The displaced persons camp of Eschwege, a former German air force base in the Frankfurt district of the American-occupied zone, became a displaced persons (DP) camp in January 1946. The camp housed approximately 1,770 Jews at the time of its opening and its young population quickly developed a revitalized community, evidenced by the opening of a kindergarten with 50 children by April 1947. In contrast, the elementary school had only 30 students at that time. It also had a Talmud Torah, a cheder, and a yeshiva, as well as a "Bet Ya'akov" religious high school for girls.