The Vote for the Greatest Portuguese and its Leading Candidates

A Fascist, a Communist and a Righteous Gentile
by Norman Berdichevsky (March 2016)

When Antonio de Oliveira Salazar, Portugal’s authoritarian ruler since 1932 finally was unable to rule effectively and his regime subsequently deposed by a military coup in 1974 (“The Carnation Revolution”), there was universal agreement that he left Portugal the poorest and most backward nation in Western Europe. Reporters on the scene in Lisbon reported signs of jubilation equaling V-E Day in London or Paris.

How is it possible then that when a Portuguese television program ran a survey in 2007 and staged write-in vote for “The Greatest Portuguese” amidst remarks from media commentators and letters to the editor that Vasco de Gama or Magellan, or the great poets Luis de Camões and Fernando Pessoa, the great fado star Amalia Rodrigues or one or another famous king would be the certain winner, it was however, none other than Salazar, never even mentioned in the original list of candidates! Many voters cited his dedication, competence, austerity and integrity as worthy of their vote.

During his forty years in power, the highest estimate of fatalities among political prisoners amounted to no more than sixty, an inconsequential number compared to any other dictatorial European regime of the 20^th century. The TV special featured individual documentaries advocating the top ten candidates. The final vote took place on 25 March 2007, Salazar was the winner with 41% of the write-in votes. Nevertheless, in second place was Alvaro Cunhal (19.1%) – the general secretary of the Portuguese Communist Party (1961-1992) and a life-long opponent of the Salazar regime!

Among the also-rans were the famous expected navigators of the Age of Discovery, poets, writers and kings but the unexpected third place finisher was a testament to the conscience of the nation, one traditionally considered a bastion of antisemitism, Aristides de Sousa Mendes (13.1%), a career diplomat demoted by Salazar. Sousa Mendes is remembered with great honor as one of the “Righteous Gentiles” by the State of Israel!

Spain and Portugal During World War II

Aristides de Sousa Mendes, A Righteous Gentile

Consul in Bordeaux

Sousa Mendes personally intervened at the border when Spanish guards questioned the authenticity of the visas at the towns of Bayonne, Hendaye, and Irun. Approximately 30,000 refugees, among them 10,000 Jews, directly owed their lives to the Portuguese consul who was recalled and declared insane, the official explanation later reported in the Spanish and Portuguese press.

The Enquiry

Sousa Mendes’ Defense

In his response to the charges, Sousa Mendes replied on August 12, 1940:

Franco Responds in Kind so as Not to Lose Face

The Final Chapter

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Norman Berdichevsky is the author of The Left is Seldom Right and Modern Hebrew: The Past and Future of a Revitalized Language.

 

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