A War, a Manuscript, and a Bicycle
On June 12, 1940, two Jewish artists pedaled away from Nazi-occupied Paris with the manuscript of a children’s book and a monkey hidden in a basket. Hans Reyersbach and Margarete Waldstein, German Jews living in France, had waited too long to flee. With no cars or bicycles left in the city, Hans built two bikes from spare parts. As German troops advanced, the couple rode south with their unfinished story—a tale that would become Curious George.
From Rio to Paris to Escape
Hans had lived in Brazil since 1925, sketching and selling plumbing fixtures. He met Margarete in Rio; they married in 1935 and honeymooned in Paris, where they stayed. Four years later, they fled through Étampes, Orléans, and eventually reached Lisbon, surviving German shelling and overcrowded trains. After months in Portugal, they boarded a ship to Brazil, then sailed to New York.
George Arrives in America
In the U.S., a friend at Houghton Mifflin offered them a four-book deal. Their monkey, originally named “Fifi,” became “George.” The book was published in 1941.
Saved Pages, Saved Story
Hans kept detailed notebooks of their journey. These archives, held at the University of Southern Mississippi, inspired a biography and a documentary chronicling the escape that saved Curious George.
In June 1940, two Jewish artists fled Nazi-occupied Paris with a monkey manuscript in a bike basket.
They pedaled into danger, carrying the story that would become Curious George. Their escape spanned countries, trains, and one of history’s darkest hours…🧵👇 pic.twitter.com/xr8Fj7i4kA
— Detective Tiger's Stories (@TigerDetective) April 18, 2025