Another Hero

Some of you may have heard about Aristides Sousa Mendes.
Many people have, mostly Jewish people.
Yet, whenever his name comes about, it doesn't seem to matter whether in Portugal or abroad, most people seem to ignore the name although a few do vaguely remember the events that made him famous.
He was the Portuguese consul in Bordeaux who defied his own government issuing visas to more than 30000 Jews fleeing from the Nazis.
Salazar, the dictator who was ruling Portugal, was not a man to forgive someone who had disobeyed his direct orders, he called the consul back to Lisbon immediatly.
Such attitude towards the refugees granted him being discharged of his functions as soon as he got back in Portugal and loosing all that he had.
He died in poverty and only after the regime had fallen was his name rehabilitated.
But he stood to his principles and kept his honor.
In these times we are living in, with so much religious hatred resurfacing, maybe his gesture should be remembered a bit more.

(the picture was stolen from here)