Aracy, the heroic cat lady who saved hundreds of lives

Many of the most amazing women in history were cat ladies and Aracy Carvalho was no exception.

Aracy was a Brazilian clerk working at her country’s consulate in Hamburg, Germany who used her position to save Jews and find homes for them in Brazil.

Thanks to her multicultural upbringing, sharp mind and friendly personality, Aracy got into the diplomatic field and was appointed to the Brazilian Consulate in Hamburg, Germany in 1936.

As Chief of the Passport Section, Aracy was instructed to “unofficially” stop Jewish refugees, desperately needing to flee Germany, from going to Brazil.

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Arcy was told to give them visas marked with J, and then denying them approval to travel but she thought it was not acceptable and instead, she issued as many valid visas as she could to Jewish applicants, even those she knew were using forged passports.

Arcy also helped many by hiding them in her own apartment and even helped them financially so that they had enough money to start a new life once they reached Brazil.

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In 1936, Arcy met João Guimarães Rosa, a diplomat who had been appointed Brazil’s Deputy Consul in Hamburg.

As they got to know each other better, João discovered what Arcy was doing to help save Jews and developed enormous admiration for the brave young woman, who could have been fired or worse for disobeying orders.

A few years later they got married and continued to help Jews together. Arcy was known among Jews as the “Angel of Hamburg.”

Aracy and João were amazing cat people and together they saved hundreds of innocent lives.

Once World War II was over, they both moved back to Brazil. While her husband died in 1967 at only 59, Aracy led a quiet life until her passing in 2011, at the advanced age of 102.

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