Intrigue. Duplicity. Bribery. Portugal had it all during WWII. Not only was it a neutral dictatorship threading the needle between Hitler and Churchill and the last stop for many looking to leave Europe, but it was also crawling with double agents and played a double agent itself between the Allied and Axis powers. Here are 15 surprising facts about Portugal during World War II that you likely didn’t know.

1. Lisbon became Europe’s “last open port” and the numbers are bigger than many realize.

As the Nazis sealed off borders, Lisbon became the exit point of choice for desperate refugees. Historians estimate that hundreds of thousands of people (both Jews and non-Jews) transited through Portugal during the war with approximately 60,000–80,000 Jewish refugees among them. Relief agencies operated from Lisbon, and the city’s docks, ticket offices, and hotels were crowded with people waiting for ships or rare transatlantic flights.

The human drama behind these statistics is staggering: famous artists and writers passed through, as did ordinary families with nothing but a transit visa and a lot of hope. Archival projects and exhibits continue to document Lisbon’s role as a lifeline during one of the most difficult periods in modern history.

2. Portugal exported wolfram during the WWII and demand for it was so intense that it reshaped Portugal’s economy and then was shut off almost overnight.

Wolfram, now commonly known as tungsten, is a dense, heavy metal with an extremely high melting point. It’s one of the hardest elements in nature, which makes it invaluable for hardening steel, especially for armor-piercing shells and tank parts. During WWII, it was as strategically important as oil because whoever controlled tungsten production could give their weapons a decisive edge.

Portugal was one of the world’s top sources of wolfram, especially in the northern regions of Trás-os-Montes, Beira Alta, and Minho, as well as in parts of central Portugal. Mines like those in Panasqueira became legendary and produced ore of such high quality that both the Allies and the Axis were desperate to buy it.

The wolfram trade turned into what locals still remember as the “fevre do volfrâmio” (“wolfram fever”), a chaotic gold-rush-style boom. Farmers abandoned fields, people dug in their backyards, and rural villages saw sudden wealth pour in. By 1943, tens of thousands were involved in mining or black-market trading, and the price of wolfram skyrocketed.

Neutral Portugal sold to both sides, but Germany relied on Portuguese tungsten far more than Britain or the U.S. That made it a pressure point in Allied economic strategy. Under heavy diplomatic (and economic) pressure, Prime Minister Salazar finally banned wolfram exports to the Axis powers in June 1944. The ban was a quiet but decisive blow to Germany’s war industry, and just as suddenly, the fever broke, leaving many mining towns in economic free-fall.

3. Portugal took Nazi gold as payment (mostly for wolfram) yet later argued it hadn’t known its origins!

Portugal’s most controversial wartime role revolves around gold. Throughout the conflict, the Salazar regime sold wolfram (tungsten), cork, and other goods to Germany. Payments often came in gold. Some of this was laundered via Switzerland and some directly from the Reichsbank. Scholarly estimates put Portugal’s net receipts at no less than 123.8 tons of gold from Germany during the war (about $139.9 million at the time).

Post-war scrutiny led to the Tripartite Gold Commission and U.S. investigations into “Nazi gold.” A U.S. State Department report decades later summarized Portugal’s position: Lisbon maintained it did not knowingly handle gold looted from Holocaust victims and thus did not owe reparations, an assessment echoed by a Portuguese inquiry in the late 1990s. The controversy remains a moral gray zone: the gold almost certainly included looted bars, but proving it is another matter entirely.

4. One Portuguese diplomat defied orders and issued a documented 1,575 visas in a single week to people trapped by the advance of German forces.

Aristides de Sousa Mendes, the Portuguese diplomat in Bordeaux, disobeyed Lisbon’s restrictive “Circular 14” and, in June 1940, issued visas at a breakneck pace to people trapped by the German advance. Yad Vashem’s archival study documented 1,575 visas between June 15–22, 1940. The total number he facilitated is widely described as “thousands,” although exact counts vary because multiple cities were involved and records are incomplete. Sousa Mendes paid dearly when he was punished by Salazar upon returning to Portugal, but he saved lives and is now honored as one of Portugal’s most notable people.

5. Portuguese diplomats in Budapest helped save around 1,000 Hungarian Jews in 1944.

Less known than Sousa Mendes are Ambassador Carlos Sampaio Garrido and Chargé d’Affaires Carlos de Liz-Teixeira Branquinho. With Lisbon’s knowledge, they issued protective documents and sheltered families during the Holocaust in Hungary. Multiple sources credit their actions with saving on the order of 1,000 lives, a courageous operation that relied on Portuguese passports and safe houses at the height of deportations from Budapest.

6. The Anglo-Portuguese Alliance dating to the 14th century suddenly became incredibly important again.

Portugal’s alliance with England (later Britain) is often called the oldest still-active alliance in the world. In August 1943, Salazar agreed to lease bases in the Azores to Britain, which marked a quiet but pivotal turn that closed the mid-Atlantic gap in convoy coverage and helped slash U-boat successes. In a dramatic October 12, 1943 speech, Churchill told Parliament he had invoked the old alliance, which surprised MPs who barely remembered it. The United States received its own Azores agreement the following year.

7. The Japanese invaded Portuguese Timor after Allied troops occupied Portugal’s neutral territory first.

While Portugal was officially neutral, the war still reached its empire. After the Pacific War began, Australian and Dutch forces landed in Portuguese Timor in December 1941 and preemptively occupied a neutral colony. Portugal protested. On February 19–20, 1942, Japan invaded and occupied the island. Fighting and reprisals devastated the local population. Estimates suggest tens of thousands of Timorese civilians died under occupation.

8. Lisbon was such a spy capital that it ultimately provided the inspiration for James Bond.

Neutral Portugal, cosmopolitan Lisbon, and the resort town of Estoril swarmed with agents from every side. MI6’s station chief worked the city; German Abwehr officers lounged at hotel bars, and double agents whispered secrets over cocktails. In 1941, British naval intelligence officer Ian Fleming spied Serbian double agent Duško Popov in Estoril’s casino. Writers and Bond historians have long linked that scene to the opening of Casino Royale. You can still have a drink at Bar Estoril in the Palácio Estoril Hotel today.

9. During part of WWII, the only regular air route from the U.S. to continental Europe that remained open ran through Lisbon.

Once war closed most European air routes, Pan Am’s Boeing 314 Clippers kept flying to Lisbon. This made it the only point of regular air connection between the United States and Europe for much of the conflict. The flights carried diplomats, refugees, and mail. The “Yankee Clipper” tragically crashed on approach to the Tagus River on February 22, 1943 and killed 24 of 39 aboard.

10. Portugal sheltered evacuees from Gibraltar on the island of Madeira.

When Britain fortified Gibraltar in 1940, most civilians were evacuated. While many endured the Blitz in London, about 2,000 Gibraltarians were sent to Madeira, where they lived for years. Some did not return until 1943 or later. The episode forged lasting ties between Gibraltar and Portugal’s Atlantic archipelago; documentaries and commemorations keep the memory alive.

11. Flags were flown at half-mast in Portugal when Hitler died.

António de Oliveira Salazar insisted on legal neutrality, which included trade with both sides (until 1944), strict internal control, and cautious diplomacy. That stance yielded moments that look bizarre in hindsight including ordering flags to fly at half-mast upon Hitler’s death as a protocol gesture. The same regime, however, let Britain and then the United States use the Azores and tolerated (and sometimes enabled) rescue work by Portuguese diplomats. History is messy, and so is Portugal’s wartime record.

12. Portugal’s Jewish community and Lisbon’s charities helped assist refugees and organize logistics.

Lisbon’s Jewish community, led for decades by Moisés Bensabat Amzalak, worked with Portuguese authorities and international relief groups to assist refugees, secure permissions, and organize logistics including the relocation of major Jewish aid offices to Lisbon in June 1940. Although we’ve just learned that Portugal flew flags at half-mast upon Hitler’s death, we can also see the great efforts that neutral Portugal went to quietly, and sometimes decisively, to help the victims of Hitler’s policies.

13. Portugal’s wartime economy skyrocketed and then crashed due to famine and embargoes.

Between 1940 and 1944, Portugal’s real GDP surged by 19% to 30%. This was largely thanks to the booming wolfram exports to both Axis and Allied powers. That trade generated a historic trade surplus in 1942. However, this fragile prosperity collapsed in 1944–45, triggered by a devastating drought (the longest on record), international pressure leading to the embargo of wolfram exports, and the rationing of goods including key staples like cod, sugar, soap, and fuel. The combination ushered in one of Portugal’s worst post‑war recessions.

14. Portugal lent a substantial credit to Britain which left a massive debt after the war.

During WWII, while officially neutral, Portugal maintained its centuries-old ties with Britain. In addition to trade, it extended generous credit to the UK, so much so that, by 1945, Britain owed Portugal around £322 million. This massive debt underscores how neutrality didn’t necessarily mean disinterest. It also meant strategic support, even if indirectly.

15. Portugal’s neutral status made it a hub for wartime smuggling for everything from diamonds to penicillin.

Portugal’s open ports and relatively porous borders turned it into a prime location for moving contraband during the war. Smugglers and black-market operators dealt not just in wolfram, but in diamonds from Africa, luxury goods from neutral Spain, life-saving medicines like penicillin (unavailable in most of occupied Europe), and even art confiscated from Jewish families. Lisbon and Porto became undercover marketplaces where Allied and Axis agents sometimes shopped side-by-side and used neutral territory to buy, sell, or move goods under the radar. The trade was technically illegal under wartime controls, but the profits were massive, and the mix of diplomatic immunity, corruption, and political balancing made enforcement patchy at best. In some cases, these unofficial channels meant that scarce medical supplies and critical materials found their way to resistance groups across Europe.

Why This All Still Matters

As we can now see, Portugal’s wartime record doesn’t fit neatly into one box. The country protected its sovereignty, profited from trade with the Axis powers, and crucially helped Allied victory by opening the Azores. Lisbon saved lives as a port of last resort, yet Lisbon’s central bank accepted gold that, in part, had horrific origins. Individual Portuguese diplomats broke rules to rescue strangers while others enforced those rules. Neutrality, in practice, was a tightrope over a churning ocean in a small Atlantic nation whose geography and politics made it unavoidable.

If you’ve been learning Portuguese for a while, you’ve probably mastered the basics: how to order a coffee, ask for directions, or introduce yourself at a dinner party. But there comes a point in every language learner’s journey when they want to say more than “Where is the bathroom?” Maybe you want to share a memory, talk about your trip to Porto, or even recount a dream you had last night. In other words, you want to tell a story.

Storytelling is where language really comes alive. It helps you connect with people on a deeper level, express your personality, and truly experience the richness of a culture. But how do you move beyond basic sentences into fluid, expressive storytelling in Portuguese?

The secret? Conjunctions.

These humble little words are the glue that holds a story together. They give your tale rhythm, structure, and depth. In this article, we’ll introduce you to 16 essential conjunctions and transition words used in European Portuguese storytelling. You’ll find their English equivalents, examples of how to use them, and tips to help you sound like a natural. Are you ready? Let’s go!

1. Era uma vez – Once upon a time

Let’s start at the very beginning – literally. This is the classic opening line for fairy tales and stories, just like in English.

Example
Era uma vez uma senhora que vivia numa pequena casa à beira do rio.
“Once upon a time, there was a lady who lived in a small house by the river.”

Tip – Use “era uma vez” whenever you feel the need to “once upon a time” your friends, even when joking around with friends.

2. Depois – Then / Afterward

“Depois” is a time-based connector that helps you move the story forward.

Example
Fomos à praia e, depois, almoçámos num restaurante à beira-mar.
“We went to the beach and then had lunch at a seaside restaurant.”

Tip – Use this to create sequence. It’s simple, natural, and essential.

3. Entretanto – Meanwhile / In the meantime

This is perfect for describing parallel actions or switching points of view.

Example
Eu estava a cozinhar. Entretanto, o meu irmão arrumava a sala.
“I was cooking. Meanwhile, my brother was tidying up the living room.”

Tip – Great for storytelling with multiple characters or when setting up contrast.

4. A seguir – Next

Here is another handy phrase for moving things along in chronological order.

Example
A seguir, decidimos visitar o castelo antigo.
“Next, we decided to visit the old castle.”

Tip – Can be used interchangeably with “depois” in many contexts.

5. Então – So / Then

“Então” is wonderfully flexible—it can indicate time, consequence, or even introduce a new part of the story. 

Example
Ela não apareceu. Então, decidimos começar sem ela.
“She didn’t show up. So, we decided to start without her.”

Tip – Listen for this in Portuguese conversations. It’s everywhere.

6. Por isso – Therefore / That’s why / So

This causal connector is key when you’re explaining consequences.

Example
Estava a chover muito, por isso ficámos em casa.
“It was raining a lot, so we stayed home.”

Tip – Think of “por isso” as the bridge between a cause and its effect.

7. Portanto – Therefore / So / Thus

This is a clear and logical way to connect ideas or explain consequences in your story.

Example
Estava cansada, portanto fui para casa mais cedo.
“I was tired, so I went home early.”

Tip – Use this when you want to explain the result of something that just happened. It’s slightly more formal than “por isso” and adds clarity and flow, especially in written or reflective storytelling.

8. No entanto – However / Nevertheless

Perfect for adding a twist or contradiction to your story.

Example
Tínhamos pouco dinheiro. No entanto, conseguimos fazer uma viagem incrível.
“We had little money. Nevertheless, we managed to take an amazing trip.”

Tip – Use this to show resilience or unexpected outcomes in your story.

9. Contudo – However / Nonetheless

Very similar to “no entanto,” but slightly more formal or literary.

Example
O caminho era difícil. Contudo, não desistimos.
“The path was difficult. Nonetheless, we didn’t give up.”

Tip – If you’re writing or telling a more serious story, “contudo” adds elegance.

10. Atualmente – Nowadays / Currently

Great for showing contrast between the past and present.

Example
Antigamente, era uma vila tranquila. Atualmente, é um destino turístico popular.
“In the past, it was a quiet village. Nowadays, it’s a popular tourist destination.”

Tip – Useful when shifting from a story to a reflection or moral.

11. Logo – As soon as / Right away / So

Context is key with “logo.” It can mean “soon” or “therefore” depending on usage.

Example
Logo que chegámos, começou a chover.
“As soon as we arrived, it started to rain.”

Tip – “Logo que” = “as soon as.” Without “que,” it may imply consequence as you can see in the following example:

Example
Ela não estudou para o exame. Logo, teve uma nota baixa.
“She didn’t study for the exam. Therefore, she got a low grade.”

12. Quando – When

An essential building block of nearly every narrative.

Example
Quando eu era criança, adorava brincar no jardim da minha avó.
“When I was a child, I loved playing in my grandmother’s garden.”

Tip – You can’t tell a story without “quando.” It’s indispensable.

13. Enquanto – While

Great for showing simultaneous events or long actions.

Example
Enquanto ele dormia, eu lia um livro.
“While he was sleeping, I was reading a book.”

Tip – Pairs beautifully with the imperfect tense in Portuguese.

14. Assim que – As soon as

Like “logo que,” this phrase helps move the story forward quickly.

Example
Assim que ouvi a notícia, liguei-te.
“As soon as I heard the news, I called you.”

Tip – Be ready to follow it with the past tense to express urgency or immediacy.

15. De repente – Suddenly

This one adds drama and surprise.

Example
Estávamos a conversar calmamente quando, de repente, o cão começou a ladrar sem parar.
“We were chatting calmly when, suddenly, the dog started barking nonstop.”

Tip – Drop this into your story for tension or comic effect.

16. Em resumo – In short / Overall

Perfect for wrapping up your story or summarizing key points.

Example
Em resumo, foi uma viagem cheia de surpresas e emoções.
“In short, it was a trip full of surprises and emotions.”

Tip – Use this to finish your story with a final reflection or conclusion.

Bonus Expressions for a Little More Storytelling Flair

While conjunctions are the framework, a few bonus phrases can spice things up:

• “Sabes o que aconteceu depois?” – “Do you know what happened next?”
• “Nem vais acreditar!” – “You won’t believe it!”
• “Foi aí que tudo mudou…” – “That’s when everything changed…”

These help add a sense of intrigue and keep your listener hooked.

Telling Your Own Stories

Now that you’ve got a toolbox of 16 essential storytelling conjunctions in European Portuguese, try using them in your own life. Retell something that happened to you yesterday. Describe your first day in Lisbon. Recreate a childhood memory.

Here’s a short sample story using several of the conjunctions you just learned:

Mini-Story Example

Era uma vez uma jovem chamada Inês que vivia numa aldeia pequena. Quando terminou a escola, decidiu viajar pelo mundo. Depois, foi para Itália, a seguir visitou a Grécia, e entretanto, conheceu pessoas maravilhosas.

Um dia, de repente, perdeu o passaporte. Estava desesperada. No entanto, um senhor simpático ajudou-a no consulado. Assim que recebeu os documentos novos, continuou a sua aventura.

Atualmente, Inês vive em Lisboa e trabalha como guia turística. Em resumo, descobriu o mundo…e também descobriu a si mesma.

English Translation

Once upon a time, there was a young woman named Inês who lived in a small village. When she finished school, she decided to travel the world. Then, she went to Italy, next she visited Greece, and meanwhile, she met wonderful people.

One day, suddenly, she lost her passport. She was desperate. However, a kind gentleman helped her at the consulate. As soon as she received her new documents, she continued her adventure.

Nowadays, Inês lives in Lisbon and works as a tour guide. In short, she discovered the world…and also discovered herself.

Final Thoughts

Learning to tell a story in Portuguese doesn’t require perfect grammar or a huge vocabulary. It requires confidence, curiosity, and just enough structure to get your point across. Conjunctions are the unsung heroes of storytelling, and once you get comfortable with them, you’ll find your Portuguese becoming more natural, expressive, and fun.

So, the next time someone asks you “Fala português?,” don’t just say yes.
Tell them a story.

I recently discovered Realejo wandering around the second floor of Ler Devagar, one of Lisbon’s most famous bookstores in the LX Factory. Standing alone next to a sign that said “Experience Lisbon in 2 Minutes Puppet Show” was William Barreto, who encouraged me to sit down on a stool directly across from him, put on a pair of headphones, and get ready for the show. I quickly found myself peering through a hole at the end of a tiny wooden version of the iconic Tram 28 preparing for a private performance that only I could see, like a secret waiting to be uncovered. Inside that box, I was treated to a puppet show where a rotating cast of puppets took the tram through the ups and downs of the city. There was love. There was drama. Even Fernando Pessoa showed up. Less than three minutes later, my ride on Tram 28 was over. This is Realejo: Tiny Box Theater, and while it may be small in scale, it leaves a lasting impression.

Founded in 2017 by Brazilian artist William Barreto and educator Adriana Daltoé, Realejo began as a creative project based around miniature storytelling. William, who previously worked on a grand scale as a sculptor for Rio de Janeiro’s carnival floats, took an unexpected turn toward the much smaller scale after discovering Lambe-Lambe theater, which is a solo-viewer form of puppet theater that originated in Bahia, Brazil.

Adriana Daltoé is an educator and dramaturg with a postgraduate degree in Educational Management and Brazilian History. Her experience in childhood education and public cultural programming helps shape Realejo’s performances and outreach into something accessible, heartfelt, and meaningful.

Encouraged by fellow artist Sérgio Biff, William and Adriana built their first performance box, inspired by the poetry of Fernando Pessoa.

When the couple relocated to Lisbon in 2018, they brought that same box with them and debuted it as Janelas, a poetic and contemplative piece set in a lonely mansion, rich in metaphor and movement.

Together, William and Adriana live by the mission of bringing “pinches of poetry in seconds.” Their work invites viewers to pause, peer inside, and rediscover wonder one performance at a time.

Since then, Realejo has developed into a traveling theater of six unique boxes, each containing a short, hand-crafted puppet performance that lasts for less than three minutes. These shows are intricate and intimate performances that are designed for only one or two spectators at a time. They draw on the long tradition of peep shows, magic lanterns, and early cinematic devices while embracing the expressive potential of puppetry and poetic narratives. Every element of the performance including the scenery and the soundtrack is created by William and Adriana themselves.

At its core, Realejo is about slowing down, even for a moment, and entering a world where a puppet’s tiny gesture can connect you to the history and beauty of an entire culture.

Background and Production: A Conversation with the Artists

1. What is Realejo Artes, and how did it start?
Realejo Artes began in Brazil in 2017 as the joint effort of visual artist William Barreto and his wife, childhood educator Adriana Daltoé. William, who comes from a background in large-scale sculpture and set design, wanted to pursue art independently when the couple moved to Portugal. After discovering Lambe-Lambe theater, he and Adriana created their first box theater together, starting with a piece inspired by Fernando Pessoa. They moved to Lisbon in 2018 and began performing regularly at Ler Devagar, where William remains an artist-in-residence.

2. What inspires the shows you create?
Each performance is inspired by a blend of visuals, literature, and emotion. The first piece, Janelas, was drawn from a Pessoa poem. Others pay tribute to iconic artists and places, such as Luzes (inspired by Van Gogh) and Eléctrico 28 (a love letter to Lisbon’s famous tram). The duo is especially drawn to themes of introspection, everyday magic, and the poetry found in small moments.

3. Do you build everything yourselves?
Yes. William is responsible for the artistic conception, design, sculpting, and set-building, while Adriana handles the research, writing, public relations, and manipulation of the puppets. Their process is deeply collaborative, and they focus on blending art and pedagogy into each creation.

4. Where and when do you perform?
Realejo performs weekly at Ler Devagar in Lisbon’s LX Factory. In addition to their residency, they travel across Portugal and internationally, participating in festivals such as Festival Marionetas na Cidade (Alcobaça), Festival Imaginário (Sintra), and Theatroscope in Bulgaria. The format is adaptable to fairs, public squares, schools, libraries, and private events.

5. What are your most recent or upcoming productions?
Realejo currently performs six shows: Janelas, Luzes, Voo Poético, Eléctrico 28, A Viagem, and O Castelo. Their latest piece, O Castelo, is a whimsical medieval tale of a knight and a dragon that takes an unexpected twist. They are also preparing to expand their educational programming and continue to bring Teatro de Caixa to new audiences across Portugal.

Performances and Educational Outreach

Realejo’s performances are intimate and transportive. Each show lasts just two to three minutes but creates a self-contained universe of emotion and storytelling. The boxes are entirely analog. There are no screens or projections. Realejo only relies on the puppets, sets, lighting, and sound to convey their narratives.

In addition to public and private performances, Realejo is deeply invested in education. They offer workshops designed for both children and adults. In their Box Theater Workshops, participants create their own working Teatro de Caixa from start to finish and explore the mechanics of puppetry, storytelling, and scenic design. There are also technical workshops on airbrush painting, sculpture, and miniature set construction. Realejo frequently works with schools and cultural institutions and use theater as a tool for creative exploration and collaborative learning.

Contact Information

For performances, workshops, or collaborations, you can reach out to Realejo at:

Email: [email protected]
Phone: +351 911 998 822
Facebook: facebook.com/realejoartes
Instagram: instagram.com/realejoartes

You can catch Realejo performances at Ler Devagar weekly on the second floor next to Jazz Messengers record shop. Remember: sometimes the smallest stage holds the biggest stories.