Europe in Exile: European Exile Communities in Britain, 1940-1945

Martin Conway, José Gotovitch

Berghahn Books, 2001 - History - 281 pages

During World War II, London was transformed into a European city, as it unexpectedly became a place of refuge for many thousands of European citizens who through choice or the accidents of war found themselves seeking refuge in Britain from the military campaigns on the Continent of Europe. In this volume, an international team of historians consider the exile groups from Belgium, France, the Netherlands, Poland, Norway and Czechoslovakia, analysing not merely the relations between the plethora of exile regimes and the British government in terms of its military and social dimensions but also the legacy of this period of exile for the politics of post-war Europe. Particular attention is paid to the Belgian exiles, the most numerous exile population in Britain during World War II.

Martin Conway is Fellow and Tutor in Modern History at Balliol College, Oxford University.

José Gotovitch is Director of the Center for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society, Brussels.

Contents

• Introduction: 1
• British Government Policy Towards Wartime Refugees: 11
• Anglophilia: 35
• An Attempt at a Synthesis: 53
• Female Belgian Refugees in Britain during the Second: 67
• The Reconstruction of Belgian Military Forces in Britain: 81
• Belgian Military Plans for the PostWar Period: 99
• The Commission pour lEtude des Problèmes dAprèsGuerre: 121
• A SocioProfessional Profile: 135
• The Norwegian Armed Forces in Britain: 153
• The Czechoslovak Armed Forces in Britain 19401945: 167
• The Social History of Polish Exile 19391945: 183
• The French Community in Britain: 213
• Dutch Exiles in London: 229
• Society or CounterSociety?: 247
• The Exile Governments in London: 255
• Index: 275

About the author

Martin Conway is Fellow and Tutor in Modern History at Balliol College, Oxford University. José Gotovitch is Director of the Center for Historical Research and Documentation on War and Contemporary Society, Brussels.

Bibliographic information

• Title: Europe in Exile: European Exile Communities in Britain, 1940-1945; Berghahn Series; G - Reference,Information and Interdisciplinary Subjects Series
• Editors: Martin Conway, José Gotovitch
• Edition: illustrated
• Publisher: Berghahn Books, 2001
• ISBN: 1571815031, 9781571815033
• Length: 281 pages
• Subjects: History / Europe / General; History / Europe / Great Britain / General; History / Modern / 20th Century / General; History / Wars & Conflicts / World War II / General; Social Science / Anthropology / Cultural & Social; Social Science / Emigration & Immigration; Social Science / Refugees