A Pile of Shoes and How a Writer Remembers

Authors

  • Miriam Bat-Ami

Abstract

Résumé: Au mois d'août 1994, les USA accueillent, à la suite d'une directive du Président Roosevelt, 982 réfugiés, en majorité des Juifs, et les installe dans un camp temporaire à Oswego, dans l'état de New-York. Considérés d'abord comme des "invités" en sursis, le Président Truman permettra finalement à ceux qui le désirent d'immigrer et de vivre aux États-Unis. Dans cet article, Miriam Bat-Adam explique ce qu'elle a appris de ces refugiés et de ceux qui les ant reçus; elle montre comment elle a transformé et adapté leurs récits dans son premier roman pour jeunes adultes, Two Suns in the Sky. Summary: In August 1944, under the directive of former US President Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 982 refugees, the majority of whom were Jewish, were brought to the US and housed at the Emergency Refugee Center, Fort Ontario, Oswego, New York. Considered only temporary "guests" of the US who had agreed to return to their homelands when the war was over, these refugees lived at this one and only US safe haven until early 1946 at which time President Truman allowed most of them to officially immigrate. This article explores what the author learned about these people, about Oswego and its response to the camp, and how she transformed stories of endurance and courage, of the youthful will to live and live fully into her first young adult historical romance, Two Suns in the Sky.

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Published

1999-09-01

Issue

Section

Articles