Immigration and Post War Life

This section focuses on the movement of refugees and immigrants during and following World War Two. Students will research support services for immigrants and refugees in their own communities, as well as how they can personally support new immigrants.

Guiding Question

• What are the local resources to support immigrants and refugees?

Introduction

Discuss the difference between key terms: immigration, migration, refugee, displaced person.

Lesson Activities

Immigration and Refugee Movement

First, the class will research patterns of mass immigration during and immediately following the Holocaust. The three following resources provide information and activities to prompt learning (there are many resources available online).

• Primary Voices (https://vhec.org/primaryvoices/immigration/) – The Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre has a collection of survivor testimonies in their Primary Voices program. In “Immigration,” students can explore survivor immigration stories: the experiences survivors had while immigrating and creating new identities. Students should create an inquiry question through an optional activity.

• Open Hearts Closed Doors (https://vhec.org/open-hearts/english/index.html)  – Another resource by the Vancouver Holocaust Education Centre, Open Hearts Closed Doors follows the lives of children orphaned by the Holocaust, as well as their journeys fleeing to Canada. Students may find this resource easier to connect with because the ages of those studied match their own.

• Responding to a Refugee Crisis (https://www.facinghistory.org/resource-library/teaching-holocaust-and-human-behavior/responding-refugee-crisis) – Facing History & Ourselves has created a lesson plan entitled Responding to a Refugee Crisis, which is part of a larger unit on teaching the Holocaust and human behaviour. Though specific to Germany, this lesson provides an interesting view on the difficulties of leaving Nazi-occupied Europe, and of immigrating more broadly.

Canada’s Reaction

The class could discuss Canada’s reaction (or lack thereof) to these immigration movements. Additionally, the class could discuss a history of a history of patterns of refugee movements  in Canada or in Canadian policy (current or past).

Local Support Services

Finally, we will look at support services available to immigrants, and specifically refugees, in Canada and locally. (The United Nations High Commission on Refugees has many resources.)

Local support services vary greatly. In Vancouver and surrounding areas, organizations include:

• Immigrant Services Society of BC
• MosaicBC
• Kinbrace
• WelcomeBC
• BC Refugee Hub
• NewToBC
• Multi-Agency Partnership BC

This could be an informal in-class discussion or a more formal assignment. Students could write a journal entry about the services, or about difficulties that immigrants to BC communities might face. Alternatively, David’s story could be examined as a class, with a focus on brainstorming what services he may benefit from.

Extension

Students could then select a different survivor to research via testimony before creating a list of services refugees and survivors might benefit from.