Refugees Under Military Administration: The Jews of the Kastner Train as an Example for Reception Camps

The policy on asylum and refugees during the Nazi era is an intensively debated topic in a state like Switzerland whose humanitarian tradition no one would question. Although there are studies about the Swiss refugee policy, and the civil camps, the question of how the Swiss administration met the challenge of providing large numbers of refugees with housing, food and clothing, has not been adequately researched. In 1942, the increasing number of refugees strained the civil resources and the military was asked to stand in. Due to security policy, hygienic aspects, and the small number of civil-administration led camps, a complex system of camps was established by the military administration.

In my paper, I will outline the problematic situation of camps under military control. I will focus on the group of Jewish refugees who came to Switzerland in the so-called Kaster train. This group had an extraordinary status with more self-management than other refugees did, but they had to stay under military control until they left Switzerland. Using the sources, which are preserved in the Swiss Federal Archives, I will show how, the problematic status of this particular group of refugees was assessed by the administration.