Description
During World War II, Portuguese diplomat Aristides de Sousa Mendes defied his government’s orders, by providing for the safety of refugees fleeing invading German military forces. Between June 16 and June 23, 1940 in Bayonne and Bordeaux, France, Sousa Mendes issued free Portuguese visas to over 30,000 refugees, including 12,000 Jews, seeking to escape the terror. Although he saved many lives, he was forced to quit his career, impoverished, and vilified. Sheila Abranches, his East Bay-raised granddaughter, will tell her family’s amazing story.
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