The John Batchelor Show
The John Batchelor Show
John Batchelor Show.
Jane Rogoyska explores the history of Paris's Hôtel Lutetia, which served as a haven for fleeing Weimar intellectuals before becoming a Nazi
37 minutes Posted Aug 28, 2026 at 12:37 am.
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Jane Rogoyska explores the history of Paris's Hôtel Lutetia, which served as a haven for fleeing Weimar intellectuals before becoming a Nazi military intelligence headquarters in 1940. Rogoyska traces waves of refugees fleeing Nazi persecution, including writers Heinrich Mann and Lion Feuchtwanger. These figures struggled to warn an indifferent Europe about the dangers of fascism. Despite personal tragedies and bureaucratic challenges, literary giants like James Joyce, Samuel Beckett, and Arthur Koestler frequented the hotel, carrying poison just in case they were captured. (6)