History Extra podcast

Kindness & hostility: refugees in wartime Britain

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Episode notes

Before and during the Second World War, Britain provided a safe haven for thousands of people fleeing Nazi persecution. But, as the author Paul Dowswell argues, this is not an entirely heroic story. In conversation with Rob Attar, Paul explains how huge numbers of Jews were denied entry to Britain and reveals how many of the refugees who were accepted received a hostile welcome.

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The HistoryExtra podcast is produced by the team behind BBC History Magazine.

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