THE
UNITED NATIONS RELIEF
AND REHABILITATION ADMINISTRATION
UNRRA 1944-1946
SHORT HISTORY
The
representatives of 44 nations met in Washington on November 9
1943
to sign the agreement establishing the UNRRA.
Three more
governments were admitted later, so that by 1946 UNRRA was
composed of
and financed by 47 governments.
UNRRA's main
task was to finance relief and rehabilitation supplies and
services
in those liberated countries which requested help, and which
lacked adequate foreign exchange
to finance the importation of supplies to cover the most urgent
relief and rehabilitation needs.
UNRRA's
authority in Occupied Germany has been broadly limited to dealing
with displaced persons
of United Nations nationality in the
American, British and French occupation zone.
Wiesbaden, August 1945. Dr BOLLAERT André, a Belgian physician who worked for UNRRA in 1945-1946. |
UNRRA meal voucher. |
Under the
basic agreement signed between UNRRA and SHAEF on November 25
1945,
the latter had to provide personnel to assist the military
authorities in displaced persons operations
in regard to health, welfare, administration and transport.
Death Card
of DE BONDT Marcel, UNRRA Transport Officer. Died on active service at Tornstetten, Germany, on August 7 1946. |
At the end of
December 1945 UNRRA had sent into the three military zones of
Occupied Germany
4.640 persons
including several hundreds of Belgians.
From 1945 until the end of 1946 the UNRRA repatriated 6 millions of displaced persons to their homelands.
Operations in Germany were terminated by the end of 1946.
BADGES AND INSIGNIA
THE UNIFORM.
Though UNRRA
was not a military organisation, both British and US uniforms
were worn,
with the main purpose of providing some authorithy to the UNRRA
personnel.
Uniforms were dyed chocoloate brown, to make a difference between military and UNRRA personnel.
Battle Dress blouse worn by MAQUESTIAUX, a Belgian member of UNRRA. |
CAP BADGE
UNRRA had it's own cap badge.
Two versions have existed.
A white globe on a dark red background.
White "UNRRA" on a scarlet circle.
Both versions were worn on the field cap and on the béret.
Globe version. | "UNRRA" version. |
On the right a UNRRA member with the globe on his field cap. |
ARM TITLE
Two versions of the arm title have existed.
White embroidered "UNRRA" on a curved scarlet background.
White embroidered "UNRRA" on a dark red rectangular background with white border.
The Arm Title was also worn on the shirt.
Curved "UNRRA" arm Title. |
Variant. |
Rectangular "UNRRA" Arm Title. |
Curved "UNRRA Arm Title worn on Great Coat. |
Belgian member of UNRRA wearing the curved "UNRRA" Arm Title on his shirt. |
SHOULDER STRAP INSIGNIA
A brass "UNRRA" version has been worn on the shoulder straps of the uniform.
UNRRA worn on the shoulder straps. |