Persecution and Fear of Reprisals after the Second World War examines one of the key causes of population displacement in Europe between 1945 and 1960. Although the war ended in May 1945, violence and political instability continued across much of the continent. In Western Europe, suspected collaborators faced revenge attacks during the period known as the “wild purges”. In Eastern Europe, the expansion of Soviet influence led to arrests, deportations and political repression against resistance fighters and political opponents. Ethnic violence also contributed to displacement, particularly the expulsion of ethnic Germans from Eastern and Central Europe. Jewish survivors of Nazi persecution often encountered continued hostility, including events such as the Kielce Pogrom in Poland in 1946. These developments meant that many people feared returning home and instead became refugees or displaced persons after the war.

This student worksheet helps students explore these historical developments through short readings, historical examples, source analysis and classroom discussion activities. The tasks encourage students to examine evidence and consider why persecution and fear played a significant role in displacement across post-war Europe.

What students will learn

Learning objectives students will:

• Understand how reprisals against suspected collaborators occurred after liberation in Western Europe
• Examine the expulsion of ethnic Germans from Eastern and Central Europe
• Explore how Soviet expansion led to political persecution and arrests
• Investigate continued anti-Semitic violence affecting Jewish survivors after the war
• Analyse a political cartoon showing Soviet influence in post-war Europe
• Evaluate which factors were most significant in causing displacement after 1945

These activities support discussion, source analysis and written reasoning while helping students connect historical events to broader patterns of displacement.

What’s included

• Student worksheet with historical explanations and guiding questions
• Source analysis activity using a political cartoon (Source A)
• Table activity identifying examples of persecution and displacement
• Discussion activity evaluating the significance of different causes
• Video sections with space for student note-taking
• Teacher answer guidance for the worksheet activities

Curriculum alignment

This resource is particularly useful for:

• IB DP History – Paper 1 (Sources and Perspectives)
• IB DP History – 2028 Focused Study 4: Conflict and Displacement
• Case Study: Post-war displacement in Europe (1945–1960)

The lesson Persecution and Fear of Reprisals after the Second World War helps students develop a clear understanding of how violence, political repression and fear shaped population movements across Europe after 1945, while providing teachers with a structured worksheet ready for classroom use.

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