The Nansen International Office for Refugees (') was an organization established in 1930 by the League of Nations and named after Fridtjof Nansen, soon after his death, which was internationally in charge of refugees from war areas between 1930 and 1939. It is noted for developing the Nansen passport which allowed stateless people to travel between countries. It received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1938.

History

thumb|right|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 Pio Le Savio (left) and Vidkun Quisling (right).]]

The Office International Nansen pour les Réfugiés was established in 1930 by the League of Nations, shortly after the death of its name patron Fridtjof Nansen to continue his successful work in international aid for refugee. It thus continued the organization in Geneva, Switzerland, founded by Nansen in 1921.

<gallery heights="200" widths ="200">

File:Nansen cs cover.jpg|Nansen passport cover, <br>Police office, Prague, 1930

File:Nansen cs stamp.jpg|A stamp in a Nansen passport, <br>Nansen International Office for Refugees

</gallery>

Accomplishments

The Nansen International Office for Refugees was responsible for the adoption of the 1933 Refugee Convention, which was a modest charter of human rights, by fourteen countries. The Nansen Office was instrumental in finding shelter in specially constructed houses in villages in Syria and Lebanon for 40,000 Armenians, after the resettlement of another 10,000 in Yerevan. The Office also successfully resettled Saar refugees in Paraguay after its reintegration into Germany in 1935.

Nobel Peace Prize

The Nansen International Office for Refugees was awarded the 1938 Nobel Peace Prize for its efforts to establish the Nansen passports.

See also

  • International Refugee Organization
  • United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees

References

Bibliography

  • Adams, Walter, Extent and Nature of the World Refugee Problem, The Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, 203 (May 1939) 26-36.
  • Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees. Paris, Nansen Office for Refugees, 1938.
  • Hansson, Michael, The Refugee Problem and the League of Nations. Conference held at the Norwegian Nobel Institute, Oslo, January 7, 1938. Geneva, 1938.
  • Macartney, Carlile A., Refugees: The Work of the League. London, 1930.
  • Nansen, Fridtjof, Armenian Refugees, League of Nations Document C. 237. 1924.
  • Nansen, Fridtjof, Russian Refugees: General Report on the Work Accomplished up to March 15, 1922, League of Nations Document C. 124. M. 74. 1922.
  • Nansen International Office for Refugees. Report by the Governing Body to the Twelfth Assembly of League of Nations [A.27. 1931.] See also Report by M. Michael Hansson, Former President of the Governing Body of the Nansen International Office for Refugees, on the Activities of the Office from July 1 to December 31, 1938. [A. 19. 1939. xii] (1939. xii. B.2).
  • Simpson, Sir John Hope, The Refugee Problem: Report of a Survey. London, 1939.
  • Statutes of Nansen International Office for Refugees as Approved by the Council on January 19th, 1931, League of Nations, Official Journal, February 1931, pp.&nbsp;309–311.