Spared lives

28 Jul. 1944

Telegram nº 116 from the Portuguese Legation in Budapest concerning the circular note distributed by the Hungarian Foreign Ministry informing that at the request of the Swedish Red Cross, the Palestine Emigration Board and the War Refugee Board, the Hungarian government had taken several measures to reduce the number or soften the treatment of Jews covered by anti-Jewish legislation, ending “according reserved information collected in official circles about 10 000 Jews will benefit. There are 300 000 Jews in Budapest. There are no signs of any in the provinces and it is said that the Jewish cleansing in this capital, provisionally suspended, or at least abated, will recommence shortly”.

(AHD – Cipher, Collection of Telegrams from Budapest)