Escape From Vichy : The Refugee Exodus to the French Caribbean

In the early years of World War II, thousands of political refugees traveled from France to Vichy-controlled Martinique in the French Caribbean, en route to what they hoped would be safer shores in North, Central, and South America. While awaiting transfer from the colony, the exiles formed influential ties―with one another and with local black dissidents. __Escape from Vichy__ recounts this flight from the refugees’ perspectives, using novels, unpublished diaries, archives, memoirs, artwork, and other materials to explore the unlikely encounters that fueled an anti-fascist artistic and intellectual movement. The refugees included Spanish Republicans, anti-Nazi Germans and Austrians, anti-fascist Italians, Jews from across Europe, and others fleeing violence and repression. They were met with hostility by the Vichy government and rejection by the nations where they hoped to settle. Martinique, however, provided a site propitious for creative ferment, where the revolutionary Victor Serge conversed with the anthropologist Claude Lévi-Strauss, and the Surrealist André Breton met Negritude thinkers René Ménil and Aimé and Suzanne Césaire. As Eric T. Jennings shows, these interactions gave rise to a rich current of thought celebrating blackness and rejecting racism. What began as expulsion became a kind of rescue, cut short by Washington’s fears that wolves might be posing in sheep’s clothing. This Book Follows The Wartime Escape Of Thousands Of European Refugees To Martinique, And The Myriad Encounters That Resulted. This Previously Untold Story Speaks To Many Contemporary Concerns, Including Migration, Cultural Trends, Resistance, Encounter, Ethnicity And Identity, Migration And Diaspora. The Roughly Five Thousand Refugees At The Heart Of This Book, Who Streamed From Marseille To Martinique In 1940-41 Comprised Spanish Republicans, Anti-nazi Germans, Jews, And Political And Intellectual Dissidents Of Various Stripes. Most Were Wanted By The Nazis. Their Desperate Quest To Reach The Western Hemisphere Led Them Into The Limbo Of Vichy-controlled Martinique, Which For Visa Related Reasons Proved Easier To Reach Than New York. There, Many Forged Lasting Ties, Amongst Each Other, But Also With Leading Local Dissidents, Be They Gaullists Or Young Thinkers Like The Césaires, Articulating Their Own Vision Of Blackness At This Very Time. The Book Explores The Intellectual And Artistic Convergences That This Encounter Elicited Between Negritude And Surrealism, While Bringing To Life The Particular Context Of Wartime Martinique.-- Undesirables -- Opening The Martinique Corridor -- Understanding The Martinique Route -- The Crossings -- Wartime Martinique -- Snake Charmers In A Viper's Nest -- Surrealism Meets Negritude -- The Window Closes. Eric T. Jennings. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. In the early years of World War II, thousands of political refugees traveled from France to Vichy-controlled Martinique in the French Caribbean, en route to what they hoped would be safer shores in North, Central, and South America. While awaiting transfer from the colony, the exiles formed influential ties--with one another and with local black dissidents. Escape from Vichy recounts this flight from the refugees' perspectives, using novels, unpublished diaries, archives, memoirs, artwork, and other materials to explore the unlikely encounters that fueled an anti-fascist artistic and intellectual movement. The refugees included Spanish Republicans, anti-Nazi Germans and Austrians, anti-fascist Italians, Jews from across Europe, and others fleeing violence and repression. They were met with hostility by the Vichy government and rejection by the nations where they hoped to settle. Martinique, however, provided a site propitious for creative ferment, where the revolutionary Victor Serge conversed with the anthropologist Claude L vi-Strauss, and the Surrealist Andr Breton met Negritude thinkers Ren M nil and Aim and Suzanne C saire. As Eric T. Jennings shows, these interactions gave rise to a rich current of thought celebrating blackness and rejecting racism. What began as expulsion became a kind of rescue, cut short by Washington's fears that wolves might be posing in sheep's clothing. This book follows the wartime escape of thousands of European refugees to Martinique, and the myriad encounters that resulted. This previously untold story speaks to many contemporary concerns, including migration, cultural trends, resistance, encounter, ethnicity and identity, migration and diaspora. The roughly five thousand refugees at the heart of this book, who streamed from Marseille to Martinique in 1940-41 comprised Spanish Republicans, anti-Nazi Germans, Jews, and political and intellectual dissidents of various stripes. Most were wanted by the Nazis. Their desperate quest to reach the Western Hemisphere led them into the limbo of Vichy-controlled Martinique, which for visa related reasons proved easier to reach than New York. There, many forged lasting ties, amongst each other, but also with leading local dissidents, be they Gaullists or young thinkers like the Césaires, articulating their own vision of Blackness at this very time. The book explores the intellectual and artistic convergences that this encounter elicited between Negritude and Surrealism, while bringing to life the particular context of wartime Martinique.-- Provided by publisher Zusammenfassung: This book follows the wartime escape of thousands of European refugees to Martinique, and the myriad encounters that resulted. This previously untold story speaks to many contemporary concerns, including migration, cultural trends, resistance, encounter, ethnicity and identity, migration and diaspora. The roughly five thousand refugees at the heart of this book, who streamed from Marseille to Martinique in 1940-41 comprised Spanish Republicans, anti-Nazi Germans, Jews, and political and intellectual dissidents of various stripes. Most were wanted by the Nazis. Their desperate quest to reach the Western Hemisphere led them into the limbo of Vichy-controlled Martinique, which for visa related reasons proved easier to reach than New York. There, many forged lasting ties, amongst each other, but also with leading local dissidents, be they Gaullists or young thinkers like the Césaires, articulating their own vision of Blackness at this very time. The book explores the intellectual and artistic convergences that this encounter elicited between Negritude and Surrealism, while bringing to life the particular context of wartime Martinique .. Early in World War II, thousands of refugees traveled from France to Vichy-controlled Martinique, en route to safer shores in North, Central, and South America. While awaiting transfer, the exiles formed influential ties with one another and with local black dissidents. As Eric T. Jennings shows, what began as expulsion became a kind of rescue Cover Title Page Copyright Contents Introduction 1. Undesirables 2. Opening the Martinique Corridor 3. Understanding the Martinique Route 4. The Crossings 5. War time Martinique 6. Snake Charmers in a Viper’s Nest 7. Surrealism Meets Negritude 8. The Window Closes Epilogue Abbreviations Notes Bibliography Acknowledgments Index