History Tarrafal camp

1 history

1.1 first period
1.2 victims
1.3 second period

history

by 1932 salazar had become portugal s prime minister (primeiro-ministro). after consolidating power, declared estado novo ( new state ) in 1933. government modelled on fascist state in italy ruled benito mussolini. trade unions , political parties banned (except salazar s own national union). in response many left-wing organizations began campaigns against right-wing regime. arrests led rise in portugal s prison population.

against drop, estado novo, under guise of reorganization of country s prisons, decided build overseas penal colony exiling political opponents. several locations throughout portuguese colonies considered. chão bom (which means earth , soil) chosen on santiago island in cape verde archipelago. site approved because best suited hygiene, surveillance, , natural resources ; ideal properties prison colony should have according portuguese penal experts.

ideologically tarrafal created 2 purposes. first used remove , isolate political prisoners disrupted mainland goals through protests , sit ins. second camp have harsh conditions in order send clear message opposition in portugal salazar s authoritarian regime not tolerate kind of political dissent. these objectives defined in opening paragraphs of decree-law no. 26539 (decreto-lei n.º 26 539), law enacted build tarrafal prison. stated camp - under control of pvde (polícia de vigilância e de defesa estado: portugal s secret police) - exiling of political , social prisoners had disrupted other prisons , considered harmful element other inmates.

however law extended include committed crime political purposes, on remand political crimes, or had been arrested political crime.

first period

on 18 october 1936 first ship set sail lisbon carrying 152 political prisoners. while en route basic camp completed on 29 october 1936. among first group of inmates trade unionists , anarchists had taken on marinha grande on 18 january, 1934 in protest against estado novo regime. bloodless coup put down harshly right-wing government. antónio guerra, led occupation of marinha grande post office sentenced 20 years in exile; died in tarrafal in 1948. other prisoners included sailors 2 portuguese naval vessels, afonso de albuquerque , dão, mutinied on 8 september 1936 10 sailors died.

in first 2 years of camp, prisoners slept in canvas tents lacked electricity , ventilation. old fuel cans used bring in brackish water source 2km away camp. due heavy , prolonged rainy season in cape verde, tents rotted forcing prisoners sleep in makeshift shelters. malaria prevalent.

by 1940 camp had been rebuilt in brick. enlarged site, accommodate 4,000 inmates, had cells blocks built around parade quadrangle, health center, reading room, pvde guard towers , barracks, , administrative facilities. camp operate small railway in order transport supplies , fuel.

the pvde modelled camp regime on nazi concentration camps. prisoners subjected brutal authority. strict regulations enforced , outside information forbidden. pvde used physical , psychological violence against prisoners, included sleep deprivation, beatings , humiliation. men , women tortured information on organizations , networks in portugal. severe punishment conducted in concrete cell called frigideira (english: frying pan ). inside windowless 6m x3m building, daytime temperatures reach 60° celsius. prisoners held inside these blocks days, weeks or months.

the camp closed in 1954 due national , international pressure.

victims

a total of 32 political prisoners died in tarrafal; remains not returned portugal until after carnation revolution (25 de abril in portuguese) in 1974:

perimeter walls around camp.



barracks blocks within tarrafal.



a hollandinha punishment cell. temperatures inside reach 45° celsius during day.



francisco josé pereira: seaman, 28 ( lisbon, 1909 - tarrafal september 20, 1937)
pedro de matos filipe: unloader, 32 ( almada, 19 june 1905 - tarrafal, september 20, 1937)
francisco domingues quintas: industrial, 48 ( grijó , vila nova de gaia, april 1889 - tarrafal, september 22, 1937)
rafael tobias da silva pinto: watchmaker, 26 ( lisbon, 1911 - tarrafal september 22, 1937)
augusto costa: glassmaker worker ( leiria - tarrafal, september 22, 1937?)
candido alves barja: seaman, 27 ( castro verde april 1910 - tarrafal, 29 (24) september 1937?)
abilio augusto belchior: marble worker, 40 years (1897 - tarrafal, 29 october 1937?)
francisco nascimento esteves: mechanical turner, 24 ( lisbon, 1914 - tarrafal, 21 (29) january 1938?)
arnaldo simões januário: barber, 41 ( coimbra, 1897 - tarrafal, march 27, 1938)
alfredo caldeira: painter decorator, 30 ( lisbon, 1908 - tarrafal, december 1, 1938)
fernando alcobia: newsboy, 24 ( lisbon, 1915 - tarrafal, december 19, 1939)
jaime da fonseca e sousa: printers, 38 ( tondela, 1902 - tarrafal, july 7, 1940)
albino antónio de oliveira coelho: driver, 43 years (1897 - tarrafal, august 11, 1940?)
mário dos santos castelhano : office worker, 44 ( lisbon, may 1896 - tarrafal, 12 october 1936)
jacinto melo faria vilaça: sailor, 26 years (may 1914 - tarrafal, january 3, 1941?)
casimiro júlio ferreira: tinker, 32 ( lisbon, february 4, 1909 - tarrafal, september 24, 1941)
albino antónio de carvalho de oliveira: trader, 57 ( povoa lanhoso, 1884 - tarrafal, 22 (23) october 1941?)
antónio guedes de oliveira e silva: driver, 40 ( vila nova de gaia, may 1, 1901 - tarrafal, november 3, 1941)
ernesto josé ribeiro: baker or hodman, 30 ( lisbon, march 1911 - tarrafal, december 8, 1941)
john lopes dinis: construction, 37 ( sintra, 1904 - tarrafal, december 12, 1941)
henrique vale domingues fernandes: sailor, 28 years (august 1913 - tarrafal, january 7 (july) 1942?)
bento antónio gonçalves : mechanical turner, 40 ( rio fiães (montalegre), march 2, 1902 - tarrafal, september 11, 1942)
damásio martins pereira: worker (- tarrafal, november 11, 1942?)
antónio de jesus branco: unloader, 36 ( carregosa, december 25, 1906 - tarrafal, december 28, 1942)
paulo josé dias: maritime stoker, 39 ( lisbon, january 24, 1904 - tarrafal, january 13, 1943)
joaquim montes: cork worker, 30 ( almada, 11 september 1912 - tarrafal, february 14, 1943)
manuel alves dos reis (- tarrafal, june 11, 1943)
francisco nascimento gomes: driver, 34 ( vila nova de foz coa, august 28, 1909 - tarrafal, november 15, 1943)
edmundo gonçalves: 44 years ( lisbon, february 1900 - tarrafal, june 13, 1944)
manuel augusto da costa: mason (- tarrafal, june 3, 1945?)
joaquim marreiros: seaman, 38 ( lagos, 1910 - tarrafal, november 3, 1948)
antónio guerra: trade employee, 35 ( marinha grande, june 23, 1913 - tarrafal, december 28, 1948)

second period

the site reopened in 1961 on orders of adriano moreira, minister of overseas provinces. used forced labor camp african leaders , militants fighting portuguese colonialism. prisoners came cape verde, angola, , guinea-bissau. frigideira replaced hollandinha. despite conditions, prisoners tried each other , improve education , knowledge. gave classes 1 , trained translators , clerks.

the prison closed second, , final, time following carnation revolution on 25 april 1974 ended portugal s 50-year-old authoritarian regime. next evening @ 11.30pm, lieutenant arrived lisbon orders release political prisoners.

the portuguese government handed site on cape verde after achieved independence in 1975.