George Blau collection

George Blau (Vienna, Austria, 17 Nov. 1911-1999) was born to a Jewish family. He left Austria at an unknown date and settled in Marseille, France, where the authorities picked him up and had him interned in Les Milles, France. Released on 18 Sept., 1939, he was interned again, from May to Aug. 1940. At the end of Mar. 1941, Blau fled to Martinique, then to Santo Domingo, in the Dominican Republic, then immigrated to the U.S. He settled in California. The collection includes Blau's certificate of discharge from Les Milles (dated 18 September 1939); a photograph of Blau taken at an unknown time; a letter from the police of Marseille vouching to Blau's good conduct; a document from the consulate general of Siam granting Blau permission to emigrate to Siam (dated 28 Sep 1940); a document from a Dr. Monteux that stated Blau was medically ineligible for military service; and documents granting Blau permission to emigrate to the Dominican Republic if the United States did not allow him to enter (dated 30 May 1941). The collection also includes two recent color photographs, one is of the brick factory at Les Milles and the other is of "the Katakombe," a night club and theater used by Les Milles internees.