Exile
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In the huge Parisian station, the arrivals of people fleeing the Russian invasion are more and more massive. The Red Cross, in charge of reception, is struggling to cope with the uninterrupted influx.
Away from the entrance to the Gare de l’Est, Svetlana, 48, hugs her little dog. His eyes follow the waltz of travelers who crowd this Tuesday in front of this station where Ukrainian refugees arrive every day from Germany. Fleeing the war from Kharkiv, this perfume seller landed in Paris after a journey of several days through Poland and then Germany. To finally retrace his steps: “We only had one night in a hotel in Paris and then we were told there were no places to settle. I will go back to Frankfurt, where I have acquaintances.”
In his voice, we guess the weariness of a journey that does not find its end. Her daughter, Tania, with carefully made-up blue eyes, joins her, brandishing the train tickets that the refugees obtain from the Red Cross: “They didn’t want to find us a direct, it will take more than a day to arrive.” Pulling on a cigarette, her mother remains impassive as she looks at the four tickets for her one-way ticket to the German city and a new life.
A brasserie at the station with the smell of cold coffee has been converted into a reception area by the Red Cross, before an accommodation solution or a new train. The atmosphere there is particularly calm. Strange contrast to see old women with sunken faces, leaning against the counter at the beer taps. Everywhere, colorful luggage is piled up and volunteers are busy.…