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Résumé anglais |
Borders, immigration and international relations on the eve of the Second World War
Claudine PIERRE
Following a long period of occupation during the Great War, the Ardens resorted to a policy of mass immigration aiming at facing the needs imposed by the rebuilding and owing to the shortage of agricultural and industrial workforce. This border area can be used as the geographical frame for the study of the major international crises repercussions had on immigration between WWI and WWII.
The economic crisis brought out new behavioral patterns. Although the number of foreign migrant workers was decreasing, there appeared xenophobic attitudes. Despite the pressure of public opinion, employers hindered any measure of regulation concerning the hiring of foreign labour. The resulting feeling of uncertainty acted as an incentive towards the integration of the foreigners.
However the terrible events that led to the War questioned and upset the efforts towards stabilization made by most foreigners. They were soon considered as would-be enemies. The first ones were the Poles with the breaking out of the Munich crisis which made of them targets of a French people all the more worried and fearful they might be sacrified again since living in a border area. The Italians had become a threat ever since Mussolini's diplomatic reversal. What they did was to try to prove again and again their loyalty towards their host country. When the war broke out some Czechoslovakians were interned after various blunders for being « subject to the Reich ». These hard times further reinforced the precarious situation of foreigners living in border areas. |
