Cremona

The DP camp in Cremona in northern Italy was one of the largest centers for displaced persons in Italy. It housed over 1,000 refugees, the majority of whom were Jewish, many of them getting into the camp after illegaly crossing the Austrian border. The refugee center was located in a former school housing and was badly overcrowded. The vocational school in Cremona was one of the first post war ORT establishments in Italy, opening in late 1946. Despite difficult living conditions in the camp, the school was known to be particularly successful. In February 1948 it trained 108 students who attended courses in dressmaking, locksmiths training, carpentry, electrical installation and radio technology. The camp closed in March 1947 and the school was moved to southern Italy.