Source Information
This collection was indexed by World Memory Project contributors from the digitized holdings of the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, RG-59.027M: Records of the Religious Society of Friends in Great Britain: Friends Committee for Refugees and Aliens (FCRA). For more information about this collection, click on the collection title above to access the USHMM’s catalog record, or email [email protected].
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About Great Britain, Holocaust Records From The Religious Society of Friends, 1933-1942 (USHMM)
This database is an index of committee minutes and correspondence that often named refugees and described their situation. The original documents are held by the Library of the Religious Society of Friends in Britain.
Established in 1933 as the German Emergency Committee, the Friends Committee for Refugees and Aliens (FRCA) worked to help refugees from continental Europe fleeing persecution and war. The organization founded refugee centers in Britain to house the refugees and taught them English and farming skills. They also aided emigrants leaving France and England for the U.S. and South America.
Historical Background
The Religious Society of Friends, also known as Quakers, was founded by George Fox in the mid-17th century in England. Their strict moral code that placed faith above country, refusal to participate in the state church or pay tithes, and a non-violence ethic that forbade military service made them the subject of persecution. Despite this, Quakers, often called “Friends,” have made their mark in progressive social movements such as abolition, workers’ rights, women’s equality, and anti-war efforts.
Ordering Records
Additional details about these victims may be included in the original records. While the index is freely accessible from Ancestry.com, the images of these records are not available in this database. Copies of the images can be ordered at no cost from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Click here for ordering information.
