Georges Simenon's mysterious exile after WWII still sparks debate today

Belgian writer Georges Simenon left France in September 1945, shortly after the end of the war. His departure came as scrutiny over his wartime actions grew, with critics calling him a 'Germanophile opportunist'. The investigation into his past had begun during a visa application, raising questions about his conduct and motives during the Occupation. Simenon first spent about a month in London before crossing the Atlantic. He then moved through North America, beginning with nearly six months in Quebec, where he wrote two novels. Over the next five years, he lived in various locations, including New York, Florida, Arizona, and California, before eventually settling in Lakeville, Connecticut.

In 1950, French authorities banned him from publishing in the country for two years due to his wartime activities. His younger brother, Christian, had been an active collaborator and was sentenced to death in absentia. Simenon himself started the process of becoming a US citizen in 1952 but abandoned the application as McCarthyism took hold.

He later claimed his move was driven by a desire for his son Marc to grow up in what he called the 'paradise of youth' in America. Yet, his true reasons for leaving France remain debated by readers and biographers. During his time in Florida, he stayed in Bradenton Beach for a year and completed three more novels. Simenon’s departure from France marked the start of a long period abroad. His wartime record and the ban on his work shaped his later years in North America. Despite his prolific writing during this time, the controversy surrounding his past never fully faded.