De Mul/Kleefeld

Visa Recipients

  • DE MUL, Joseph
    Age 15
  • KLEEFELD, Cécile née SMET A
    Age 41
  • KLEEFELD, Edouard P A
    Age 54
  • KLEEFELD, Gaston P A
    Age 56
  • KLEEFELD, Georges A
    Age 52
  • KLEEFELD, Suzanne née HEYMANN P A
    Age 49

About the Family

The KLEEFELD family was explicitly denied visas by Salazar, the Portuguese head of state.

Nevertheless, they crossed into Portugal, presumably with visas issued against orders by Aristides de Sousa Mendes. They then traveled on the Serpa Pinto from Lisbon to New York in January 1941.

  • Photos
  • Artifact
Bordeus_47_1940_05

Telegram from Salazar denying visas to KLEEFELD family - Courtesy of Portuguese Foreign Ministry Archives, Lisbon