The authors of the Curious George books, H.A. and Margret Rey, made a brave escape from the Nazis during World War II -- and brought George along with them.
We all know the mischievous monkey, Curious George, from his many books and recent film. You’ve probably read about his adventures in the snow, at the zoo, or at the aquarium—but do you remember the story about his escape from the Nazis?
Okay, so you probably won’t find that one at your local children’s bookstore. Come to think of it, it’s a bit on the dark side for the pre-school set. But even though Curious George authors Margret and Hans “H.A.” Rey didn’t write about the Holocaust in their famous children’s books, they lived through it—and, if not for their courageous escape, Curious George never would have seen print.
The Reys were German Jews who’d met as children, then reunited as adults when both were living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. After becoming Brazilian citizens and getting married, the Reys traveled to Paris, and were living there at the time World War II began.
The eccentric couple once had a pair of marmoset monkeys as pets, and decided to pay tribute to the animals by writing a children’s book about a male monkey named Fifi. In 1939, they’d just signed a deal with a French publisher for the book when German troops began advancing towards Paris. Because they were Jewish, the Reys knew they would not be safe there.
So Hans began building two bicycles out of spare parts, while Margret worked to compile all of the couple’s artwork and writings. They biked out of Paris, spending their nights in the farmhouses and stables of kind strangers. They traveled through Europe into Portugal by rail and bike, then departed for Rio. Five months after sneaking out of France, they settled in New York City, bringing little with them besides their wrinkled draft of Fifi the Monkey.
It didn’t take the Reys long to establish themselves as children’s authors in America—though their new publisher thought the name “Fifi” seemed a bit odd for a male monkey, and changed it to “George.” The Adventures of Curious George was published in 1941, and since that time, their series of books about the little monkey has sold more than 30 million copies around the world.
Even though the Reys never wrote about their own harrowing adventure, curious readers can learn more about their escape from the Nazis in Louise Borden’s book, The Journey That Saved Curious George: The True Wartime Escape of Margret and H. A. Rey. The Reys’ papers and documents are also currently on display at the Jewish Museum in New York City. So, if you want to learn more about Curious George’s greatest adventure of all, here’s your chance.