Figure 1.--This portrait shows the younger child survivors of the Buchenwald concentration camp three weeks afyer liberation (May 1, 1945). The boys are dressed in outfits made from German uniforms because pf a shortage of children's clothing. Among those pictured are first row (left to right): Lolek Blum, David Perlmutter, Birenbaum, Joseph Schleifstein, unidentified, and Israel Meir Lau (middle row, far right). Middle row: Nathan Szwarc, Jack Neeman, Berek Silber, Jacques Finkel, unidentified, Marek Milstein, and Salek Finkelsztein. Back row: Elek Grinbaum [or Grinberg], Chaim Finkelstajn [or Charles Finkel], Romek Wekselman [or Wajsman], and Abram Czapnik. Source:USHM.

We are entirely sure how the children were dressed. There are not many images, espcially of the children, just before liberation. Some of the children wore the striped prison uniform. This deoended on just hen they arrived. Some of the latest arrivals in the chaos of the final months were apparently not issued uniforms. There was a problem finding decent clothing for the children, many of whom were in rags or camp uniforms. We notice American soldiers escorting a group of boys a few days after liberation. (April 17). Very few are wearing camp uniforms. Most seem to be wearing ill-fitting adult clothing. The OSE staff reportedly found some Hitler Youth (HJ) uniforms. We can not yet confirm this. But we do notice some of the younger children outfitted in cut-down Heer uniforms. This may have looked like HJ uniforms to some authors. There was, as a result, a problem when the trasport reached France. Some people when they saw them thought that they were German boys. To avoid this 'KZ Buchenwald orphans' was painted on the rail cars. The children themselves chalked their own messages, like 'Hiltler Kaput'.

Created: 8:27 AM 2/19/2013
Last updated: 8:28 AM 2/19/2013