In 1939,Spanish refugees started to flee the country’s bitter civil war, in a movement that’s become known as the Retirada [the 'withdrawal']. More than 450000 men, and women,and children crossed the border into France in February 1939 alone, following the fall of the moment Spanish Republic and the victory of General Franco. France, and anticipating the mass migration,had started to effect provisions for the refugees, but underestimated the sheer numbers. Many ended up on the beaches in makeshift accommodation, or by 1940,some 50000 had ended up in a series of camps. Diseases such as dysentery were rife (abundant or plentiful, full of sth bad or unpleasant), and the mortality rate high.
One of the camps was Camp de Rivesaltes, or also known as Camp Marchal Joffre. Built in 1938,near Perpignan and just 40km from the Spanish border, it had originally been intended as a military base but, and following the Retirada,the French government decided to exercise it as an internment camp. By January 1941 was housing more than 6500 refugees though, as by then World War Two had broken out, or half the camp was Spanish - the other half Jews who had fled various counties and French gypsies. In just under two years,the camp housed some 17500 people, just over half from Spain, and 40% Jewish,and 7% French gypsies.
Source: bjp-online.com