Foreign Asylum

Russian Refugees and Foreign Asylum: International Incident

In the book “International Incidents for Discussion in Conversation Classes”, in relation to this subject, L. Oppenheim wrote in 1909: The following appeared in the Times of March 6th, 1908, dated Paris, March 5th:

“Signatures are being collected in Paris for an address ‘to the Swiss people,’ which already bears the names of MM. Anatole France, Octave Mirbeau, Painlevé, Jaurès, Seignobos, and others, urging them to refuse the extradition of the Russian Socialist Revolutionary Bromar Vassilieff, who killed the Prefect of Police of Penza in January, 1906. The address declares the deed of Bromar Vassilieff to have been purely political. France, it contends, refused to surrender Hartmann, who had taken part in the attempt against Alexander II. Italy refused to extradite Michel Gotz, a member of the organization that assassinated M. Sipiagin and M. Plehve. Sweden refused to give up Tcherniak, accused of having participated in the attempt against M. Stolypin. Only a few days ago, says this address, an Austrian jury acquitted Wanda Kraguelska, who boasted of having thrown a bomb at the Governor-General of Poland. The Swiss Republic, it adds, will not do what monarchies and Empires have not done. It was deceived when it handed over to the Russian authorities Belentsoff, who before his trial died from flogging in prison. Free Switzerland having always done itself honour by defending the political refugees of all nations against the largest Powers, the signatories to the address feel certain that she will not be false to this noble tradition by allowing Bromar Vassilieff to be extradited.”