2. This is Aristides de Sousa Mendes. He was born is
Cabanas de Viriato. He studied law in Coimbra and married
D. Angelina.
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3. Aristides and D. Angelina had fourteen children. They
were a very happy family.They travelled a lot.
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4. Aristides became a consul. A consul is an official
appointed by a government to reside in a foreign country
and look after the interests of citizens of the appointing
country.
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5. When he returned to Portugal´, he always stayed in his
house in Cabanas de Viriato.
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6. When second world war started, Aristides was working as
a consul in Bordeaux.He saw many Jews trying to escape
from German troops. He felt very sorry for them
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa 6
7. They needed a document called a visa that would allow
them to cross the border to other foreign countries.
Sometimes these poor people had to stand in line for days
just to get these precious documents.
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8. Although Portuguese authorities were against
accepting Jews in Portugal, Aristides decided to give the
poor people lining outside the Portuguese Consulate a
visa.
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa 8
9. He helped many of these people. He stood for thair rights.
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa 9
10. He helped many of them to get near the Spanish border.
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa
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11. The Spanish authorities didn’t like his attitude but since
these refugees were heading to Portugal they let them
through.
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa 11
12. The Portuguese dictator didn’t like the consul’s attitude.
He Asked him to return immediately to Portugal. Salazar
had determined that Jews should not be allowed to get into
our country and Aristides had disobeyed.
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13. When the authorities asked why he had decided to give
those visas, he told them he couldn’t accept that innocent
people would be punished just for having a different culture
and religion
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa 13
14. He couldn’t forget the good friends he had made.
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa
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15. He couldn’t turn his back on those poor people in need.
Pictures from the movie: Aristides de Sousa Mendes - O Consul de Bordéus - directed by Francisco Manso and João Correa
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16. He lost his job. He and his family had to face poverty.
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17. Although times were very bad for Aristides, he and his
wife and children were happy because they had done
something to save 30.000 people. These people Aristides
helped wouldn’t be sent to concentration camps.
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18. They had a document which allowed them to get to
Portugal and later most of them went to America.
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19. Unfortunately, many of them had to stay behind. Innocent
children, women and men were sent to concentration camps
just because they had a different religion or refused to
accept that Hittler’s laws.
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20. Aristides de Sousa Mendes died in poverty but he was
never forgotten by those who had been helped by him.Jews
planted a tree in a park where they cherish the memory of
righteous people.Aristides is one of them.
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