Nicolas Eurico de Meneses

The blind Brazilian diplomat who saved thousands from Nazi persecution

Despite losing his sight at 21, Nicolas Eurico de Meneses (1887-1965) issued 3,000+ visas to Jewish refugees as Brazil's consul in Hamburg (1936-1938). He creatively exploited Brazil's 'agricultural worker' visa category, approving applications even after Berlin banned Jewish emigration.

His encrypted telegrams to Rio used vegetable names as codewords for refugee numbers. When recalled under Nazi pressure, he destroyed visa records to protect recipients. Less than 2% of his visas were ever revoked.

Post-war, Meneses developed Brazil's tactile voting system for the blind. His 'Diplomacia Humanitária' memoir (1959) remains required reading in Brazilian foreign service training.