ICRC Won't Release Impressions of Theresienstadt

Roswell McClelland, the U.S. Representative to the War Refugee Board in Switzerland, forwarded this message to Earl Harrison, the U.S. representative to the Intergovernmental Committee on Refugees, noting that the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) would not publicize the impressions of its delegate following his visit to Theresienstadt. He explains the ICRC might be used by the Germans for propaganda and also feared that upsetting the Nazis would limit their access to other camps. The ICRC also did not want to be seen as doing anything “protective” while insisting that it would continue to supply relief to Jews and shared the WRB’s concern for them. Some critics believe the ICRC did not do enough to help the Jews.