Healing Holocaust Survivors

Healing Holocaust Survivors examines the psychological rehabilitation strategies implemented by two major international humanitarian organizations-the United Nations Relief and Rehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) and the Jewish Joint Distribution Committee (JDC)-in Displaced Persons Camps across postwar Europe from 1944 to 1948. Focusing on the mental health needs of Holocaust survivors and other refugees, the book explores how psychosocial expertise became entangled with citizenship, politics, and visions of Europe's reconstruction after World War II.

Drawing from archival sources, institutional reports, and psychological literature of the period, this is the first in-depth account of how mental health professionals approached psychological rehabilitation, trauma, identity, and recovery in a humanitarian setting. It reveals how psychological strategies were often shaped by, and instrumentalized for, broader political and regulatory goals-including refugee resettlement, nation-building, and international diplomacy.

Bridging the fields of history, psychology, refugee studies, and humanitarian aid, this book sheds new light on the origins of modern refugee mental health practices and the complex role of international organizations in shaping the lives-and minds-of displaced populations.

Read the interview with Stella Maria Frei on De Gruyter Conversations and learn more about the author and her book!

"A powerful and timely study on the politics of psychological rehabilitation in the aftermath of war and mass displacement. This meticulously researched book sheds new light on how international organizations not only helped rebuild societies, but also intervened in the inner lives of survivors. It compellingly shows that psychological recovery in post-conflict settings is never apolitical, but shaped by humanitarian agendas, strategic interests, and competing visions of international order. Essential reading for global leaders, policymakers, and all who shape the future of refugee protection and recovery in a world defined by crisis." - Bert Koenders, Professor for Peace, Justice and Security, Leiden University; Former Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and UN Special Representative in Côte d'Ivoire and Mali.