The Secret of António Dias Lourenço

70 years ago, António Dias Lourenço escaped from the disciplinary cell of the Peniche Fort Prison, located in the “Round Fortlet” (Fortim Redondo), also known as “the Secret”. Occurring at the early hours of December 19, 1954, the breakout was a humiliation for the dictatorship, revealing the weaknesses of the Peniche jail and the determination of the resisters.

Multifaceted, determined, and imaginative, António Dias Lourenço dedicated his life to the relentless struggle for the freedom of the Portuguese people. Imprisoned twice, for a total of 6,200 days, and tortured both times, he adopted “a slight constant smile” so that his torturers would not see his suffering.

After April 25, 1974, he played an active role in the implementation of democracy, serving as a constituent deputy, a deputy in the Assembly of the Republic, and a member of the Central Committee of the Portuguese Communist Party (PCP). He remained active until the end of his life, working with the younger generations to preserve the memory of the resistance against the dictatorship.

With the exhibition “The Secret of António Dias Lourenço”, the National Museum of Resistance and Freedom aims to celebrate this historical event, bring to light the life path of one of the most respected oppositionists to the regime, and raise awareness among the younger generations to the fact that the Freedom they enjoy today was built on the sacrifices of those men and women who made resistance to fascism their purpose in life.