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Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

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Re: Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

#11
Those who are Righteous Among the Nations are a list of people who show how great humans can be, when others are showing how monstrous. I find their stories difficult reading, but intensely rewarding.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteous_Among_the_Nations

Re: Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

#12

Those who are Righteous Among the Nations are a list of people who show how great humans can be, when others are showing how monstrous. I find their stories difficult reading, but intensely rewarding. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Righteous_Among_the_Nations

This is lovely. I'm impressed that they can choose to live in Israel and receive a pension if they so desire. That's a solid reward.

Re: Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

#13
Franco’s ambassador to France also saved many Jews.

I learned that when a Sephardi Jew I knew vehemently defended Franco’s honor, considering him personally responsible for saving his family’s life.

Historians debate Franco’s responsibility in Spain’s role in saving French Jews, but this guy had no doubts!

Re: Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

#14
post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yes... Even in Portugal he wasn't that well known, not until he was voted 3rd Greatest Portuguese(TM) some years ago: right after Portuguese 30+years dictator Salazar (his nemesis) and Salazar's "nemesis" Communist Party leader Alvaro Cunhal.

> Even in Portugal he wasn't that well known, not until he was voted 3rd Greatest Portuguese(TM) some years ago That doesn't sound coherent at all.

Sarcasm often isn't (to the uninitiated?)

Re: Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

#15
post #9
post #6

The word "finally" makes it seem that Aristides Sousa Mendes work was not recognized by Portugal. Maybe it hadn't been officially recognized until now, but we are very proud of his actions.

But not as proud as over Salazar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Os_Grandes_Portugueses

If you read the post you see that those results were likely from repeat voters organized for that.

Re: Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

#16
post #9
post #6

The word "finally" makes it seem that Aristides Sousa Mendes work was not recognized by Portugal. Maybe it hadn't been officially recognized until now, but we are very proud of his actions.

But not as proud as over Salazar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Os_Grandes_Portugueses

Sadly populism is growing everywhere

Re: Portugal finally recognises consul who saved thousands from Holocaust

#17
post #9
post #6

The word "finally" makes it seem that Aristides Sousa Mendes work was not recognized by Portugal. Maybe it hadn't been officially recognized until now, but we are very proud of his actions.

But not as proud as over Salazar. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Os_Grandes_Portugueses

I don't think people should take much from this.

It was a poll, made by a public TV channel (RTP) where people phoned in. This skews a lot to the older population (and idiots). While I am not in favour of the dictatorship we had at all, many in the old generation weren't so against it since their lives weren't affected by it so far (except the ones fighting in the colonies, but they blame the 'blacks' more than Salazar on that.

My father (close to 70 now) says he felt safer during Salazar's time than now (which may be true). For that generation, saying 'the only good cop is a dead cop' in a march isn't important at all, it is even insulting and they will say that he deserves a beating, so their values and wants are different than 20-30 years old with our freedom of speech and gay kissing.

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