1. Léo Lepinçon University of Poitiers, France Political refugees around the Second World War: The case of the Spanish Republicans in the Vienne between 1936 and 1940.

2. The Spanish civil war: From July 18th 1936 to April 1st 1939; The Republicans of the Frente Popular : Center- right (Union Republica), the Radicals (Izquierda Republica), the Communists, the Socialists, the Anarchists, the trade-unionists, the Basque’s nationalist parties, and the Basque’s clergy ; The pro-franquists : a great majority of the army, the police’s forces of the Guardia civilia, the carlist and alphonsin monarchists, fascist party of The Phalange, political parties of the Autonomous Rights Spanish Confeferation and the Spanish’s clergy.

3. Spanish refugees in France during the Civil War: From 1936 to January 1939 : 150 000 Spanish refugees in France (mainly civilians) ; Retirada’s upsetting of February : 500 000 Spanish refugees (civilians, soldiers and militiamen) ;

5. The sources : Vienne’s departemental archives : Subserie 4 M 1661 - 1695 : « Spanish refugees 1936-1940 » ; Testimonies : two formers Spanish refugee women who have been sheltered in Poitiers (Mrs. Aguilar and Mrs. Nadal) ; Others testimonies gathered and others archives.

6. Communication’s plan : I - Ebb and flow of Spanish refugees between 1936 and 1939 ; II - Life of Republicans refugees in the Vienne ; III – Poitevine solidarities towards refugees.

7. Five waves of Spanish refugees : Five waves of Spanish refugees : 1) Summer 1936 : Nationalist offensive on the Basque’s country ; 2) From summer to autumn 1937 : Capture of the North’s front (Asturias) by the franquist troops ; 3) Spring 1938 : Republican’s offensive (failed) on Aragon ; 4) February 1939 : The Retirada, massive republican retreat from Catalonia ; 5) March-April 1939 : Fall of the last Republican cities (Madrid, Valencia, Alicente) but Vienne not concerned.

12. Repatriations : Massive repatriations in September 1937 : September 4th 1937 : 1568 refugees October 10th 1937 : 43 refugees 1938 : low level of repatriations : March 16th 1938 : 384 refugees January 21st1939 : 257 refugees From July 1939 and April 1940 : 57 % (1351) on the 2386 refugees present in February 1939 have been repatriated to Spain. In the Vienne, only 62 Spaniards left France to another country (Mexico, Argentina) between August 1939 and June 1940

13. Poitiers, main hosting place for refugees :

14. First plan for the internement camp of Poitiers ( extract from DA 86 : 4 M 1676 : individual quieries to the prefect : plan of chosen fied for refugees’ camp ) :

15. Example of Spanish laissez-passer and individual notice (extract from DA 86 : 4 M 1678 : Spanish refugees employement) :

16. Spanish refugees employement : 696 Spaniards employed in the departement between August 1939 and April 1940 ; 75,7 % of them (527 refugees) in the industry, while the Vienne is mainly turned on agriculture ; At least 11 Spanish Worker Company, so 2,750 refugees in the Vienne (but not recorded as refugees in departemental statistics).

17. The French-Spanish Mutual Aid Committee : Active from June 1937 fo 1939 ; 50 members : officials (mayors, prefect…), journalists, soldier, religious, trade-unionists, individuals…; 3 kind of actions : ◦ Collections of donations ; ◦ Distribution of objects and material ; ◦ Supporting, following and sheltering refugees.

18. Conclusion : More than 4,000 Spanish refugees received in the Vienne between 1936 and 1940 ; Highest number : February 12th 1939, 2,387 refugees in the Vienne ; Limoge’s road internement camp : deep rupture in the living conditions, the daily life and the way the refugees are considered ; Real help carried out by the French-Spanish Mutual Aid Committee, but the population been rather indifferent to the condition of the Spaniards.