A network of anti-fascist librarians operated globally during the Spanish postwar period, aiding Republican intellectuals detained in French concentration camps. Letters between librarians from Paris, New York, and California reveal their passion for preserving culture and knowledge amidst fascist repression. These intellectuals managed to create educational opportunities, publish newsletters, and maintain cultural activities despite dire conditions. Their collaborative efforts spanned several countries, forming a lifeline of support for those displaced, as revealed by newly digitized documents shedding light on their struggles and resilience in the face of adversity.
We are going to win this war [] The fascists are destroying libraries everywhere. The people are building one in every new place they occupy.
Written amidst sand and wind, rain and cold, hunger and filth, without pretensions of any kind, it is intended as nothing more than a documentary contribution to the memory of this episode in our life as exiles.
The ramifications of this network of political struggle and humanitarian support had transatlantic reach.
A group of archivists based in France, Mexico, the United States, and Venezuela set in motion an efficient mechanism to assist these refugees, who were living outdoors, crowded into the sand like cattle.
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