[1] In 1939, in reaction to the German occupation of Czechoslovakia, Diviš became increasingly political and, with other expatriates, formed the House of Czechoslovak Culture.

The reason for the arrests is unclear; perhaps their "sympathies for communism" caused suspicion,[1] or it may have been their uncommonly celebratory reaction to the outbreak of war (which they hoped would lead to the liberation of Czechoslovakia).

[1] The charges of espionage were dropped, but Diviš would spend another year and a half in concentration and internment camps in France, Morocco, and Martinique before his eventual release.

While in the United States, Diviš established links with the local Czech community and was reunited with his friend Martinů.

[2] He spent the rest of the decade producing illustrations for Karel Jaromír Erben's mid-19th century collection of ballads "Kytice", but only "Svatební košile" (Wedding Shirt) was published (in 1952).

In the 1950s, under the harsh conditions of communism in Czechoslovakia, Diviš gave up seeking exposure for his work and focused on spiritual images, such as Christ's crucifixion and bible stories, unlikely to be published[1] By the time of his death, he and his art were almost entirely forgotten.