About the RIBA Refugee Committee
Architects fleeing persecution
Hitler’s rise to power in 1933 saw the beginning of systematic discrimination and persecution of certain groups of the German population: initially political opponents and those of Jewish heritage, and then increasingly anyone who was not considered ‘Aryan’, heterosexual, or in line with the party’s politics and views.
People started losing their positions, their jobs, their access to education, and the possibility to provide for themselves or their families. As they felt they could no longer stay in Germany, many decided to emigrate, and Britain was one of the few countries they believed could provide refuge - particularly for its longstanding tradition of tolerance.
In their attempt to relocate to Britain, they were joined later in the decade by inhabitants of other countries affected by Germany’s expansion policy, such as Austria, Czechoslovakia, and eventually Hungary. The refugees came from a variety of different backgrounds, including architecture.
Creation of RIBA’s Refugee Committee
In response to the sharp rise in related requests for admission to this country, in January 1939 RIBA set up a special committee, which was tasked to strike a difficult balance between giving assistance to foreign colleagues and safeguarding job opportunities for local architects in a period of economic uncertainty.
The ‘RIBA Refugee Committee’, headed by RIBA Librarian Edward ‘Bobby’ Carter, considered and acted on urgent cases, made recommendations to the Home Office, undertook statistical analysis, and consulted other professional institutes. It eventually produced a detailed report for the RIBA Council, which was praised in the architectural press for its clarity. The activities of the committee, however, were cut short by the outbreak of the Second World War in September of the same year.
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Reflecting on the committee’s legacy
Between 1938 and 1941, more than 200 individuals (mostly architects) became known to RIBA and its Refugee Committee, either directly or via other refugee organisations. Some of these architects had already achieved recognition, while others had barely managed to embark on their careers. Some succeeded in emigrating and rebuilding their lives abroad. Of those who stayed behind, many did not survive the war. They all deserve to be remembered, and their work and life celebrated.
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The Refugee Committee Papers, which include the related correspondence and record the activities of the committee, are held within RIBA Archives.
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The development of this site was funded by the generous legacy of Donald and Nancy Notley. We wish to acknowledge the major contribution of Dr Irena Murray in the creation of the database content. We also wish to thank the Association for Jewish Refugees for their generous grant in support of the RIBA Refugee Committee project.
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PROJECT TEAM
Valeria Carullo
Dr Irena Žantovská Murray
Anthony Wilkinson
Dr Helen Glew
Jonathan Makepeace
Alix Robinson
Dr Adrian Steel
Melanie BaileyMelouney
Tereza KoÅ™énková
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