The Catalan Route – Pyrenees of Lleida
Pyrenees of Lleida introduction
The landscapes and paths of the Pyrenees of Lleida, which connect France with Spain, bore silent witness during the Second World War, to the passage of thousands of Jews fleeing persecution from a Europe dominated by Nazi Germany. In order to preserve the memory of this episode in Europe’s recent history, several escape routes have been recovered and signposted, running through scenes of great natural beauty that allow us to recall the epic, and in some cases dramatic, flight of the fugitives from Nazism. Travelling through these places full of symbolism is an unforgettable life experience.
Pyrenees of Lleida in detail
During World War II, thousands of Jews fled Nazi-occupied Europe to seek refuge in the Iberian Peninsula. Most did so by crossing the Pyrenees on foot after overcoming long and difficult cross-border routes. The Pyrenees of Lleida, located in northeastern Spain some 250 km from the city of Barcelona, played an important role in this historical episode.
The landscapes and roads of the Pyrenees of Lleida that connect France and the Principality of Andorra with Spain were silent testimony to this odyssey that involved some 5,000 Jews of all ages and walks of life. The vast majority succeeded in saving their lives and were able to emigrate from Spain to England, North Africa, Latin America, the United States and the British Mandate of Palestine. A few were not so lucky and were sent back to French territory by the Spanish police, while some died in their attempt to escape.
To preserve the memory of this episode in Europe’s recent history, six escape routes have been recovered and signposted, running through scenes of great natural beauty that allow us to recall the epic and in some cases dramatic flight of the fugitives from Nazism. At the same time, you can visit various places that played an important role in this historical episode: the old prison in the town of Sort, where hundreds of refugees were imprisoned, and other places where these people were taken in. Travelling through these places full of symbolism is an unforgettable life experience.
