Upcoming Virtual Lecture: Tuesday, January 27, 11 am Eastern Time

Event Organizer: BZD

Event Presenter: Jewish historian and author of the popular Shaland’s Portugal book series, Irene Shaland

Few people realize that, during the darkest years of the Holocaust, neutral Portugal became one of Europe’s last lifelines. As Nazi occupation spread across the continent, thousands of desperate refugees poured into Lisbon — a city suddenly transformed into a tense crossroads of diplomats, fugitives, and international spies.

More than 43,000 refugees reached Portugal during the war. Many first arrived in Lisbon before being dispersed to towns such as Cascais, Estoril, Ericeira, and Vilar Formoso. All of this unfolded under the authoritarian Estado Novo regime, led by António Salazar — a dictator who admired Hitler’s racial ideology and ordered his diplomats to restrict Jewish immigration.

And yet, in defiance of these orders, a handful of courageous Portuguese diplomats chose humanity over obedience. Irene Shaland’s lecture uncovers these largely unknown heroes who risked their careers — and often their lives — to issue thousands of life‑saving transit visas to Jews fleeing the Nazis.

You’ll also step inside wartime Lisbon’s James‑Bond‑like atmosphere, where spies, informants, refugees, and opportunists converged in a city that became a hub of intrigue and survival.

Join this eye‑opening presentation to discover:

– The hidden history of Portugal as a critical escape route

– The diplomats who defied fascism to save Jewish lives

– The political contradictions of Salazar’s regime of neutrality

– The espionage‑filled world of wartime Lisbon

Reserve your spot and uncover a chapter of Holocaust history that few people know — but everyone should.

Link: https://bzdisrael.org/portugals-secret-lifeline-escape-espionage-and-courage-during-the-holocaust

About the Presenter

Irene Shaland is an internationally published art and travel writer and educator, with 7 books and over 30 magazine articles published in the US, Canada, and the UK. She is a contributing author and lecturer at academic institutions such as the Siegal College of Jewish Studies and Touro Law School in New York, and Center for Jewish History Research, as well as museums and cultural institutions, such as Museum of Jewish Heritage in Cleveland and New York, Society for Crypto-Judaic Studies, BZD, Qesher, and other communal organizations focusing on Jewish history.

Learn about Irene Shaland’s books on the subject: https://amzn.to/3DM6rDk