Hardly Ten Percent of Greek Jews Survive, Government Reports; Thrace Jews Wiped out

Hardly ten percent of the nearly 100,000 Jews who lived in Greece prior to the German invasion survive, according to a report issued here today by the Greek Information Office.

The report says that no more than about 20 Jews remain in Salonika which had a Jewish population of 58,000. These few were spared because they were married to non-Jews. Other Salonika Jews may still be in hiding, but no definite information has been received concerning such fugitives. About 6,000 Salonika Jews hid in Athens during the occupation, while another 2,000 were sheltered by partisans in Attica. The remaining 50,000 were deported.

Athens itself had a pre-war Jewish population of 4,000, of which about half were deported. This was swelled during the occupation by the 6,000 refugees from Salonika and a small number from other cities such as Janina, Voles and Larissa. There were several reasons why Jews attempted to reach Athens. first, was the fact that it was a large city in which it was easier to evade the Nazis; second, because the Athenian exerted themselves to save Jews from the Germans, and thousands owe their lives to Greek patriots; and, third, until the fall of Mussolini, Athens was ruled by the Italians.

The 27,000 Jews of Thrace suffered the same fate as those of Salonika. Most of them were turned over to the Germans by the Bulgars, who annexed the territory, and were deported to Polish death camps. About 900 fled to Turkey and thence to the Middle East, while 300 Spanish nationals were ultimately transferred to Spain after pressure was brought to bear on France. Before reaching Spain they spent several months in a concentration camp in Hanover, Germany. Chief Rabbi Koretz of Greece is also known to have been in the Hanover camp and is still believed to be there.