The Greek Government-in-Exile today issued a report through the Inter-Allied information office declaring that “a savage and ruthless persecution of Jews has been going on in Northern Greece since the middle of October.”
In Salonika, the report states, Nazi occupation authorities have driven many Jews from the city, forcing them to take refuge in mountain villages outside the city. In addition they have issued a decree forbidding Greek residents of the city to aid the remaining Jews. They have also attempted to force Greek clergy to take a stand against the Jews on the ground that they are an “inferior race” and to urge their parishioners not to give any aid or comfort to the Jewish victims. Most of the clergy refused to obey this order and, on the contrary, urged the people to help the persecuted Jews as much as possible.
As a result of this stand by the Greek clergy, the Germans arrested many of them and closed their churches, converting them to military purposes, the report reveals. One Greek monk was executed for sheltering Jews who were wanted by the Gestapo. Many Jewish families have fled to surrounding mountain villages where the able-bodied men have joined guerrilla bands, while their families have been given refuge by Greek families.
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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.
