The following is the text of a memo found in the JDC Archives describing the first experience of the Drottningholm passengers upon their arrival in Turkey. Helene was one of the prisoners traded from Ravensbrück. In recent days we’ve seen newspaper articles about the ship’s departure from Sweden and arrival in Istanbul.
13th April, 1945
DROTTNINGHOLM
The Drottningholm, the Swedish liner, arrived in Istanbul from Goteborg, Sweden, Tuesday, April 10th, 1945.
All passengers on board are being exchanged for German nationals, who are returning to Germany. Among the group who arrived were approximately 145 Jews, who were recently interned in the German concentration camps: Bergen Belsen, Ravensbruck, Westerbork, Theresienstadt and Auschwitz (extermination camp in Poland).
These Jews had lived as Turkish nationals for years in Milan, Vienna, Berlin, Amsterdam, Brussels and other cities in Europe. Their passports were in virtually all cases confiscated by German concentration camp officials. However, these people were fortunate in being exchanged. The entire group is destitute and completely without means.
Arthur Fishzohn, Director of the American Joint Distribution Committee’s activities in Turkey, and J.L. Trobe, another Joint Distribution Committee representative, now in Istanbul, en route to the Balkans, greeted the Turkish Jewish repatriates on board of Drottningholm and assured them that the Joint Distribution Committee would provide to the extend necessary.
The Turkish authorities accepted as valid the passports of approximately 30 of the Jewish passengers and they were permitted to land immediately. However, the authorities are questioning the validity of their claim to Turkish nationality of approximately 115 of this group.
The Turkish Authorities have transferred the 115 passengers in question to a Turkish tender in the Bosphorus, while completing their investigation on an individual basis of the claims of these people to Turkish nationality. They have already been on this tender for four days. Among these, are 24 children under the age of 14.
Messrs. Fishzohn and Trobe have been using all means to have these Jewish group recognized as Turkish nationals, or in cases where this may not be possible, to have the Turkish Authorities admit such persons to domicile in Turkey as refugees from Nazi persecution.
All these persons tell horrible tales of maltreatment in the concentration camps. Among the group were several women, who had been confined to camp Auschwitz in Poland. These women still bear the numbers of identification which have been seared into their arms. One of these women has her head completely covered with a shawl to hide her head shaven by the Nazis in the concentration camp. Her mother and other two members of her family, who remained behind in Auschwitz, have been exterminated.
Messrs. Fishzohn and Trobe on boarding the tender today, were besieged by all of the passengers enquiring into the truth of the reported death of President Roosevelt. They were saddened by the awful news and are transmitting a telegram of condolence to Mrs. Roosevelt.
Note: FDR died on April 12, 1945
Helene was one of the 115 passengers required to remain on the ship because Turkey did not recognize her claim to citizenship.