Born into an aristocratic portuguese family, mendes chose a diplomatic career for himself. The guardian reports that his final wish was that his name be restored. In portugal, a protector of a people is honored the new. Between june 16 and 23, 1940, he frantically issued portuguese visas free of charge, to over 30,000 refugees seeking to escape the nazi terror, 12,000 of whom were jews. After filling posts in various capitals including the united states and europe, he was posted to bordeaux, france, as the portuguese consulgeneral. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. Following the occupation of france in the summer of 1940, foreign consulates were faced with large numbers of jews, desperately trying to obtain. However, mendes had a keen sense of right and wrong, coupled with solid christian values. In order to cross the french border into spain, the refugees needed. Download right click and do save link as this week we highlight another little known historical hero. Most sought to enter spain, proceed to portugal, and then escape by ship. As the portuguese consul stationed in bordeaux, france, he found himself confronted in may and june of 1940 with the reality of many thousands of refugees outside the portuguese consulate attempting to escape the horrors of the nazi war machine. He was a portuguese diplomat who served his country for 30 years.
The sousa mendes visa recipients came from fortynine countries and all walks of life. Those attributes led him to openly defy his government to save the lives of thousands of people. The sousa mendes foundation is interested in tracking. Portugals schindler is remembered, decades after his lifesaving deeds. They were jews and nonjews, public figures and private citizens, most with passports but many without. As the portuguese consulgeneral in bordeaux, france, during world war ii, sousa mendes was responsible for saving the lives of thousands of people. The consul of bordeaux 2011 stream and watch online. Having graduated in law, in the university of coimbra, in 1907, aristides unlike his father, who was a judge and his twin brother, who embarked in politics chooses to follow a consular career, mainly connected to administrative aspects, in particular. Portugals schindler is remembered, decades after his lifesaving.
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