How did the idea of writing about the family come about, even in a historical context like the Great War of 1914-1918?
For many years I have been teaching, in a course entitled Portuguese Foreign Policy, Portugal’s participation in World War I as a clear case where internal policy considerations took precedence over the country’s obvious lack of capabilities. The reaction of the students is always very surprising when it comes to the contours of the intervention decision-making and even more so when it comes to the huge weaknesses of the Portuguese participation. I think it is a subject that is little or not discussed in secondary education. So I thought it was a topic to explore. Coincidentally, I came across my great-grandfather’s campaign diary when he was in Flanders.
Were the letters and other documents used always kept as family memories or was this opportunity to write a book cherished for generations?
The letters and other documents used in my research were kept by the various branches of the family, I presume mainly out of affection and respect. As for the diary, it was only found after my great-grandfather died and his house was dismantled. I don’t think any of the descendants knew of its existence. By collecting the letters and other documents and placing them in chronological order next to the diary entries, I realized that I had in my hands a script presented to me by reality itself that I could not waste. I later strengthened the basis of these family memoirs with more letters and documents that I could consult in the extraordinary archives of the House of Sabugosa and São Lourenço, to which the family joins. Finally, I read the written press published between 1908 and 1918, where I found several articles referring to the protagonists of my research.
Source: DN
