The ‘Homecoming’ of the Activists: How the Communist Refugees Returned from British Exile

This paper considers how many of the Communist refugees — German, Austrian and German-speaking Czechs who were in exile Britain during Second World War, followed dictates Party returned home after war to help rebuild their war-torn countries physically, politically, economically socially. While British authorities permitted Czechs, as ‘friendly aliens’, leave without too much delay, obstacles put way German frequently could not until late 1946 or thereafter. The examines relations between frustrated officialdom well reception received from compatriots on eventual ‘homecoming’. Generally speaking, returning Communists did fare well. In Austria, returnees, whom course Jewish, met with continuing antisemitism anti-communism; Czechoslovakia, Cold War set in, some arrested while others fled once again; GDR, preferred destination Communists, label ‘Westemigrant’ prove a considerable handicap. All all, despite initial idealism, common experience was one disillusion disappointment.