Figueira da Foz as a «site of memory» on the escape route from occupied Europe during the Second World War (1943-1945). Proposal for a historical itinerary

Abstract

This study presents a proposal for a historical itinerary based on the «sites of memory» resulting from the presence in Figueira da Foz (a coastal city in central Portugal) of refugees from World War II. This seaside resort was one of the places chosen by the Salazar regime to receive refugees on a temporary basis, while they were waiting to embark to other countries or continents. Drawing on historical documentation, literary works and memoirs, this study identifies and maps out the places inhabited and frequented by these refugees during their stay in the city. The aim is to connect the intangible values of European history with the history of the city and its civic culture. By appreciating local heritage, it also seeks to maximize its potential to become a cultural-tourist product, enabling its integration into transnational cultural circuits, within the framework of the European Union’s policy for cross-border regions whose main aim was to free Europe from Nazi power and to break up of occupied Europe.