-
tion into areas now ceded to Poland and Russia. Many of these
have applied to us for help. In Bavaria alone there is a group
of four hundred Lutheran pastors whom we have adopted as our
responsibility to feed and clothe and supply with books. Another
group of Estonian pastors —all Lutheran—in various displaced
person camps have also been adopted.

Thank-You Letters
A daily stream of letters came to the office of the Emergency
Planning Council from Finland, Germany, Poland, Austria, Hun-
gary, France, and other countries. On the average, one thousand
letters per week bring praises, requests, and thanks. One day in
February, a peak of 365 letters from Europe was reached.
To handle such a volume of correspondence, a special depart-