historical details yay! my google-fu is weak

[burntcopper]

Heather *likes* having a parent who is not only a WW2 geek, but also a maps geek. Asked Dad last night whether Turkey or North Africa would be more feasible for a destination, he asks what year (I was going to be setting it in late 1941 but after watching Conspiracy last night, I'm thinking more early '42 - doesn't make any difference to routes but would make a difference to the Germans actually starting to look for solutions) and I get this :

Dad : You won't be able to get through the Mediterranean or anything past France. Italians controlled it. Turkey is out.
Me : So, my route through North Africa would be....?
Dad : Casablanca. That side would be Collaborationist French rather than German-controlled at that stage. For retrieval, :pulls out map and starts tracing route: I'd go with Tunisia - Tunis, and the Germans had only just got to the border with Libya, weren't actually controlling it, take the train from Algiers to Tunis, Tiaret is not quite over the border, unless you want *actual* border country and therefore more dodgy, which would be Ghadamis in Libya.
Me : And I get to Lisbon how?
Dad : Boat from Ireland or plane from London. From there to Algiers, train from Algiers to Tunis.

So now I've just got to find info on the time it would take to get through said routes, paperwork and so on. Anyone know where I can find that kind of info? What terms to use on google? sites?

When I google it, all the bloody non-modern travel guides are for the late 1800s or 1904-8, which is so not helpful (several are in French, which I can normally muddle through) and anything for 1941 and 'Algiers' is talking about the *late* 1942-1943 period, attacking by ship by the British. Argh.

Also, how the hell do you find stuff on what paperwork would be needed to get across borders?

Comments

[celievamp.livejournal.com]

Did a quick google search myself and the info I found was maddeningly unspecific on what 'identity papers' and travel documents consisted of. Based on a quick read through I would say it consisted of a passport/identity card, containing a photograph, physical description, birth nationality ethnicity and religion denomination, a birth certificate probably giving much the same information a visa or letter giving permission to travel, starting point destination method and route of travel reason for travel, an official letter of introduction or recommendation authorising that you were of good standing and allowed to travel, other travel documentation in the form of tickets etc, ration card or coupons etc.

The two sites below don't give much actual detail of the documentation but do give some insights into the routes taken through occupied Europe for displaced military personnel or other refugees travelling legitimately or illegally.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/ww2peopleswar/categories/c55505/

http://home.clara.net/clinchy/neeb2.htm

Hope this is useful and good luck with Nanowrimo!

[celievamp.livejournal.com]

forgot to say that all of the above would have to be authorised and stamped by the civil/military authority and the details would have to tally.