Editing Remedios Varo (section)

==== World War II ====
In 1939, the Nationalists claimed victory in Spain and [[Francisco Franco]] disallowed anyone associated with the Republicans from entering the country; Varo became permanently unable to return to her home and was isolated from her family. This deeply affected her and was a source of pain and regret throughout her life.<ref name="Kaplan2000p53" /> In July of the same year, the French government began [[Paris in World War II#Evacuation|evacuating Paris]], and in September [[World War II]] officially began. Varo and her circle stayed in the city, which for the first eight months of war saw little action other than an influx of foreign refugees from elsewhere in Europe. As a foreign national herself, Varo now risked deportation in an increasingly hostile environment. Her association with the communist Péret put her at further risk, and he was imprisoned in early 1940 for his political activism.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|pp=67–69}}</ref> Varo was imprisoned as well, at some point in 1940, for her relationship with Péret. She never spoke about this experience; the length and location of her internment and the conditions she faced are unknown. However, according to friends' accounts, it had an intense effect on her.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|p=71}}</ref>

While viewing a documentary film on [[Internment camps in France|French internment camps]] by Hungarian photojournalist [[Emerico Weisz]], by coincidence Varo recognized Gerardo Lizárraga, to whom she was still legally married. They had lost contact when Varo left Spain, while Lizárraga remained to fight for the Republicans; when the Nationalists won, he fled to France and was imprisoned. After seeing the film, Varo and her network successfully bribed authorities and secured the release of Lizárraga.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|p=70}}</ref>

On 14 June 1940, [[Paris in World War II#German invasion|the Nazis invaded Paris]], putting Varo at imminent risk. She, along with millions of other Parisians, fled to the [[Zone libre|unoccupied south of France]]. Domínguez insisted she take his seat in a car going south, and eventually she arrived in the coastal village of [[Canet-Plage]]. Initially staying with [[Jacques Hérold]] and several other refugees, she soon moved in with Brauner.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|p=72}}</ref> By August 1940, she had left Canet-Plage for [[Marseille]] and reunited with now-free Péret. Marseille was, although unoccupied, not safe; the [[Gestapo]] maintained a presence in the city. Varo and Péret found shelter with [[Varian Fry]]'s Emergency Rescue Committee, an organization dedicated to facilitating the migration of artists and intellectuals from wartime Europe to the Americas.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|pp=74–75}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Gruen|1998|p=44}}</ref> Over time, much of Varo's circle made it to Marseille, where they shared their limited funds among each other and met nightly in cafés.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|pp=78–79}}</ref>

The situation in Marseille deteriorated in 1940 and 1941, and the Rescue Committee recognized Péret and Varo's immediate need to escape the [[Vichy France|Vichy authorities]]. With Péret having been denied entry into the United States due to his communist politics, they looked toward Mexico, which had declared amnesty for Spanish refugees in 1940. The Rescue Committee made appeals for funding of their travel to Mexico, and found places for them on the liner [[Serpa Pinto (ship)|''Serpa Pinto'']], due to depart from [[Casablanca]]. Through unknown means,{{efn|According to Varo they paid an intermediary to secure passage on a [[black market]] fishing boat. The intermediary then left them stranded on the docks and stole their money. However, the operator of the fishing boat was later revealed as a serial killer of the refugees who had boarded his boat; Varo and Péret had unknowingly escaped. The reality of how they got to Casablanca is undocumented. Varo's biographer Janet Kaplan speculates they may have disguised themselves as French soldiers or merchants.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|p=82}}</ref>}} Varo and Péret arrived in Casablanca and boarded the ship, which was crowded with other refugees.<ref>{{harvnb|Kaplan|2000|pp=81–83}}</ref>