The Unwanted: European Refugees in the Twentieth Century

TLDR

Refugee movements have become a major factor in 20th‑century international politics, reshaping state relations. The book chronicles the rise of European refugee flows, examines their impact on Great Power diplomacy, and evaluates the development of aid agencies, highlighting both achievements and shortcomings. The author argues that 20th‑century European refugee crises marked a catastrophic new chapter in human history, foreshadowing contemporary crises in the Third World.

Abstract

There have always been homeless people, but only in this century have refugees become an important part of international politics, seriously affecting relations between states. This book traces the growth of this 20th-century phenomenon, and takes a stern view of the international community's apathy towards the vast homeless population. While a considerable portion of the book is devoted to the dislocations of the Nazi era, Professor Marrus also looks at the whole period from the late nineteenth century to the present, depicting the astounding dimensions of the problem. He also examines the impact of refugee movements on Great Power diplomacy, and considers the evolution of agencies designed to assist refugees, noting outstanding successes and failures. The book's thesis is that the huge refugee inundations of the twentieth century in Europe represented a terrible new page in human history, presaging what we see today in parts of the Third World. Readership: students and teachers of modern history and politics, especially European.