The Wertheimer saga and escape (1870–1940)

This article aims to study the trajectory of the Franco-Jewish Wertheimer family from a micro-historical perspective, as a starting point for a broader understanding of migratory processes that occurred during World War II, in the face of the advance of Nazism. Notable for their ownership of the companies Bourjois and Parfums Chanel, the brothers Paul and Pierre Wertheimer fled with their families from France to the United States via a route that included Spain, Portugal and Brazil. Despite the difficulties and restrictive policies of different countries regarding the entry of foreigners, a series of factors culminated in the successful escape of these refugees in the mid-1940s.