Following the occupation of france in the summer of 1940, foreign consulates were faced with large numbers of jews, desperately trying to obtain. Those attributes led him to openly defy his government to save the lives of thousands of people. However, mendes had a keen sense of right and wrong, coupled with solid christian values. After filling posts in various capitals including the united states and europe, he was posted to bordeaux, france, as the portuguese consulgeneral. In this case, a portuguese diplomat who rescued people from nazi germany, at his own peril. The sousa mendes foundation is interested in tracking. Bordeaux, france may 1940 on may 10, 1940, germany invaded france and swiftly advanced south through the country. The guardian reports that his final wish was that his name be restored. They were jews and nonjews, public figures and private citizens, most with passports but many without. 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. 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.
In portugal, a protector of a people is honored the new. Get your kindle here, or download a free kindle reading app. The sousa mendes visa recipients came from fortynine countries and all walks of life. Born into an aristocratic portuguese family, mendes chose a diplomatic career for himself. Download right click and do save link as this week we highlight another little known historical hero. The consul of bordeaux 2011 stream and watch online. Portugals schindler is remembered, decades after his lifesaving deeds. Sousa mendes saved more lives than schindler so why isnt. 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. The strain caused the fracturing of his family, and in 1954 sousa mendes died in poverty and obscurity. As the portuguese consulgeneral in bordeaux, france, during world war ii, sousa mendes was responsible for saving the lives of thousands of people. Portugals schindler is remembered, decades after his lifesaving.
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