15 Colorized WWII Photos of European Refugees: History's Stark Reminder

Renowned Time Magazine recently showcased a compelling series of World War II photographs, originally black-and-white, now vividly colorized. These images capture the desperate exodus of Europeans fleeing conflict—paralleling the plight of Syrian refugees today.

Professional photographer Sanna Dullaway meticulously colorized them to highlight a timeless truth: history repeats itself.

Only the faces have changed: Europeans in the 1940s, Syrians, Iraqis, and Afghans today.

From 1939 to 1948, more than 60 million Europeans were forced from their homes amid wartime devastation.

Decades on, Europe now shelters hundreds of thousands from Africa and the Middle East—separated by just 70 years.

The Washington Post's article, "The Forgotten History of European Refugee Camps in the Middle East," uncovers another overlooked chapter: In 1942, the UK established MERRA (Middle East Relief and Refugee Administration), enabling 40,000 Europeans to find refuge in camps across Syria, Egypt, and Palestine.

These 15 striking photos illustrate how history echoes, often with reversed roles. Witness the human stories:

1. May 1, 1945, Tangermünde, Germany: Residents flee Soviet troops across a bombed Elbe River bridge. Colorized by Sanna Dullaway.

Credit: Fred Ramage/Keystone/Getty Images

Credit: Fred Ramage/Keystone/Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

2. September 26, 1945: A refugee camp in Berlin.

Source: Fred Ramage/Keystone/Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

3. March 1945: Refugees in a German camp.

Source: AP Photo / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

4. Polish refugees, the sole survivors of a 150-person group from Lodz, huddle under blankets near Berlin, hoping for a British Army train.

Source: Fred Ramage / Keystone / Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

5. A homeless German woman amid the ruins of her city, destroyed by Allied bombings.

Source: John Florea, Courtesy of Steven Kasher Gallery / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

6. January 2, 1945: Refugees await departure from La Gleize, Belgium.

Credit: AP Photo / Peter J. Carroll / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

7. August 10, 1944: French refugees return home to Saint-Pois as American forces displace German troops.

Source: AP Photo / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

8. 1940: Paris evacuates as German invasion looms—families flee the capital.

Source: FPG / Hulton Archive / Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

9. 1945: A woman reads in an emergency refugee camp.

Source: Fritz Eschen / ullstein bild via Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

10. East German refugees cling to a train at a station.

Source: Berliner Verlag—Archiv/picture-alliance/dpa/AP / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

11. January 1945: Belgian refugees trek along a railway with their belongings.

Credit: Allan Jackson/Keystone/Hulton Archive / Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

12. 1940: A Belgian family flees on foot toward France.

Source: Three Lions / Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

13. May 18, 1945: Refugees behind barbed wire, awaiting passage to neutral Liechtenstein.

Source: Keystone-France / Gamma-Keystone via Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

14. August 7, 1944, Roncey, France: A man pulls a refugee's stroller tied to her bicycle.

Source: Fred Ramage / Keystone / Getty Images / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

15. May 31, 1944: Portuguese refugees arrive in Philadelphia, USA.

Source: AP Photo / Colorized by Sanna Dullaway

My own Italian family immigrated to France in the 1960s seeking work, forging our story across borders. These images resonate deeply, revealing our shared human ties. They affirm that amid war's despair, hope endures—even in a new homeland.