Simon Kalmas - May 25, 1982
Permission Granted to Move to United States
What office was this?
It was the UNRRA. United Refugee Organization of America, or something like that. Okay, so she tells me what happens and "We'll be in touch with you." That was in '48--1948. It didn't take long. I was accepted. I went through the whole damn shebang. I was already packed to leave, I was just waiting for the, the date--ready to leave. I get a letter or get called down there--I believe I was called in person--that all that what was previously accepted has been canceled. A new law is now in effect in the United States that you have to go by number now. Well, lucky me that Truman, Truman--President Truman--he should I believe a hundred and ten thousand new immigrants in the displaced persons camp and I got a number from him. Took a whole year. Finally made it in 1949. So April 5, 1949 I arrived at the shores of New Orleans. That's the Nation...Nashville, Tennessee.
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