FRANKFURT — The first displaced persons airlifted out of Berlin landed at Rhine-Main Airport today, and with them came the first German Jews en route to Palestine with visas issued by the new state of Israel.
Four C54s hit the runway between 8:30 and 9:15 am, disgorging 126 refugees, all equipped with visas for emigration.
The first 400 DPs to be resettled in the U.s. Zone because of the Russian blockade of Berlin are due here tomorrow.
Headed for Palestine were 34 husky youngsters ranging in age from 18 to 25. Some of the men said they had traveled “black" from their homes in the Russian Zone to Berlin for the flight.
All. including the two girls in the group, said they were prepared to fight for Israel, although they might not get a chance because of the terms of the truce.
Five headed for U. S.This group, containing 30 German Jews and four Polish Jews, expects to leave Germany Tuesday. The first group which left Germany for Palestine with Israel visas was made up entirely of DPs.
The majority of those flown in today were on their way to Canada. Five were headed for the U.S. and a few for France. Babies and elderly women came through their first plane ride too excited to be airsick. Although they had to leave some of their belongings behind because of luggage restrictions, they expressed no regrets.
But first they were taken in a convoy of seven trucks to the Zeilsheim DP camp, where a hot meal and temporary quarters awaited them.
Kids up Since 5:30Children, who had been up since 5:30 am and had hugged teddy bears and dolls all the way from the DP camp in Zehlendorf, scampered out into the sunshine.
Wies Eugrund, 24, a veteran of Auschwitz, was glad to be out of Berlin, although such discomforts as the rationing of electricity had not bothered him. He was thinking of Palestine.
"Sure, I’d fight," he said. "And if the war is over, that will be better." Pert Ursula Bieber, 22, hopes to work on a farm in Palestine.
This article appears as it did in the print edition of Stars and Stripes.
