ously ▁fle eing ▁towards ▁the ▁south ▁as ▁the ▁German ▁army ▁approached ▁the ▁French ▁capital ▁from ▁the ▁north . ▁▁ ▁They ▁ended ▁up ▁in ▁the ▁Toul ouse ▁area . ▁▁ ▁Sel ma ▁Stein met z ▁joined ▁the ▁French ▁resistance . ▁▁▁▁ ▁Many ▁of ▁the ▁other ▁political ▁ex iles ▁in ▁the ▁Toul ouse ▁area ▁were ▁also ▁Aust rian ▁commun ists ▁who ▁had ▁been ▁living ▁in ▁Paris ▁till ▁ 1 9 4 0 . ▁▁▁ ▁These ▁included ▁Alfred ▁K la hr , ▁Heinrich ▁Fritz , ▁O th mar ▁St ro bl ▁and ▁her ▁own ▁partner , ▁O sk ar ▁G ross mann . ▁▁ ▁It ▁all ▁made ▁for ▁what ▁Stein met z ▁would ▁later ▁describe ▁as ▁" a ▁very ▁l ively ▁class room " ▁(" ... ▁eine ▁sehr ▁re ge ▁Schul ung st ät igkeit "). ▁▁ ▁During ▁ 1 9 4 0 ▁Stein met z ▁was ▁accepted ▁as ▁a ▁candidate ▁for ▁party ▁membership . ▁▁ ▁At ▁the ▁same ▁time ▁she ▁was ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁Qu aker ▁secret ariat ▁in ▁Toul ouse . ▁▁ ▁This ▁made ▁it ▁possible ▁for ▁her ▁to ▁help ▁numerous ▁Aust rian ▁and ▁German ▁com r ades ▁being ▁held ▁in ▁the ▁concentration ▁cam ps ▁in ▁the ▁Toul ouse / Mont a ub an ▁area . ▁ ▁In ▁material ▁terms ▁the ▁conditions ▁under ▁which ▁the ▁em igr ants ▁existed ▁were ▁bad , ▁especially ▁through ▁the ▁winter ▁of ▁ 1 9 4 1 / 4 2 ▁which ▁was ▁a ▁har sh ▁one . ▁▁ ▁M oney ▁and ▁food ▁were ▁in ▁short ▁supply . ▁▁ ▁They