Lecture by Alfredo Schwarcz 18.6.2025
German-Jewish emigration to Argentina between 1933 and 1945 is a chapter of history that has received little attention to date. Around 40,000 to 45,000 Jews from German-speaking countries fled Nazi persecution and found refuge in Argentina during this period - a country that was initially unfamiliar to them, but which offered protection and new opportunities. Alfredo Schwarcz, himself a descendant of German-speaking Jewish emigrants, approached this topic in his lecture from both a personal and historical perspective. He spoke about the experiences of refugees and their descendants: about arriving in a foreign country, building new communities and losing their familiar homeland. In particular, he focused on the question of how memory is preserved and how a sense of belonging evolves and reshapes itself across generations. In this context, Schwarcz presented the concept he coined of the personal “map of belonging” - a model in which belonging can change again and again over the course of a lifetime. Schwarcz frequently drew on his professional background as a psychologist, especially when addressing questions of identity and the process of coming to terms with one's origins. His talk was enriched by excerpts from interviews he conducted with people that provided individual insight into the complex reality of flight and exile. Following the lecture, a lively discussion developed with the audience. Key aspects of the presentation were taken up, reflected upon, and further explored through shared dialogue.
Text by Melanie Wittkopf
You can find out more about German-Jewish emigration to Latin- and South America in the online exhibition “Nothing. Just Leave!” Escape from Germany and New Beginnings in Buenos Aires, Montevideo and São Paulo.