FLASH REVISE CARDS - THE REFUGEES COMMITTEE OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS. The war closed all borders. Once countries began to issue passports to their citizens, refugees who had fled from, and consequently forfeited the protection provided by, their countries posed a problem. At this point the League of Nations began to help refugees attain official travel documents.

1. League of Nations – Mr. D’s History – St. Peter’s College, Auckland, New Zealand
THE REFUGESS COMMITTEE
OF THE LEAGUE OF NATIONS
War refugees returning home, being helped by the American Red Cross (left); Fridtjof Nansen as
the League of Nations' high commissioner for prisoners of war and refugees, during a stay in
Sofia, where he discussed the exchange of prisoners of war and refugees (right).
This committee helped to return refugees to their original homes after
the end of the First World War.
The League established a Commission for Refugees in 1921 and
Nansen was the first High Commissioner.
The Refugee Committee (Organisation) faced the problem of former
World War One prisoners-of-war stranded in Soviet Russia, Poland,
France, Germany and Turkey.
There was an estimated 250,000 Russians in German or French camps and
300,000 Germans and former Austro-Hungarians in Soviet Russia.
More than 1 million Greeks were made homeless during the Turkish War of
Independence (1919-1923).
The Norwegian explorer and scientist Nansen was given the
responsibility of finding a solution to this challenge.
The budget was very small, but Nansen worked together with the Red
Cross, helping 425,000 displaced people returning to their homes or
finding new homes. This happened in between 1920 and 1922.

2. League of Nations – Mr. D’s History – St. Peter’s College, Auckland, New Zealand
In autumn 1922 Fridtjof Nansen was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.
The Commission also established the Nansen passport as a means of
identification for stateless peoples.
Nansen’s methods were innovative, and he managed to solve problems
such as:
- Finding suitable transport
- Setting up camps
- Creating new settlements
- Teaching new trades and skills
- Issuing identity documents
The work of this commission was a considerable success of the League
of Nations.
The Armenia commission of the League of Nations. From left, on the first row are Georges
Carle, Fridtjof Nansen and C.E. Dupuis. In the background are Vidkun Quisling (left) and Pio
Le Savio (right).