CfP: Fragile Lifelines: Organized Refugee Transportation and Rescue Missions, 1930-2010

6/15/25

Potsdam, 6.-7.11.2025
Leibniz Centre for Contemporary History Potsdam (ZZF) and Moses Mendelssohn Center for European-Jewish Studies (MMZ)
Conveners: Julia Kleinschmidt and Carolin Liebisch-Gümüş

“Operation Safe Haven,” “Operation Wings of Eagles,” or even “Operation Moses” – the very names suggest that airlifts, sealifts, and other rescue missions for the persecuted are often wrapped in spectacular and heroic narratives. For those involved, organized refugee transports frequently appear as moments of extraordinary fortune – not least because, unlike individual flight, which in the 20th century was typically marked by arduous and dangerous journeys, these operations are seen as more inclusive, safer, and less burdensome. Moreover, in contrast to the often defensive posture taken toward individual refugees, destination states in these organized efforts generally responded with willingness, accepting predetermined numbers of people.

The conference “Fragile Lifelines: Organized Refugee Transportation and Rescue Missions, 1930-2010” critically examines such success narratives and the assumptions embedded within them. Bringing together a wide range of empirical perspectives on the history of organized refugee transports in the 20th century, it draws inspiration from Mobility Studies – a field where current research emphasizes the political and cultural dimensions of migration routes, transport infrastructures, and evacuation strategies (Peter Adey 2024; William Walters, Charles Heller, Lorenzo Pezzani 2022).

In contrast to the well-documented history of individual flight – long the central focus of refugee and migration scholarship – organized transports have received comparatively little attention, especially from comparative or integrative perspectives. This conference seeks to explore a broad spectrum of cases involving air, sea, and overland transport, spanning from the interwar period to recent history. It encompasses lesser-known, smaller-scale missions as well as large-scale operations that have become part of public memory: for example, the Kindertransports under National Socialism, the Berlin Airlift, the postwar resettlement of Displaced Persons, “Operation Safe Haven” following the Hungarian uprising of 1956, the many airlifts associated with Aliyah and Jewish immigration to Israel, “Operation Frequent Wind” during the fall of Saigon in 1975, the rescue vessels “Cap Anamur” and “L’Île de Lumière” in the South China Sea, and many other evacuation efforts.

We aim to examine these missions in their broader historical and political contexts – considering not only the immediate backdrops of conflict and violence, but also wider transformations linked to fascism and National Socialism, the Cold War, decolonization, state formation, and the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Especially significant to us are approaches that center mobility, transport modes, routes, and infrastructure, as well as analyses of the political, economic, cultural, and social dimensions of refugee transportation. We are particularly interested in issues of inclusion and exclusion, unequal mobilities, and the concept of mobility justice (Mimi Sheller 2018).

By focusing on transportation, infrastructure, and routes of escape, this conference sits at the crossroads of historical refugee research, the history of humanitarianism, and Mobility Studies. Possible themes and guiding questions include:

Transport, Logistics, and Routes

What were the opportunities and challenges of using means of transport and transport infrastructure – such as ships, airplanes, railways, and convoys – for humanitarian purposes? What impact did the technical and logistical logics and procedures of transportation have?
What roles did departure, transit, and arrival locations – such as camps, airports, train stations, or seaports – play as part of the rescue infrastructure? To what extent were people here “sorted,” prioritized, selected, excluded, and/or directed along different paths?
Where and when did refugee transports end, and in what circumstances did they leave the rescued individuals?

Politics, Planning, and Diplomacy

How and by whom were rescue missions and resettlement transports planned? Whose ideas, interests, and possibly prejudices shaped these plans? Who or what was left out or not considered?
Transnational transports require diplomacy: whose interests prevailed, and where did conflicts arise? How did the relationships between countries of origin, transit, and destination unfold, and what influence did international organizations (IOs), NGOs, religious institutions, and aid associations have?
How do organized refugee transports relate to individual movements of flight? To what extent are overlaps and distinctions between them politically relevant?
What roles do voluntariness and coercion play, and where do blurred boundaries exist between rescue missions and forced relocations or population transfers – which may also be obscured by the seemingly neutral terminology of “resettlement”?
When, why, and with what consequences do missions fail?

Actors, Interactions, and Agency

Which actors were involved in organizing rescue operations, and to what extent did private companies – such as shipping lines, airlines, or airport operators – exert influence alongside state, military, and humanitarian organizations?
What social dynamics and consequences arose within the constellation of actors — particularly regarding processes of inclusion and exclusion, hierarchies and discrimination, self- and external perceptions, expectations, biases, and emotions? To what extent were factors such as age, gender, disability/fitness, socioeconomic background, origin, and language significant in shaping the experiences of refugees?
Despite organized assistance, to what extent did those affected still have to navigate obstacles and boundaries – whether bureaucratic regulations, infrastructural bottlenecks, or political and societal resistance?
To what extent were the “rescued” not just recipients of aid, but also autonomous and influential agents – for instance, by securing access to transports, deviating from planned procedures, or even refusing participation?

Memory, Aesthetics, and Myth

How are rescue operations perceived and remembered by the public? To what extent does the distinction between “wanted/good/deserving” and “unwanted” refugees play a role? Which operations are considered or portrayed as successful?
In what ways are rescue actions staged, aestheticized, or mythologized? What functions do such images and narratives serve – for instance, in nation-building or as expressions of systemic competition? How do celebratory rescue narratives relate to less positively charged processes of reception and integration?

We welcome the submission of an abstract (400–600 words, in either German or English) along with a short CV (200 words, also in German or English) by June 15, 2025 to carolin.liebisch@zzf-potsdam.de or julia.kleinschmidt@uni-potsdam.de. Applicants will receive notification of acceptance or rejection by July 1. Presentations should be no longer than 15 minutes, allowing ample time for discussion. The conference language is English, selected presentations may be held in German where appropriate.

Hotel accommodation will be arranged and paid for by the conference organizers. Participants will make their own travel arrangements. If necessary, funding subsidies for travel and accommodation can be provided by the organizers.