Obj. ID: 54404
Memorials The Angel of Bordeaux mural in Montreal, Canada, 2022
Name of Monument
Aristides de Sousa Mendes, The Angel of Bordeaux
What/Who is commemorated?
Aristides de Sousa Mendes
Description
A three-story mural covers a brick side wall of a commercial building at Saint Laurent Boulevard and Rue Maire Anne in Montreal that houses Schreter's Clothing and Footwear (established in 1928). The building opens onto the boulevard, but the mural faces the smaller Rue Marie Anne. A three-story portrait of DeSousa Mendes fills the half of the wall nearest to the boulevard – this part has no windows. Sweeping up to the left from the shoulder of de Sousa Mendes is a swath of blue, within. which is painted a faint scene of refugees crossing a space 9bridge?) lined with old-fashioned streetlights as the head for a distant city skyline. Above and beyond this scene is painted the large flying stork.
Inscriptions
On placard attached to the wall, in French:
Aristides de Sousa Mendes (1885 - 1954) Cónsul General de Portugal à Burdeos
“El ángel de Burdeos”
France, mai-juin, 1940: Des millers de réfugiés provenant de 48 pays se présente à Bordeaux (et dans le sud-ouest) afin d'obtenir des visas du Consulat du Portugal leur permettant de fuir les Nazis et de quitter l' Europa par le Portugal. Sousa Mendes reçoit l’ordre de son gouvernement de les leur refuser. N'écoutant que sa conciencia, il désobéit. Les conséquences sont terribles pour lui et sa famille. SOUSA MENDES, un sauvé des milliers de vies pendant la Deuxième Guerre mondiale. Juste parmi les Nations, il est entré au Panthéon portugais.
Translation:
On placard attached to the wall, in English:
Aristides de Sousa Mendes (1885-1954) Consul General of Portugal in Bordeaux
“The Angel of Bordeaux”
France, May-June 1940: thousands of refugees from 48 countries arrived in Bordeaux (and the southwest) to obtain visas from the Portuguese Consulate to escape the Nazis and leave Europe through Portugal. Sousa Mendes was ordered by his government to refuse them. Following his conscience, he disobeyed orders. The consequences were terrible for him and his family. Sousa Mendes saved thousands of lives during the Second World War. Righteous Among the Nations, he was honoured by the Portuguese National Pantheon.
On placard attached to the wall, in Portuguese:
Aristides de Sousa Mendes (1885 - 1954) Cônsul Geral de Portugal em Bordéus
“About Anjo de Bordéus”
França, Maio-Junho de 1940: Milhares de refugiados judeus, de cerca de 48 países, chegam a Bordéus (e ao Sudoeste da França) na esperança de obter vistos do Consulado Português, para poderem fugir dos nazis, e deixar a Europa passando por Portugal. Aristides de Sousa Mendes recebe do governo a ordem de lhes negar os vistos. Ouvindo apenas a sua consciência, ele desobedece. As consequências para ele e para sua familia são catastróficas. SOUSA MENDES salvou mihares de vidas durante a Segunda Guerra Mundial, Justo entre as Nações, Aristides de Sousa Mendes entra no Panteão Nacional a 19 de Outubro 2021.
Translation:
Commissioned by
Portuguese Community of Montreal
Chambre Des Communes / House of Commons, Canada
Consul General of Portugal in Montreal
Festival Portugal International de Montreal
Montreal Holocaust Museum
National Assembly of Quebec
sub-set tree: 
The mural was the idea of the Portugues Community, organized of an annual Portuguese Festival in the neighborhood, which coincidentally was once a primary neighborhood for Jewish immigrants, and in which there are still many Jewish-owned business, and one active synagogue (Temple Solomon, aka “The Bagg Street Shul”). The area is also filled with murals, and an annual mural festival coincides with the Portuguese cultural festival, so it seemed natural to organizers to sponsor a mural. The International de Sousa Mendes Foundation has promoted commemorative and educational programs centered on the heroic diplomat. Additional sponsors signed on to the project. Herman Alves, organizer of the Montreal Portugal Festival, enlisted the young graffiti and mural artist Matthew Cadoch, who is Jewish, to carry out the work, which was inaugurated at the festival in June 2022.
Henriques, Brittany, "Man who helped thousands of refugees during World War II honoured with mural in Montreal," City News Everywhere, June 12, 2022., https://montreal.citynews.ca/2022/06/12/sousa-mendes-portugal-montreal-mural/ (accessed June 17, 2024)