Ratlines (World War II aftermath)

Rat lines were networks of safe houses and secret routes that were used to help people escape occupied Europe after World War II. These routes usually went from fascist countries like Germany and Italy, to friendly countries such as Spain, Portugal, and Turkey. Some of the people who used these routes to escape were criminals or war criminals who wanted to avoid prosecution or capture. Others were refugees who wanted to flee from the destruction caused by the war. Rat lines allowed people to move quickly and secretly by using hidden pathways, fake identities, and safe houses, so they could reach safer countries where they could rebuild their lives.