# LCMS Convention Proceedings_St. Louis Missouri_1953_S546
# Machine transcription, uncorrected — CHI Digital Archive (demonstration)

546 MISCELLANEOUS MATTERS

Synod produced 530 separate assurances. But although th
was so gratifying, it is noted that these 530 assurances. 9;
in less than 5 per cent of the congregations of Synod. : .
With the assistance of the United States Displa
Commission, Pastor Kuntz established offices at Camp
near Hamburg, where selections were made, on the basis 6f:
made by the Commission, of predocumented Lutheran
families. The families were called in for interviews, .mate
accurately as possible. to the requirements of a specific F
oriented with respect to a job, housing, church and co
life, and assisted in the processing procedure. Many sui
had to be made for families who were rejected eve
examining medical authorities. Sponsoring congregati¢
notified of the details of our assignments as soon ‘ag
received a visa from the consul. Reception and pier s
New York were rendered in our behalf by the staff of the
Lutheran Council at a cost of $5.38 per person. This service
the purchasing of railroad tickets and informing’ the spo
congregation by wire of the exact time of arrival. We ar
to the National Lutheran Council for this service so exé
rendered. We could scarcely have organized such.
services of our own in so short a time, though women wor!
our New York churches rendered efficient volunteer serviegg
Our refugee families, of German Lutheran background}
from various countries behind the Iron Curtain, chiefl
Romania, and the former states along the Baltic Sea.-'T
before the onrushing Red armies in the late months bef
Hitler defeat. They abandoned their homes and possession
than face the enslavement and brutality for which ‘th
forces are known. Many, especially those of older age;
survive the ordeals of the flight. Those who did spilled’
waters over the borders of western Germany and sought
in camps or elsewhere. German relief funds were inad
provide for anything save only the barest necessities: of :
Families chosen out of this tremendous number,
free agreement, were assigned to each of our 530 assur:
The legislation under which we were operating alléw
for 54,744 people, which had to be issued before June, I!
ever, the number of visas allowed was exhausted by
271 of our assigned families had not as yet received: th
by that date, though many had completed processing and
only the signature of the consul. None of these we
emigrate. This tragic disappointment could have been avert
we been able to start our work at an earlier date. Many’ ie
families continue to write to us, pleading that we find som