The beginnings of the Great Emigration. Poles in Besançon in 1832–1833

The presence of Poles who emigrated after the November Uprising in Besançon and the Franche-Comté region definitely deserves the historians’ attention. Although the Poles stayed in the city and surrounding areas for only a little longer than a year, they made a mark in the history of the region. At the beginning, Besançon was meant to be just a point for the emigrants to receive necessary help during their journey to Avignon and Châteauroux. Only a significant inflow of Polish migrants resulted in the establishment of a new dépôt. In the first period of their stay in the city, the Poles received an enthusiastic welcome, but as time went by, their presence was getting more and more troublesome for the inhabitants. Unlawful abandonment of the dépôt to participate in the Frankfurt Expedition, resulted directly in the dissolution and sending the Poles to Normandy and Brittany in 1833. Attention should be given to the fact that thanks to the current availability of French archives, the research on the Polish emigration community may be extended by a new feature of the Great Emigration phenomenon – from the point of view of the French Government and local authorities.

Key words: Great Emigration, 1832–1833, Besançon, Franche-Comté region

The presence of Poles who emigrated after the November Uprising in Besançon and the Franche-Comté region definitely deserves the historians’ attention. Although the Poles stayed in the city and surrounding areas for only a little longer than a year, they made a mark in the history of the region. At the beginning, Besançon was meant to be just a point for the emigrants to receive necessary help during their journey to Avignon and Châteauroux. Only a significant inflow of Polish migrants resulted in the establishment of a new dépôt. In the first period of their stay in the city, the Poles received an enthusiastic welcome, but as time went by, their presence was getting more and more troublesome for the inhabitants. Unlawful abandonment of the dépôt to participate in the Frankfurt Expedition, resulted directly in the dissolution and sending the Poles to Normandy and Brittany in 1833. Attention should be given to the fact that thanks to the current availability of French archives, the research on the Polish emigration community may be extended by a new feature of the Great Emigration phenomenon – from the point of view of the French Government and local authorities.