In 1940 the Portuguese Consul in Bordeaux, Aristides de
Sousa Mendes, was suddenly confronted with thousands of persons asking for a
visas to get to Portugal.
The government had forbidden the Portuguese diplomats to
give those visas knowing that the country would be over flooded by thousands of
persons that had only one idea – escaping the Nazis.
He disregarded the order and passed thousands of visas…
The Government would – during and after the war – win the
recognition as a country that was a friend to the refugees, and also get the
respect of the international press…
Sousa Mendes would loose his career and fall in disgrace…
The Sousa Mendes Foundation, in Seattle, has now started a
global search for those who were saved by the action of this Portuguese consul.
They are trying to locate survivors or family of those who survived…
To know more about Sousa Mendes click HERE.
To know more about the search click HERE.
Best regards
Carlos Guerreiro
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