International workshop “The Neutral Countries and the Plight of Jewish Refugees during the Holocaust: A Comparative Perspective”, UHGS, 12–13 February 2026.
Open call – deadline 30th of November 2025
CALL FOR PAPERS https://forms.gle/gvbe3dTvz3iwE7Qw8
Contact: Santiago López Rodríguez - santiago.lopez@uu.se
Sessions will be dedicated to understanding how national histories are intertwined, providing a more contextualized insight into neutrality during the Holocaust.
Although much has been written about Jewish refugees during the Holocaust, the role of neutral countries as places of refuge, transit, or obstruction remains unevenly studied and often treated in isolation. This international seminar will bring together scholars working on Holocaust studies in neutral countries - Sweden, Switzerland, Portugal, Spain, and Turkey - to explore how these neutral states responded to the Holocaust and the possible arrival of thousands of Jewish refugees during the Second World War.
The goal is to build a new research network focused on comparing state policies, border control practices, humanitarian efforts, and the lived experiences of refugees in and across these countries. The seminar will host international experts on the topic and lay the groundwork for collaborative research proposals and comparative studies. The goal is to foster long-term collaboration on this important but under-researched aspect of Holocaust history.
The workshop, funded by Riksbankens Jubileumsfond, is coordinated by Dr. Santiago López Rodríguez (researcher) and Matylda Jonas-Kowalik (PhD student).
International Workshop: “The Neutral Countries and the Plight of Jewish Refugees during the Holocaust: A Comparative Perspective”
Venue: Uppsala Centre for Holocaust and Genocide Studies, Uppsala University
Dates: 12–13 February 2026
Open call – deadline 30th of November 2025
CALL FOR PAPERS https://forms.gle/gvbe3dTvz3iwE7Qw8