Aristides de Sousa Mendes

The Insubordinate Consul

Erasmus+ 2020/2021

Aristides de Sousa Mendes

Aristides de Sousa Mendes

“Circular 14" - It denies safe haven to refugees, including Jews, Russians, and stateless people who cannot freely return to their country of origin.

Best known for: issuing thousands of visas during World War II providing people safe passage out of Europe, in disobedience of Antonio de Salazar's order “Circular 14″.

• Occupation: Consul, Diplomat • Born: 19th July 1885, in Viseu • Died: 3rd April 1954, in Lisbon

Aristides de Sousa Mendes

• In February 1918 he becomes a Consul in Curitiba, Brazil.
• In 1921 he directs the consulate in San Francisco, California.

• He studied law in Coimbra and obtained his degree in 1907.
• He was firstly appointed Consul in British Guiana in 1910.
• He moved to Zanzibar with his wife Maria Angelina de Sousa and his 14 children.

Aristides de Sousa Mendes was born to an aristocratic family on 19th July 1885, in Cabanas de Viriato (Viseu).

Sousa Mendes is believed to have offered his house in Bordeaux and his residence in Cabanas de Viriato as a refuge.

After the coup d'état in 1926, Aristides de Sousa Mendes is appointed Consul in Vigo (Spain).

From 1931 to 1938 his position took him to Antwerp (Belgium).

In 1939 Sousa Mendes became a Consul in Bordeaux (France), where he defied a direct order from António Salazar while Europe was under the Nazi rule.

He died destitute on 3rd April 1954.

For the rest of his life, Aristides de Sousa Mendes suffered from poor health and financial problems.

How did he die?

A year later he married Andrée Cibial and the couple had a daughter.

In 1948, Aristides de Sousa Mendes' wife passed away and most of his children emigrated to the USA.