The eugenic ideas were also debated in Portugal from the 19th Century on and many scientists and academics were involved in an intensive debate, even after the end of the World War II, in magazines, books and scientific meetings.

Portuguese academics perfectly knew what was being discussed in Europe and in the United States. They knew the evolutionary theories, as well as works and authors determinants in this area, especially Lamarck, Darwin, Galton, Gobineau and Chamberlain. The ideas developed in Germany have also infiltrated the thinking of Portuguese scientists. Actually Germany was an important paradigm for many of them. Some of them studied in Germany or simply visited the research centers. German scientists were admired and its institutions were regarded as models to be imported to Portugal. In the thirties was also founded the Portuguese Society of Eugenic Studies. Research “made” in Germany was publicized and propagandized.

This paper will focus on the arguments and proposals presented by Portuguese eugenics advocates. Eusébio Tamagnini, Mendes Correia, Barahona Fernandes or José Aires de Azevedo. They studied the skin color, the nasal index and blood groups, trying to demonstrate the superiority of the Portuguese, defending the inferiority of the indigenous peoples who lived in the colonies.