While exiled in Paris, writer Iwan Heilbut worked as the cultural correspondent of the Swiss newspaper National-Zeitung, which had offices in Basel. This enabled him to earn a living and brought him into contact with French artists who moved far outside émigré circles. After war broke out, Heilbut’s work for the major daily newspaper of a neutral state took on still greater importance, since he hoped that it would enable him to escape internment as an “enemy alien”. Yet although the National-Zeitung confirmed that he was working for them, this did not come to pass.

After Heilbut was released from internment in the summer of 1940 and it became clear that he had no choice but to flee from France, the National-Zeitung sent him a number of additional documents, including two versions of a press pass. The first version, issued on 1 September 1940, was of no use to Heilbut since it contained no photo or stamp. Official-looking identity papers were often vitally important to emigrants on the run if they had no other valid documents. Six weeks later, on 15 October 1940, the newspaper sent Heilbut a new version, this time with a photo and stamp. It can no longer be determined how it found its way to Heilbut, who had already fled from France to Lisbon by that time. However, it appears that the press pass was still helpful, since the traces left on it indicate that it has seen some use.