In September 1945, the
Control Commission for Germany - British Element (CCG/BE) built a camp in Friedland, near the American (
Hesse) and
Soviet occupation (
Thuringia) zones. The camp was designed as the first way station for refugees, evacuees, and returning soldiers. Starting in 1947, the camp was administered by the federal state of Lower Saxony. During the period of mass expulsions from 1944 to 1945, the camp offered services to large waves of
refugees. Thereafter, it functioned primarily as a way station for
German (or ethnic German) emigrants from Eastern bloc countries, especially from
Poland,
Romania, and the Soviet Union. Between 1950 and 1987, approximately 1.4 million people of German extraction came to the
Federal Republic from the East; more than 60% of these emigrants came from Poland. Today Friedland is an initial reception center for asylum seekers and refugees from all over the world. ==References==