Entretiens de Pontigny

During the fall semester of 2003 Archives and Special Collections supported the College's commemoration of a colloquia of intellectuals (most of them in exile from Europe) held at Mount Holyoke during World War II. Students in art history, English, German studies, and music classes met in the Archives to explore how to use primary sources relating to Entretiens de Pontigny. Many students wrote course papers based on collection materials, including papers of Fredrick Cramer, Henry Rox and other Jewish faculty members who found refuge at the College after escaping from Germany. A register containing signature of Marc Chagall, Andre Masson, Hannah Arendt, Claude Levi Strauss and other distinguished participants was also featured in an exhibit at the Mount Holyoke College Art Museum.

For a summary of a scholarly symposium celebrating the Entretiens de Pontigny sponsored by the Weissman Center for Leadership see "Artists, Intellectuals and World War II"

Page from a report about the first Pontigny conference at Mount Holyoke prepared by the U.S. Office of Strategic Services (predecessor of the CIA).