The address of General Papadopoulos to the Serrai military forces yesterday in which he coupled Communists and Jews as the enemies of Greece resulted today in an order being sent by General Apapagos, commander-in-chief of the Greek army, to all Macedonian forces in which he called the Jews “a valuable element in the progress of civilization.”
General Apapagos’ statement, which was ordered read to the soldiers three times, came after vigorous protests against the address had been lodged with him by leaders of the Jewish community. Chief Rabbi Zvi Hirsch Koretz of Salonica visited the commander-in-chief to protest against the address.
General Apapogos’ statement follows: “All Greek Jews are moved by patriotic feelings. They differ from the Greeks only in religion and they are a valuable element in the progress of civilization.
Military authorities were commanded to explain to the soldiers that no distinction is to be made between Greeks on the basis of creed.
Meanwhile, the governor of Serrai, after an official inquiry into the speech, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency the Papadopoulos incident had probably been exaggerated in order to evoke discontent among the Jews against the Greek government.
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The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
