Carlos de Liz-Texeira Branquinho, Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires in Budapest, 1944-45

Carlos de Liz-Texeira Branquinho was the Portuguese Chargé d'Affaires in Budapest in 1944.  He obtained permission from the Portuguese government to issue safe conducts to all persons who had relatives in Portugal, Brazil, or the Portuguese colonies.  Each safe conduct was personally signed by Branquinho.  After the Arrow Cross and Nazis retook the city on October 15, 1944, there was a great demand for these documents.  Branquinho was authorized to issue 500 safe conducts, but in actual fact issued more than 800.  The Portuguese mission established several safe houses to shelter the 800 protected Jews.  Despite constant raids by the Arrow Cross, the Portuguese houses remained relatively safe throughout the war.  He also established an office of the Portuguese Red Cross at the Portuguese legation to care for Jewish refugees.