They were affraid, yet they went

Following the temporary exhibition “Women and Resistance – New Portuguese Letters and Other Struggles” (2021), we now focus on the experiences of women political prisoners. Who were they? How did they resist in prison? How did they cope, who supported them? This exhibition attempts to better understand these dimensions through their life stories and to continue to deepen our knowledge of this immense heritage of resistance
to dictatorship.

Women resisted the dictatorship on all fronts. Some went underground, living separated from their families and children for years on end. Many others were arrested and tortured, some with their children. Others went into exile and fled a regime that persecuted them. They built powerful networks of solidarity, and thousands opened the doors of their homes, generously welcoming and supporting anti-fascists and their families. The long and rich history of resistance to the dictatorship would not have been possible without them.

In this temporary exhibition, we pay deep tribute to all of them for their courage, legacy, and inspiration.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)