10. Internment in England

In 1940, the German Wehrmacht invaded Norway, and Kurt and Ernst Schwitters were once again forced to flee. Despite perilous conditions, they managed to reach England in 1940, where they were interned as enemy aliens in a camp on the Isle of Man. Their freedom of movement was curtailed, and their future was uncertain, but they were surrounded by countless intellectuals, musicians, academics, and artists who were also interned there. Schwitters was one of the most well-known among them. Over time, a vibrant cultural scene emerged in the camp: the internees held lectures and organised exhibitions, using what little resources were available to get on with their artistic pursuits and their lives. Schwitters also carried on working on his art, despite struggling with depression. Schwitters now felt like he was back among like-minded people for the first time since his period of isolation in Norway. He produced several portraits of his fellow detainees and even managed to sell some of his paintings.

Background: During the Second World War, Hutchinson Internment Camp on the Isle of Man was an internment camp for German and Austrian men who were living in Great Britain. From the beginning of the war, all German and Austrian nationals were to be classified as enemy aliens – even those who were fleeing Nazi persecution. The camp consisted of the houses in several streets in the town of Douglas, whose inhabitants were relocated, and a small park. Schwitters made use of anything he could find in the camp to make art – even food scraps. He learned English and published his first English-language texts.