•

A. GREECE {l.lATERIAL SENT FR '!,1 \'!Rll OFFICE PT TTJRKEY)

B, GE'TERAL

v.

W\EEGE (Material sent from WRB Office in Tiirl<ey)

- --·- --------- ~-.-,,

IN REPLY REFER TO

FOLE No. 848 'SAJ" I sl

AMERICAN CoNSULAR SERVICE

American Consulate, Izmil', Turkey, February 20, 1945.

DEPARTMENT OF STATE

Herbe-rt Katzki; Esquire, · · ''fa"f.i Re.fugee "Board,

,.-;::I v.American Consulate General, I.stanbul, Turkey.

Dear Hr. Yill tzki:

Your letter of January 31, 1945, with further reference to the question of the Jews on the Islanl of Rhodes, was received in a recent pouch~

I regret that I have been unable to obtain any information regarding the six Jews you refer tons havin"' escaped to Marmaris. I. am,.however, continuing my investigation, and in the event I learn anythinl!, of these neople or obtain any other information regarding the Jews of the Island of Rhodes, I shall be glad to communicate such informa­tion to you imnediately.

''!i th kind regards, I am,

Sincerely yours,

Translation November 30, 1944

Broadcasts Received in Bul3arian

Sofia

Foreign news:

Athens - 29 - Reuter. The Rabbinate of Athens told the representa­tives of the press that of the 90,000 Jews who lived in Athens there-only remain s,ooo- whi;Le the remainder were sent by the Ge-rmans to Polang, and that- dUio1ng this voyage, because of the -

~-~~ng"undergone_by i<he Jews,.""many died en route. The Rabbinate ~Q.ded that orr the islands of Crate and Rhodes not a single Jew remains, following German persec:Ution and the actions on the part of the latter. -· ~-, · ·

v.

November 29, 1944

Memorandum for Mr. Katzki:

uf'-\l'i'i 6r·p,-, <-

In explaini~g -the purpose of his visit to this office this -morning, Mr. Ryan, who is secretary to the Papal Nuncio in -

· · Is.tanbul, said tha.t ·the>_'latter is also Vatican representative for ~~':'2 .... Gre~ce. Monsignor Honc!i.lli recently received the sum of $1.1,000

d-esignated for relief ·wol'K in Athens. He had this money converted into Turkish lir.a.s at tne rate of l.so.

He n~ has inst_ructions· to send this money to Greece immediately in theform of American dollars. He desires to know if the War Refugee Board office.is_in·a position to accept from him the Turkish liras and to give_him in exchange dollar checks in the amount of

· $:j.l,OOO. It would. be··ne·c.essary that the exchange rate be at 1.80, the rete at which it was ori~nally converted.

VH

Istanbul, November 9, 1944

'celfare Depor•tlrrent United Nations Relief << Rehabilitation Adm, c/o American Lee,ation Cairo, bgypt

Gentlemen a

· '!!e do not know whether or not you have already _ . established a local bureau .for searching for individuals in -•}re~ce, in wh'om'ri3.latives elsewhere are interested·,

;.;'However, v1e hQVE! b.e.~.li __ e.sked to give assistrnce in locatint:; the f'ol-low'iltg""people who are the relatives of olr. Yorgo (Geor,se) Lasaridis, whose, address in Ietartbul is rfois.ir Apt:lrt!li€mt; No'··· 13, 303 Istiklal, OaddesL

,..-_;l Brother

\J,

Mr. Harilaos (Hary) Lasaridls, aged 35. E:lectrician of the Municipality of 'l'lu~ssalonioa.

Brother Mr. Yeane (Yanis) Lassridis, aged 45, Mechanic, Sooony V&ouum Oil Go. TJ:i ... ssalonioa.

ilroth0r-in-law- Mr. Geor;:;e Vasiliadis, aged 6_0. His wif0, Anna, aged 48, Rue Nea Xllina_Parapigmata Kato Dubs I 654, Thessalonioa. (Office, Odos Egiptou),

Mr. Kornilios I\.outelas, aged 48,

.. ,..,~ ..

Brother-in-law His wife, Dosplna Koutelas, aged 43, 'fhol.r daughter, Anastasia (Sasa-Sula), Rue Nea Xilina Parapigmata Kato Duba I 'l'hessalonioa.

l aged 19; 656,

Inquiry regarding all of the above persons may be made at the Club (Lesh1) Madjaroglou, Rue Duba, or at the drug-store of Dr. Karamaouna, Rue Ehnaties, Thessalonioa.

----~--~·

···.'e have also been 8Sked to assist in locating_ t-~a f'·:,ll':'\~!i:r,te; personst who are sister and· brother-~.n-law of Mrs.·Yorgo (G'Jorge) Lasaridis:

~~Tr. ,jre,-~:oire f1i:tliAdis, Be-;od 55. ,li;i.s wife, lllsrika :4ilindis, aged 38. _Cllie-1\.ndrutau 17, /lthens.

·-;_.:.-. ~-~-

Inqn i.ry r•;c;~rcllng thlf~';;lYJVe persons 1nay b<> me.de of' rta.'. NicolA's 1·"-Hell.J.s. · ''-'hva:ter <Onr1ardj is-l.lilisdis.

~ -:JOU- --f-~re\Jrtbit~-to obtain any ihi'ormation with Y'~~spr:.~t to Hn:·i or these people_, we shall a-ppreciHte Y'JUP R<iVt~-1~~-n-,- U&.

'iK:VE

very ti,uly yours,

nerl)ert Katzltl !'iepre sent n t i ve

·:.ar Hei'ttc_ ee Board o/o Jimeriaan Consulate General

~ ~ ~

Istnl)-bUl-, 0c_tob~::r~ G, l94li

~~~ .• ~ .• -~-~ •. =.-~:- .-~_;;:"--=P-----=--_-I."Pffr )A_i;?§~ GQ}:: ._,___,~~:-. == - ~ ,_ ,-__.-.!-.:-~:..~-'::

_ . 'Fi:"'='·,-·

I ~

1-~.c. _1\..:snlor: Pt~:iL-tiun,-_;c_l to -_us i..hut -y_ou- ho.d~_cts~~~\'.19. - !:ir::~ t:J ap :~'<f · h5 ·-u~_:·~.:~~lj:i)'l t t:t·in I:~J·E-- ls nnd G~:bnss·,-- \"':ho d ;jr~~, tq: -'>lAt:·nt<()<5· :~ul~•,;tino.

dd'j; ·~t·)'1;;, ·,.:,~~r;:~;,x·;',;;]~;~:: !~~~/~;j,l a~tt~ -~:;~ .~~,,~;~t . ... _ .o.h; 'Jt'·;s :;1_t ~;::rn''j.tj..,_¢11 is _th~1t th -r·J e:r·e _no :'~;t.-J_st_in~·--=

~~l·!~~:~~·~· ~ ,: i;:·~lf !.~~~ ~~ ·.': r~~~~ft~'; ~~.:;f~·~~:~:;F~t;~~ ~:~~i~~i 1 h:.=<s bq0~n _mt~rs avallHblH for r.d'i.le;.)J_S- ·:tn .;th ~x· ·coun­t£>1 s, :.r;s _311' 10.~·::) ~--~-~on ::_:,;.;l1DLU~_t,)d-~ ;:-\_;e b~>.~(: 39.0k~n t, t:Je Jcn.v13T- f~E'~nc~,; p·,or·0senta-tive· in -Tst-c.nbu.L !'~F~·r·l~inc thl~; ff:·"::i.l;-;, nn·' .t~;'"::, bnv'r:)•ti_~", r.:u::ttr:Jr b .,f" .r~' th ;m.

· ::h :.uld ·ths eituaticm alt"'·r· so t:,nt nn acki tiorwl quotv of Pt.tlnotin~·: cs:Jrtif:_cct.-.~,s ts i:lndo avifiloble for r:-.:-!s:!.dcnts: -L: 'lUrk='y, ~-,.·~ ~hnl1 a.qvise JOU.

kiss

f!K/b

1Jo:rothv Cr:>X Graal{ ;:,ar ilali•!f

lbrb.)rt r;a i.?.ki ooo·,•·os3ntut!vo i.~,:tr Ht~f'upP.o nonrd

c/o hnr<r•l.cnn Gc;ns•.llnto Izm1r

\·

'

I. t\. :-,irschp;iffin .opc3 ciol h ~to.eh0

kr. J. •Jill ,, x cutiv' ir'dctor nr· >efuf.,) · :loa:t:•d

.Lr·:)asury i3uildinr-:: · ash1n.rt ·.n, • G.

.. ----- -~-------=----~~-·~------·~-·-

-2-

iri t~:f.s-r:cH[lr-ler.) in t:rl,9;~~ojii"li-~n;of t113 1)DliC¢,- fl_Ovt,:;v::;r, it is

1.-oo lo-t.-;. r! __ .,;.~- __ to i~~-s_ta"Oli-s£-1--~ --o~:.s:J; f'Ol~ 1n th~iP o)in).-oi~- t::_:_.:; n-e,~~d

- ~- -tH?t~l'P~Jr-~=- 1.'.'_ill __ s_~-l-0\:-.tly~- b-s o:J•;i·a te-_., as a- r:c;Sl1i_t_._ of' r~C-3~_!.t c! --'JV 3l­

orn:1~~~-iis in J:ir•;:; ·.:c=-~ .- _ .

. . - :c~-C-;J:V3.G __

f--Jr tLlB is nas.:t.

1 also s·JOi~:·.: ·:d t~!- .thq _ .J.0. r·~Jpr~·;s,:._n~pt~_:,/0 ii~- ~e!:d_r_. ae

iE1'o1'!' .. -;d us tt1at ZJC ;:-~_ar:! r-::cBiV_::!d instructions ~*:or:L_ -~.o:sDinpJ~oD_

I . .

J.nl~ r·;~p_r:Jf::L:nt; -ti ve- _vn:.s p_o_~t-_ h~l_t~.f~I ·-iri- -?~vis-

.. ·----------~-~_:__ .. _____ ·----~c-'-~-~

-:-3-

- - . ~ ; . ~E o~i:l/Ji· e~-la-r_in_:;~-_s ·in _~:n illf·.-!:0~::8.1

:C' ·: :r~i ,_.._j. ~ai [~t_1:( b ~-: ·

· ,- -if2:,~)i:-~v/:;J~{

8-lJ.b;i;JC t .•

·-·

_________ _:___~-~--_____:_ _____ ---'----.----c~-~---------"--~~~

~~-.;:~ in,_; : .... r~uc_Li· __ ,n.:, ~.h; :i\li~l:t.b· 0ri--.-~c-~_-~::-_:_;; __ t-" Izi--rlil'

~; b:is-·-. .GL-~:-~i. 1:'1 r ;~)-:.H·t· ill/~i-· _,")~:;·t:;v,-:~r 1 ·t;;~ ... -t _t(- 1 ~ :::.it.u~.tion fft

·~.to-L- ·;·;·-~~t- nc~ tl·--·- ~-nt.::.~ ··t:.~t-Lon

. "tl:.-:, r~o ·-~!l~ t~ -d _-bJ t.h-J nr r\8f'~--

tr-i::_~. . nc l~-?~.:(: ·sue;_-.-_; s t::~ tf3l-~,p;J·On:: t(} . n s:·.-:tn(tGn 6 t •; :U;n ~, ti~·n ~

,')nrn·abl · I.-,:-~,)_}: -;jcr; t.. {q---.bns:.:;n-(lnr to tut·~:::?.Y Am rtcnn ---Dib!lssy ' f\n}~f?.-r'h

Encl ...

f "· :/b

..

-- --------------------

"'?·.

..

--- .. ]_;· f-,. ,:•. c: :l ~-

'/ '. -;:, l ~ .. [.:: ' · L<~ .. ·v L

··.-•. -..!.

' ·'' t ·.·n :·.!. ;__, ';J.._

·-'ll ,, -" 1,11. J ~ •. _;

f.;S " I' "Lf_'l " "'u j ') :: ',

i, I ~ ,_ . .Je_L---~ ~- !

..

57

. <. i ~·

-·- '- L- -_;.·.s

·"_!l .r_., .._. =--e '----~ -•. .La

'·

----------------~- --~

Istanbul, ;\ugnst 10, 1944

I vd. sh to thank you for the courtesy of your

N>!ll;y .or: Jl,i+f'_3l relative to the situation of the

Jews ·in ··:}rei_il'ii1fi and the mea: age contained therein

fr•om ttro c¥ral:lci)i~hb1 of Athens. de hop() to be able

..r? ·fo ,;r;ovi~o sumo,asslstanco in connection with the

sit,;:nt.iori. in Greece ond we are grateful to you for

t: o lnfor·:untion contained in ths.l Cohan 1'eport.

If V/0 Bl"0 able to :Learn anythin,; or~ additional

u.sefuJ.noBs V!0 shall ce1•talnly paep .,:•-=

it on to~ you imd

to Sir William. .t'loase extend to him also my warm

Cordially yours,

I. A. !~1rschn!ann Special Atti1che

LaLrd Archer, Esquire G!.ie.f of' the Greece l.llssion 'Jnlted :lations Helle!' and

f\ehabilitatlon Administration s, Sherin Dar 1>1-f:.hl.fo. Garden City, Cairo Egypt

..

~~~~~:li!t

UNITED NATIONS RELIEF_ AND .REHABJLIJATIQNADMINISTRATION B, SHARIA DAR EL-SHIFA • GARDEN· criY , CAIRO

I. A. Hirschma.m;t, Zsquire c/o &neli can aitb~ssy IStanbul,. Turkey

::il. July 1944

Dear ~.,h- •. HirSchmann:

In :eply to your letter·. of· Jury:·;.o we have had some additional word ~n the si tuati.on of Jews _in Greece ·fn:·a confidential message fl'om the Grand Rabbi through .certain &:lerJ,Pan militir.y channels which is as follows:

"The f~<iwing \i;essitge ·.va;s:_:_~:ent by the Grand Rabbi of Athens to President Roosevelt, ·Prime· i1linister Churchill, .Rabbi ·;ase of New York, the oren-d. Rabbis of Cairo and Jerusalemand the Jewish Agency.

" ' I am appealing to r'ewish philanthropic agencies to send clothing, foo.d,· and medicine and o.sk your assistan(\e. ;iinety thousand Jews nave been expatriated; 10,000 manage to survive iri refuge cir hiding pl<ices, The refugees are in desperate si tuetion for lo:ck of food· ,nd as a result -~f disease •. :J.l their propertY has been-confiscated

by the Gestapo. 1 u

,;9 s'.lggested tho.t the American agency transmit the messc.,;a to your agency and you end 7re gave our :lashington nead'luarters thehenefit of tile.infor:llc.tion,

I think generally the infon:wtion in the Cohen report, however, is O:ccurate and inrofar as I am informed on the situation his recommendations seem sound, The report origill!lted with;,.,, Cohen and his brother as a result .of their own great interest and was in no sense oi'ficial,although one of the brothers is an employee of the Greek :-.inistry of Foreign Affairs,· 'rhe copy was brouo:ht to us for our general information as afi'ect'.:lg the plmmingof Ul-iRRA for relief operations in Graece after liberation, The Cohim brothers o.re

well regarded by those who knew them in \Xreece,

work is going along as well as pos-sible

Willi~ins me in all best regards, l hope that your very difficult under the circumstances and Sir

· nc erely yours,

~~ Lo.ird .Archer

ief of the Greece ll.ission

------------------~

---· ---' -

..

p---

~- ·.

i;;·_~-~ :;, CLl

'"'·d.n-"·Pnn _,·_-~

··oceo.

-if: :~e;rr)t.~_,_:.- .-~o_:,_

(i~- :1!' li~f

--------------- ----

~-;}.-iltl :.:;"!..";rice ·:Ji f~_,_rni_;_·~r-, _ ·-I-~0fi.u):~t{p~·

~~~b0ut~J- ,or· ue.1,'1- r--;F:-1:.6 -- a1'

·t~' i.t-J b~' .. ;:• •... -:·r_-13 ~~ ·= r<; ;,;t. Oi-. tc~

f'lLl 1.~ i:.-.:.f• ;::-.­.;.~~1 :2 ,_; l.!; t. ·,) -.• --. ': 'bl tr·leL,

J. 1:. :i.1'Sc!::~-;~fli""!.D

~·e j f: !. .h t t.e:c~-J s

c/~ f.:;t'!l'i.C\ nl ",;'.>rl'lV.Jr•t•: L-Z!rJ.T

-----

.. ~~~~- ~-~~~

·,_-·,:1 .-;.:.l~ __ J"S--J

...1 ... .t:_. ·--i:t.•;::c.fu-~~~nr~ ,_~-:_~-:!Ciu1 .--:tt;ne:\--;

." o1·r· ~ ;~ 1' ~~.:ll:·:ru1n, G".n:l~-~f ,, .;1Ln_1·-~- , , -~'H'-1'-'Gni-:->;nt-

---~- --- -~--~~~-c---

~; ni _t J-)C .... f~ ·t:i.ona ; <~.~J:t -~ f' c.nC: ~~o~ u.- hi.-.( ; ! . .-<: t i.o n __ ;\ dn.in ts t.t· F..i t.io n.

~}~t-~I:e~~~-:~--~~-~lg~~-;~;11~-~~~,;:t: -:~ (;(;il t 1 :1'

Ve.:_;! i'-Jl(.f~~v, ••. --,:c·oceo

. :/b

.. '','·\•~)-~•L;~;~~~~~~~~:~~~Jf.·.:_·_~,:.~_.,::,'~~-'.·~.-.. \~,}~~il~&~~:k;t}:.:~'

- --~ ~ -· '''" ,._,>N.;..'·o··.-.i·rp'\'-' . ,,-) ·• . .-l' t!.<.:"

Uni tied 1-:ations EeJ ief and flehabili ta tion _Administra tibn N01{.12 AFi'LlCAN H.LF~GEE CEUrE:t

C/o -British cOn;;~ui?i;.e -Casabla.nr:a ,t.:orocco-

13 July 1')/,4

,. =--~ ~ -

i\S you. k~w_Jo. n_1an~~of '-:9!JI'_ :('~£~~~~hts have relatives with v1!10m they '1a:vti,not been in cownunicaticn for. some~.tirne ahti whose addresses Lhey therefore wish t~_ trace·;·-· Vie h;we asked them' to fill out applications for chis purpose and enclose herewith a copy of one from BEKV'"it.iiSTE Y B!:iJh\.CEI Hair ·in reference to IJ~1-;V_El.:I0T.L S8m hllir·ahd Vital.

-,~iA have ~nade an -inqui-ry en this case tf1rout,f!_ the H.ed Cross. But V/B shall be gra tef'ul if you c:oa~d assi.st us further in this matter.

i~ i th many thanks,

~T. Ira Hirschman \'far d.efugee !Joar•d hmerican tiubassy Ankara, Turkey

Yours sincerely,

~orris Feinmann, C:-tief ¥~elfare Dep9.rt!nont

chb ,t.~ Enclos~e: Application as stated,

..

\

- ·.-'

-~·--·-·-·-~·--· --~- -----

COPY

PARAPHRASE

1. THE FOLLOWING APPEAL HAS BEl:N REC;•:IVED FROM 'I'HE GRAND RABBI

OF ATH NS·,. _IT IS FELT BY LAIRD ARCHER THAT IRA HIRSCEMANN OF THE

WAR REFUG:;E BOARD AT YOlJ"R EiD SHOULD RECEIVE A COPY ::·_;_.._

T'.E l•iESS.I\GE liAS o~~ANSMITTED VIA THE ALLIED MISSION RADIO AND '>;-~ - "":

··'fiS ADDHESSED !1'0 THE:·G.BAND RABBIS, JERUSALEM AND CAIRO, ROOSEVELT; . ~ .,. ·- -- ·-

RIGB~iiSE, ·~fl~RCHILt'~ND 'l'Hi': JEWISH AGENCY.

3, THE MESI3AGE READS iiS l<'OLLOWS: I AM REQUEUriNG THE ASSISTANCE

OF.JILI. LVJJ:SH'P.EILJt~lTHROPIC AGENCIES TO SEND FOOD, 1\lEDICINEAND

CLOT~ IN,_;., 90,00Q JEWISH PEOPLE ARE EXILim, 10,000 MORE ARENOU ciN

!!IDING OR HAVE MANAGED TO SURVIVE IN REFUGE, TF.E SHORTAGE OF

l<'C!OD 1\ND TFF PRESENCE OF DISEASE IS SERIOUS, TH:C G3STAPO HAVE

CONF'ISCATED THEIR H01ES AND PROPERTY.

'"' i )

,~- ..

Aug1ist 4, _1944

Our best informationis that there are between five andC"eiglit

thousand Jewish people :i.n Greece who for:the present at __ least are

in comparative safety, either in bands of, or in territory

controlled by, the EAM. There are also approximately 2,000 in

)J.iding incAj;;~ens and the vicinity. The-iatter number is being

continuailyred:Uced by the viork of the Gestapo· and by the escape -- . -,__ , .. :·:!~~·~;;-· -. -

of those who_ ar·er~_!lble to fi,nd S0)1le means for fleeing to safety. ,.

,/) The ,grgan;i,c~~i;ion of the rescue of the Jewish people in

Greec_e thz:ough. evacuation was exceedingly difficult, and it

required- somec-ti:rne before an organization could be set up for

that pur1)oSe and put into operation. The use of three or fo-ur

kayaks- \vas secured, with that of the nectissary Greek boat captains

who knew Greel{ terri to rial waters intimately, and the movement _\;

of Jewish people from Greece to'Turkey and thence to Palestine

began about October, 1943. 'fhe following table shows the

number of people rescued from Greece from October, 1943; to

the end of June, 1944.

October through December; 1943 300

January, 1944 8

25 February

62 March

April 1'73

'74 May

June 104

Total '746

Towards the end of -June,- the-rescue work broke down because

..

, ..

\

.:;;:=-

-2-

of the lack of a base in Turkey at which the refugees could be

debarked. In conse3quence~ no _Jewish refugee-s arrived from

Greece during the month of July, snd it was not lintil August 1

that news was received in Istanbul that a further_contingent

of 40. persons arrived in Turkey_ and were at Izmir.

We-are~fr1formed that escape from Athens by people now in

·hiding there/ f·ii(j)ur"!_)oses of the trip to Turkey, is not diff-

.·.icult. The -i>ef:U'~~~~ are brought from Athens to Euboea, an

isi8.nd. off" the Gri;fft!f;mainland, with d;he assistariC'e of the E/U.l ,/) v.

while en route to EU,boea and wh~le waiting there. To bring

these refugees :f~orifhiding in Athens to Euboea to congregate

. there would be dangerous for the refugees, unless :their arrival

in ti;uboea could be timed to meet ships sent_ to' l!.'uboea to

evacuate· them. The chief problem, therefore, . continues 'to be

transportation from the east coast of Euboea to the Turkish

coast, for which a Turkish "base" is required, The movement­

from Euboea could be regularized if there were a "base" on,the

Turkish coast where these people could land and where the Ships

could be refUelled. ::;uch a "base" 'woulci serve as a po_int of

communications with Greece.

We are informed that boats are available and an organization

is set up, and it is only the question of e. base which must _))e met.

Greeks now "officiall-y:" brought to Turkey are transported

to Turkey because of their qualifications from a military point

of view. Apparently there is agreement ambng·_various governments - . -

to parmi t their passage through Irurkey to join Allied or Greek

forces, and only those persons are im:luded in .these operations

who are of military interest. It would be heipfUl_ if-_ the

..

// \ . /

J 1 1

---~~=-------------------------~~=

-3-

• category of people permitted facilities to Turkey from Greece

could include people who are Jewish refugees. - Trli~ would simplify

some of the problems which indeed are now being met,c>b'ut _whose

elimination would make the movement of refugees to Turkey

much simpler,

J._

1_ ~- !:~R~<·· t ~-o:::j-~~- ~}-~ 2·t ~ •. ~ 1t"':c"~~l. !>)~··_Oo'~--t 0. ___ -:_·_ .~,·_ 1 ,l'1_:_:~r~re_':nr'_.;, :;._·.:~:n.·_~;._·_ !bbr>8o_o··.--.~··~ain_g" h~;~~:11·n,/:I~Ji;'';~~,i~- .;r _.:i;u{· ~-::f, ·~aw led£c{,i'~t:1~" '

__ (_~r~}ef~ ~~i-~~-'·z~t-:I>?n 1-_- for~ r:'.~:-- gu.L~3nc--i, --aii:~ ~:~t th·,) :Jn:,}c--tim:} i.n''~-cat~_~:_-on- '-:rhos·:: :h1i. tJ.nt·iv.; r.-~1- r~·:[)ox~·t. __ ·,:_.n~1 ~- 8V8:~--0~~jrJ-.

•--ntt!.1-)WS.

I. -- ~ -:tllrsc!::r :ann

United llrctlons •·alief' an•.' ,, hab:U_i tntion ,,, nL:istpv bion c/o Amc>rican Legation

· CaiPo, .oGYDt

-~-~-----~-----~

AMERICAN JOINT DISTRIBUTION COMMITTEE

l\ir. Ira A. Hirschmann War Refugee Board

cfo_America:n Consulate General Istanbul, Turkey; July 13, 1944.

c/o American Consulate General, Istanbul

Dear J,;r. Hirschmann:

:!>nclosed you will find a report which was prepared by Mr. Alfred H. Cohn of Cairo at my request. hlr. Cohn is on detached service with the Greek Army and is the legal adviser to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Government of Greece. There are a number of matters in connection with this report which I should like to discuss with you and I shall await your call.

With kindest personal regards, I am

Sincerely yours,

~~~G AMERICAN JOINT DISTRIBU'.riON COMMITTEE

l enclosure.

.. ---- --------- --------·---------~~---

I •

II.

HElilORAWDUJii

~-- Jew's of -~:11-:·i~i~:~~-~:~-Co;;t:inuni ti~s- in ·tiuce(nr-~-ia (exc6nt _tf!ose

-~. ~~~~"{~~~:!.:~ri t'g;~:~~:~5f;,,~~~Xi ~e:;~~~I~'''~bc);~;.c~r~~~~; ~~o · inf'orn:atlor, »ecei·veJ•;;·'.t't'c"il reliable sources, it is ur1liJ;}l.\", that 1Jlc- r·,irj-ql·Hy of them wHl suPvl ve.

The sar::;e ·neqsu~c.s l_c~&'{nc to eXtermination J·uJ.ve n:Lnce ~nexte1Wed_ tQ thc,~~o'r~Eist of ty}e--2~unt_~X_· -~----·----·

~:'•:=

'Iov;arc.s- the e:id of Bepte>;,lle1' 1943, a:~:·t-er• tt1e downfall of,_-~Itc.ly-., (;c:C?IH:tp. r~1ea·sul'es of' exte1-:niine.tion we1•e eXtended to the r·o:mR:i.ndor of J-reece. r.t.'i:lex~e ~~H;:re_, -_:·_ti:erorOt0:,- _ 2_0- t6·-2-5,UGO Je\,'.C il-l \iistY·ess still in Gree~e sev:en·nioriths af~?, li vi nc ~.i-1 ·_t_r.-e :6Jllonin.c; to..-;ns:

Athens Ilalkis 1folos I_Ja~:'i~JG"a

'l':.~icc£:.la Knl~C..i tsa 'Yr!ni.Ti.na Kastorla

Art a· Preveza Corfq zante Patrris CandiE>. lleraclion Rethymnon

III. 'I'he coJvli tio:1 of tllo Jews in Athens at t11·e U.me of the -ap _,licutlon o~· .nnti-Jmvish rwasures.

- - __ ,- -----:

O:'lle condi tlon in v;hlch the Jews of :Athens :found tllerasolvos at the timo of the application of J\!lti~Jevlish nwasU'c·es was essen·i;ially dii'i'el'ont from that which.con­fronteJ l;hor;e living in the provincial towns. -

• It is estirilated that in. September 1943, tho number of Ji:nvs in Athens was from 8. to 9,ooo, of which about one half 11ere residents of -the canital and-tli.e othei• l"luli', refugees- who had escaped fr;:,m Macedonia muihly from Salonica. '£he resJ.dents of Athens had the advantage of

havine;

- - -- -··- . -

REGRADED~

\

. . ~: ~

L_

-IV,-

-------- -- --

-- 2-

- -

having -nlJ.¥10roU~ __ -:fp:le_nds -ana;- a_cquai~ltHnCe-s Wl?O __ he\-pe~_,_ t~~em. to hide; also theil' f()rtuneir were still intact; but they had_ the disadvantage of bcin~- easily trac0d -by tloe local Gestapo agents, and a small nmnber of r:ialefactors intel:'ested in blackmailing, On the otllel" hand those ':ihO had escaped from: Sa],onika lacked ·sufficient · nuppox+ in Athens; most of them having never _been thc,r.·e before, found l.t very difficult to hici.e• l'.oreover, nos'c of- their _.property was :j.eft in Salonik~ whel>e it hmi:;een confiscated by the_ A)erm.anp. Thus ,-~:·a_---,~;r,¥{~t rnuJbet' o.mol:~tist- -them w~r~- :wi t~J._oU.t

_.funds. Under _thoaif'circumstances it nust ·ne: very difficult, 1.:1;-·.r.ot- iniJ.jOs.si _pre-~)f~to:-~~~~?em tC? :con~j_~~e. hi dine in Athens •

How many Jews, are· st:h~fhlainr; in 'Athens?

- '1t. is n~po';;sibl;,;:tiJ lmow at present the nunbel' of Jews still hi din;:; in )lthens. However·, . a conservative estimate \'IOLll¢. o.e _ "abot1t· 5 1 000 if Cine _takes into account:

_ (a} Those vlho.h.S:ve been registel'ed by the GestfJ.yo, thos·e who have been~ i.nterned and deported are believed tp be 700, altho'U[;h other information claims lt to ~be 2;000.

(b) Tho;e \'1ho h~ve, up to the i>res;snt time rcachecl the Middle East, do not·exceed 400;

(c) Those who have since the be;:,inning scattered either in the Peloponessus or in ot!-10r N>bions controlloc1 by Par•tisans.

V. Difficulties existing fol' Jev;s still hiding in Athens.

After seven mont!w of lif'e undel' suct1 eicceptional cono.i tions, most of the JeYIS must· by nov;_ be short of money, which greatly endanger-s- thdr relative ssfety. _Only those possessing money have any hopes oi' escapinG _the prese11t persecution, in which the life of every Jew is tht•eatenod either in one way or a~other. r£-:i. s ti'ue that under_ -these circumstances, tile solidul'i ty and unanimous support of all classes of tho Gl:'oek people were manifested towards the Jews. Ueverttl.eless, as must be expected, there are a number of secret ae;ents of the Gestapo and blackmailers,­who are extrerilely dunr;o).•ous. Moreover, one must consider that: · · '

(a) li vin~; conditions in occup:l..ed Greece, particulal•ly in athens, are such that_ those v1ho assume the l'isks of harboring Jews must rightly obtain· a: material compe_nsation which will perml t them td pl'ovide- ;t'or their own needs,

{b)

\

.. ~:.

·'

- z, -

(b) Jews in hiciirig are depr:i.ved of·.l'ation carc:s issued by the I.E.c.c.,·:wnich·means that~ they must obtain these provisions at rabulous_prices on the.black market.

(c) they must face other extl'aordinary expenses,_ i.e. obtaining -false identity carcis,. attempts of escaping which turn out t_o be un_successful, etc.,

... _-~-

(d) the presumption that every Jevt_ is rich· and possesses large quanti ties o_f ·:i'(o~d agt,ravates their difficultief'!,

# (e). the fabtc tJ:J.itt·;;ihey have been li vinghidden and lmnted has ~ho a6ubt "9fll}+'nished their self-confidence, thus rendering them incap~ble ()f making clear and adequatedeci-

. sioris ili. ·the· fu-ee: of tpe:many dangers they no doubt encounter.

. (f?-tiiey.;hav~·abs~itt~ly no possibility of earning their own liv~nt•; • .- ···

:vi·., The~f'ate of the-Jews'cfnC:the provincial towns.

·.There is no inf'or>_»ation whatsoever· on ·the fate of J·ews in the provincial towns. _It is only known that_ those of Halkis.and Volos·have abandoned their homes· and_joihedthe Partisans iri those districts. It is presume<i that the_ J'civs of' IJarissa;·· Tr'icculB., KarCti t?a, Arts_, Fr-Gve_za, <Y~annina, !(astoria and Patras, lr.nowin;:; the fate: of th.eir. f"ellovi Jews of Salonika and other l.'.acedonian and Thracian towns, must have done likewise.·

'I'he Jews from the provincial towns,' who tmve been able to join the Partisans r·un less loisk of being exterminated by the Germans. The Germans, not having sufficient forces, have up to novt avoideci systematic pursuit of the guerrillas; they have tacitly abandoned the administration of many districts so lone; as their lines of commuriicatioh- are not interfered vri th. ;:mt, of course, living condi ti:ons are not easy there and food difficulties_ ar~: gl:'eat,

VII. The conditions of the Jews on the Islands.

The Jews livine in corfu and Zante hadno_possibility of joining, the Partisans nor nad they any serious chance of hi din['. As to those of' Crete, it is reported that i.n i;:arch-April 1943, they had. not been interned nor deported as those living in the oillher German occupied re~jions of Greece, probably due to-transpol'tation difi'icul ties_~

However,

\_-

.. ~:'

- 4 -

--,_ ~-~ '-- - ---- -- - - ' --

However, accorctin~ to _l'ecent unconfl.n·,,l"' :i.nfoi'>;t!.;:tion, tl\e JewS of-118-!•aolion \\•er·e sl1 1:!oasst.C1"',e6 in -fiG-lClS- ·ont-side tlie tovm:, · :geve.ral inont!J.s a;io. · ··

__ --:Js_·s- to -tht) Jev~-s QT RhoOes aO.c:. Cos, uc_c-or·ct~;-n~~ to_ infdl~--11iatibh _.f~ou~ ;;osi ti vf_;·- s_o~l:t:.-c:es, ub.tfl .last- :[e_br·uBi--j _no df.astic aJJ.i.~i ~~~e~1~-t~ c meHSUl'B s haG yet be<~'Ii put in Lo- effe~ L. -

B

4 nia·{)~~~t-'S: -cor·1e to· t11Eii;c out'cent aic£ finCl- an acc.6unt-,. ·: ):>FA;he OiLficultHlS to ov&rcmne

,,. >J . . ';·3·.,. VIII~ 'l'he funum·nent~yi-'- Conf.~i ti6n fol'"' a successful ~}lan- in

resc~1 nL the --J",E·;•lJs ..

The -i\LntiiuJ~ental condi tio£f i'or a success~··u-l J:~escue f"lan for JeYo/8 sti--li---livin: in-:1t•F.hJCe ]_~6d .-.(i_C-lc:Go a~~c act:Lvc-collabo~ntion of:

([:() tt~..e _:_;~rBe ~-;-reel~ Go\10r-tU:~ent (b) the v;;.rioas Ul:Ct·::k-.Uitc5_0-l'[::r'0;.lnd aac"l _;_·((.Eistnriee --

Orz:an:tze,tions (c) tt..e cinl' ho.fn[~e'· :'.Q"r·c; (d) .... :;.F,.i'.iL (e} all Jewish Ort~an1zat::.ons tflte:-·.-:;s-te..:: J.n r::uvi~!l-.

,Je\'!S.

An ·exceptional oppt)X'tuni tj for- .tn0 coor-ciinD.ti-=n -of a'.ll efforts wb.:i.ch al'G act.un11y:~)e:\n;_~ di.Sl11Rye<.~ fl•cr.t- var•ious sources pre: sents _itself in conr~~:ct~_o~:L.\'11 th-_ t!--.o conferenCe whicl-1 is beil!-t; -hE!ld 1~ th~. Ileb~non ;)u_t"";'i_c/Cn· ~Ue l:·_r.~Gc Gt>eek •}overnme:~t and representati've-s:_oi'· •ill ~;reek' ')oli U .. cal parties and Resistance Orc-,anization,.,. It is, tllePefo:r·e, necessar-y t;1nt the q"•.Jestion of s8.Vin;_l t:·lu _.JeYls--be' ·1-iut forwar<:< at this COi1.1'el'enco unci it l.t.: ;~o_oe< that the opportunity v1ill not be m:isc:i>.tL

X. Necessl_!x_of obt:_!~~~.!.~.L~..':!rnbs_~.nf~~·

'i.'ho fir·st iJ.mortant otf,P is to !•O t accurate infor•tation on thE> crJnciitJ.ot;s-·of Jews :livin:- ut r;Y.eser.lt in Athens-and in the country. ',iith reguHi-.to"tl1e. iatte:r· no inf'or'Jnat;ion whatsoever has roacheu us since tl1e putting l.nto effect of' the anti-Jewish neasur·cef3. '

-- - - --

Chiefly it is indi-spei\sable to Jmo\v i

(a)

.. ---"----·--- ·- --------

- 5 -

___ -. -: -' _-

(a)- the nw.11:Jer: of ;~tl's'lian- ·:ave been iiite:r·nBd-:o-r -c-.ef;Oi·te--:.,.:~~

(G) the· nurr1:~ar tre\·Jfj tii-:.:{0.Jtr~,.,,_ 8_:i~_e~~- ~G.\~n:f; ___ o~~ executed. since the_ 1nteYJ.sif'lcation of the_ oer-

- ~~~~~;.0~~ (~Go~;c ,;;;\.~~c-,6~~l~eii!~f t·~~~e~~~t tb __ -the ~i-e&t£"-P'-?- s:i.::1ce_ t!J.tn., __ c _

(c) what did .the Jov;s no >11hen ,tlle civilian population

~~!c ~?2~d;~~~· -~~ ~~~e;~e ;_~~~ir- f~ d~~t~~~~ sf~~~s~~t . -~~~~i~·%:ft~\:.eo~d~~!i ~~t~:i.~s ~-~d~f -~~~ sr_~i~~~~man

___ ri~lf~: ok;~~~;:-:t~_~-~--:tt:.e ~rou.s J~_-i(~::.~~\_ -~.r~- htY~uriS -~-ll;:rG -~'.:llc .~t'? _ ~--~ta_~.!~:~~~t;Bse curcls -tf~.i'OU()f- tile -undc.T>gl:ound ··:.()ri--~nizUt~~ons? , -

(r.l) doSs~ t_h~--;~1~islin2. Je>uiSi~ dor:1munal Council -set , -up b~~ t1~!J,;-Gerrac.nu stj_ll exist'f -.rhat -r~o their

~~tl.vi-_t-:~_,~·: -con2:l. st. of?

(ei ~io t!~6 (~-t~l"!:lans use the t~el:;viees·- o__f' J;_~e -ffJV/ Jewish traitors (Hasson, et.c.) who, acc6!'ding-

- t_o ·-t-Ul,iOl' n, \'!eT'e brou;~)Jt tQ- /1.~hens ~ -(i'.) ,:,;:t>.t 11ere tl"le r;o, S'.1lts -of the Arch13ishop 1 1; a'ttcnpt

(h)

(l)

{ j)

(k)

to ~J.a.Vf; wal" invaliC:.s_, '--infcir~ts, tl?.e ae:8d, ~tc .• ; exenpte ... ~:·? J.HtVG c.ll tt_-.iG ,_;",~v,S 8.C·t~_l&il-:,f-~yacl.1.fo.t0(~_ 1£r .. lkis,-· VOJ:os J .. <.:..r1s.3a, 1.:arc~i·t,:.;a, Tl·i·Cc~IEi, Al'ta, i1ro~Jezu, Jan~1:i.na; l:aD Lor-ia, anc~ l}f;.tr·a::.:- -Lo- jq:i_n t~\G Partrsans ... { f'ror,; Yilwt provincial to·;ms, if any, bave.the Jews l·een t_rr __ ablo to esca!·1o t.~ tho t~·illsrf __ Hq\'/ many of 1 thB!"t 't/C:Pe i~·!lCL:'lLU.·, .depor·tt;[l_,. Oi· r1ft5SUCl'CC~ _j_n Oach'

of tllBse tov1ns 't -·ttblct: r6,_).ond cont.rcJlled. ~y 1-'al'"'tisc:!!.'!S -a:r•e _Eia.}.hJ.y Li vi n:_, shelter- Go ,Jei\'G ~~· APe t11ey gl:'-ouped _-or ··d.l s-per·soG'? :Jn._:_er- \i~la t con~-<i ti oas_ -J1nve _t~1ey _bedn_ living unt.~'.J. t;lLt:: 6r,Jscat'i' -.;Jlat is thcl:e ~'enlth stn_tus'? ;_;fl\:..: t:1.ey Llny fnn'3 s? , __ -: - _ _ ·_ r1hat i.11 .. c~uully known ubo,~t the conditions of Jews in C'ol'iu an<i. ~;n~te'l (most lilwly Int'ormatie>n _could lle obtal.ned f'rom the Allied. Sel'vices ln iloutnern Italy anc:i f'ron Partisans operating in Northern Epirus, Albania). v!hG.t are the corH:l tlciils o£' .Jews in Crete, Candia, lloraclion, and ;tetl·,ymnon'l , !·lave. they boen interned, uope>r·ted, tl.assaCl'ed, or have t.hey been able to jo"in t.be .i'a:;'tisans in the bills?

(1)

..

- t.;: -

~ - - ~-- - - '-- - -{l) hov; ms.ny Jews·TrO!l 0don.U:n l1a''o ooerr fighting with

P-a'·rti_a-~-n~s in -the_ -OlJ'fii1JU2. Ji.js-i-o::T_&~nc;;·e- .u.ppll 194.5?_ b.i.;..B _ ttle~·s &ri:y y~6nen ru-;tc~ "~ Ch:l1--;_li1 ~-l1- V{:!.. ~h t}~mn 1

XI. \\ha-t can bt?- 0orid srouncls.

(;;.j ProviL:.c ~-ht;1:1 ·i.d th false :...d6~~t~:t~V qa1·ds, p._.:>w.r·lyiilg ~i t.h--~d~vi: --~}-~~GU-~_a ~:i. o_ns.

· (:~) zrf~nt~_:::t~i~~:~--r~1.2.~ ai-G both to·tb:o-se ;·,fShiriu t6 -leave the tox'.'J):_':·a;~(-well as to thos~ tLb;\ring _plUl:tsi·J:ft~e

-( c•-)·· rf·J.~-na_·.~-ms1'r8l'. ;r_I ·,'g~,:rei~~oara·int.'r~no~-··.:. · · · · · · _ _ _~ ~v ... -. _ . .1. :;'::' -~YJP~o -_are G9!i~_p&ll~;_rj to· -:Lt:c..ve tll?i-r 'In'es:<ln'£ r·cL.IC'.o. _ _ ..

_;;, _(rl) r•.:J.ieV<). t.fy~Fibiirden or' the parents by rici~\ittin;:;to P' t -- Chll~...:;.=-_.fi ·tn·~·ttt"t:ltions inft111tri···,:;ho td.nde·l~: or . .l:-~e-D.der

ir:·,nou>:i Lle' thelr :aO'Iiinc _about from one pl&ce to &.rl.Jthei·,:"-:t_l~~e.~(Pb~r jeop_ar·O.iZing the lif"o of the

{u) :~~i·~~-,~-~·&Jf~!~nd tiir·ect;. thE; :cvv.."(>.lati,__·;l _o"f=- the gr·cat-:: est ;1ossiiJle nurn.bel' of Jews; from _the Ath&ns: area; -the snia+·~er- the nu~:1ber· of Jew~ -*B.{la:~ni.ns;. in -Athvns, _the [Sr~b:~el.' tJ·~e -chancee of .s_~1t?:.l~·~t"~;~ .. f6p t[loDc-.-ti~luble

·to ;a.qvc, thone go:1.nG in ·the 1 vtcini_t·y_ to ~·ee:;i9_~1S contr·olJ.c>d by Po.rtiaans · enj6y;.bettei• li vi.nc conditions, mo~"'e safety, prov":i.:decl: th.e·y :Y.~ce-rve regu-~-B.r· .. fih&nci.a.l Buppurt, :Gd . .fficient food~_D.ll.d- n~e-di"cine·s.· Pol~ secuPi ty and ot~1el"' rcas9i-tS-- -th:oy sho·.tld.., of -CoHrse be scuttcPed as ~nuch us pos~iblc. At a late!"'. date neans of helping them e scapo to the I·Iiddle J!:ast · niLht be conside·l'o<r. -·- ·-

(f) Ol'canize ?~ore eystew:rtically tllo escapes by calques' and lmpPove ttto 1~enns ·of such esCap~S by. .sea.

C;J Cf<rcJuL.y avoio nention of -the Jev1isll £'l'oblem in clc.ndestine ~1;eesn, as the .re~ct.iOn of :f;lio G_estc.po would c>nse -H:n·e harm than ·the bonefi t to be derived.

(':J.) enJ.euvor- to spread the i6.oa· that .it is an anU,.national uttitud<7 to exploit tl1e Jews.n~ hiilinu•---such exploita­tion e,enoN.lly ends in ,).vlns away o:f the pool:'er class of ~fews.

XII. The semlin;-; of ftincs r~uy [;l'ei,t.ly cbntri bute, to the rescuing work.

The above outline suf'f'iclently illustrates that one of' the m•Jst effective •uays or contributing to·-tho rescuing of J'ows still in Greece is to p:covirip_ thor~ wlth-•funds.

Those

..

. ~- ~ .

- 7 -

These funds should be entruster1_t6 J?el.iable nersons who viil-l Sea t!·d .. t-. t.(le __ :p_-9n~y r·eacileE_ tJ-.:.e. h98Q-y.

XIII. DHficulties to be met ::'l:tl,_J:!;!____!;!:?-~-~-:'_ec>it.!:2E:.:of· .!l:~.o.:-~..'?~ ~_le~~Etanc~.

J:he outtii:fk into effect of ttle noove-1lfent:i.oned p_ropv~_-u}-s_ -:~ifO~~c--'p:resent -many cii1'LiC.:_1J.lties:

( ~J t,h~-- a(~?-:..·-~ese~ or- L2~:cb0i'dcCt -.J~wS a;r~- nO~, oL · e~nu~se,

~~~~;~;, ~~~r~;;~;~~j!:'t}:i~~Ea0~r~g~i;~s~;r~"~~~;lih~~~ ;,~o r~~~:l·H. • ._; -.·>'~~,,~.:;;,.--

• (lc) Jev:s' o.rit\'''\i;·.iristians are_ mistrustful of unknown pe~.sons -_of':(e.ring·. t·~_:,Jj~lp_ them; tiluS,. f'<?l' ihstrin:G_e_, ariy

~~s ~)~v~b-:rthb"f~~~i~i b~s !i ~;~~c: 6;l~i ~~8F~~~s~;~~ .extreme

(c) ,it >ii!'ll 'oi~tci1 bo Liiff'icult to ;onvince ther.-, to ~ separr:..tG m~':-:-Ue.x:~ .. --o~~-:-- t~1e sru:.e_ fa~~iilJ..~~s (i .-t~--· _ol(?, .(rotn

·youn<_., i.r1~~&.ll_c.:i·_·r·ro1<l- the physiGal]_.;r<i~i:t) ;-- tn·-~nost. ·_case·s ·;>uch a sepb.r8.tion · vioult: ;.i:ive gr<Oattl' secur-ity to both sides;-

- ·-

(d the <:mall number of' people_:tf!A:iilt- adv'itnto.'i;e of_-the sit11.at-io:..-r -ln v.:hieh tho jf:;Y;::; :L~n:-h-_tl"l~-l~t_.?,!:i-;.~-c;_ thOlns-Bl-VB~ ·at -preseQ.t !iave fY>m·-~ the vury be~J.-nn1.n~~- s-p~-.~ad T'1,Unors _of imaginaY'Y Gttn .. ,el'S on ovacuatint~ the c-ap:Lt-::;:l. hv_er· 8i-nCe Octobet· la-st, t.~lbt.:£-, ulaPmiaf_: :t·umot~s:-'Ne:~e _ __!?.eine- spPoef:td_ on on.0 1-:b.n.J -J~.- U~e .J:r·~~,: ... n~ze:c~ of d.epur>~ur·e·s-- to, the .hills, and on ti1e o\X.el· i1rcn•.-, by ·the or~,;anize1"s -o:t' t1epux•tures for the : .. L.l<ilEo East, ~11th ttle result thnt r,,ost of the Jews pref'el'r'~'~d to :t'elr.:ain· on the spot.

(;J) OY/J.n~, to tt1e unnvoiduble c'ircU)~stnnces due in most' cases to the different lntermedlaries, it 1'13 most' lilcely that fl"lt.mclal help v1ill eventually. reach its ultimate destination in a much more l'educed amount.

XIV. Means of overcon1it1!' the i'ol'egoing. uii'flcnHie~.

The cll.f'i'icultles l"entioited above w1.ll have to be overcome with all the r11C>i'al and. nuteria.l resources at oU~ d.~~posU.l. ·

(a) 1,.1ove all, v1e MUSt enlist the rmpport of th0 Orthodox Church whose high pl'estir;e, together VIi th her vo.Pious activities, was so helpful last October. All existinG organizations wol'king · in tlc.e -,mderground or openly, who-have ,_;reatly contributed in sparin,, the Jows from J:lazi extet·minatiofl, should be required to coope:r·&te, -- '

(b)

..

-,6 -

(b) ,-~TJ~l_f? ~-ch~t·_Ch~,~=: -:p:r-_of'6 ~ _s:J_-d~~~i __ pr·.:;an-i z~ ~iorl~-- and. undergfqti~d groups obviously Jmm~. a £;1'\lDt m.unl:JE)l' of Jev1s now in hiding as well as Christianssi1clterin;~~ Jeyis or 1Jei:n(l; indirectly connected v1i tb them. The· few--J-e\·is. 1'1rco ;;ave contracted mixed· marriages and therefore. are not subject to:s.nti'-Jewish measures must be able to trace t';leir relatl ves and friends. 'i'ho 400 refugees who have ar:Pived in the Middle East .could also Giye us some information. 'rhe Catholic: Church has also helped shelter- Jews;

fc.r i'or security pul'poses it would -1J~ umli se to disclose their 'hiOinc places. T·he only indication to 15e given should be

'the:· ai:l't'1~:eJ;?,SCS of peonle likely to know. theni. All this worl~ would have to be divided and decent:r>alizecl. Lists of names mu·st· r!oE~J;,<f issued as theywoult> be det:r-imental not only to

.\ ,th«., .Jewa:-,t,h€imselves but also to their Christian friends who ··are tryii}:j;-to help them. No doubt tl'le ex erience of the under-' _grm~d-}Jr):,nnizations would 1Je of great value in this matter.

: · -. ·{<,I),cin o:t'der to ensure the equal dist:t•ibutioli or funds ·a proces:S of' receipts should _be established whereby no name of the disbm•ser should appear on tl'le receipt, but only the sum, date · a'nd sirnature of the :l'eci pient •- 'o'I'hi s would _prevent abuses' the intel:'l':e_diariey creali'sii1g that- t!:'~e ciistribution .. is subject to contr_ol. 'l'his- process, of courne, would not completely exclude B.ouses-; 'but would linli t -them.

{e) In Athens at least, -funi:cs sb.o:.tld be distribnted in c;olci soveJ:eignc because o·!· tbe continual depreciation of the local cur.rencyx::.

{f) 'J'he Greek Polico of Athens r1ay be of great help {identity carC.s, vlatching: developments of Gel::'P.tan rtiEiasures and warnin,; the·peoplein time.) But, one must be careful of the few blackmailers Ol' Gestapo agents worldnp; insi<).e the Police. Other officials linlced with the present Rally Goverrunent are likely to do their !Jest ~in favor of tl'le Jews.

XV. lliff·iculties and risks. of individual·. (non-organl.zed) attempts to" escape ...£Y.:. s'e!I,•-

Generally spealdng no one in Athens !mows how· escapes by caiques are effectecl.. Tl1e reason is that those who attempt to escape and do. succeed, mo·st· often luive no me aria of info:r>minr, their friends of the procedure and, on the other· hancl, individuals belonging to organizations who have contacts with the l.lid.dle East have very t;ood reasons

fo:C

..

9 -

f~r' givi:l~&~ -p.o_.lnf'oP-:31.~tioD. )I}-_lat~iot:n.i_el?~~' 'l~~:l~-l,s~;: _ tJl~~-e ·e_~capeS are -s:1.rou(,.~e0_ in nn utr~toao~le.re o.c~ ;.:.Y·e3.t ~-;1:{~~-~t~~-- ·_o.r}9i'ohells~.on, 0-verVIhelmip~·,, citffiCulticS- _and- ~ripi;l!lOUS-_r-lsl~s-. ·-sith a sotmd­knowl<:r(l~~--- b£-~_ tiH:- rou·t_e-o_- -~'?- _£·~ ~:i.o!~- ~-- t~~ _'h-~ l i{--0:~ _ -;1-~_Cal· :t n:~~ ~-bi ta~~s- :\n 9~s. -o_r _two- place~,-- _c_q,~·n-.age -~n.~~ .ini t_i_f?.ti ,Je _,--che yhances .of.-, success are· great. ~- 'rhis __ h§t·s- D~elJ. p_.t•pve·d by the fac.L tllr<t wtlale familHls (ii1fnntsi :i:tNaH<).s~c-old peoplt.:,;·-) lia~~_t():iaru·~geO a succe s~d'nl 5 scar:.e in tt1.e- rr..id;}le· of

- the_ wlnter. ·. ·

is to Tin{~ the rori.<~ leadin2:. alon;~ tile eoast. '2-'his is not ·.·~·~s,i:f:~l~~~;::!~\f~~~~~~;I~ ~~

-,;;:). py .t"'U~_iHe >¥Jcti0\in inter-meoiarieB Cl' 6Vetl t:•e Captai:h oi a· cai(iuG, :the -=~tt?_~t of fo.llint. int·a- B. trap- set by· tti6 Ges_tapo ... is _al,v;ay_~ .. \t?i"·_e-sent.

A fur<ther.·.+·lilk is that -the:_intermec;ial:'y who is pretending _ to arr·ange .for .an escape is actuully .only -t1•yin, to exploit -'the person; but ih this case the harm is not so gr•eat if

the escapee ·i5- eventually cohtd1cted to the eNb£trkation-point; . they then have a chance~ of -1;>eine; sooner o0 later, put on hoard. a calque• 'l'his is whdt .hac happened to most Jews ·who have r.ianaged to escape fl:'omcGl:'eeee. However, their stay in the coastul area c&n be a very difficult one if tl1.eir sailinf~ is delayed and they haVe not 'sufficient .. funds to buy food with, et.c ...

AnotllC£' risk is that tlle caique-t,uq be in poor• shape; too small a motor, badly equipped or· a shi ppor wi tt1 no , pl'evio·,,s expel'ier.ce in crossin:;s. In such a case, of conr·se, the cr-ossing may be fatal.

All these escapes have to be arl'anged through a nUJnbel' of inter·mediaries and each one is int13rested in making a prof'i t; thus, tl1e amount of money 1•equested i_s vel'y often much hie;hel' than the price one ·can afford. In _Vctober 194:5, while a Christian could arrange his escape f'ol; one or tVIo gold sovereie;ns, a Jew would -oe asked at least 'ien to twenty and sometimes fifty or more; per person; Owing to the pl'esent conditions in Greece, such swas al:'e available to a small nwnber of JeVIs only. ;,hat frequently happens is that those possessing the money do not have the requil'ed courae;e and vice versa.

The greatest risk of the' whole-adventure,d.a the crossing of the Evoikos straits which is constui1tly patrolled by German

guards

..

XVI.

;.; 10 -

guards on theclo_ok out for boats. Hence the r6ason for C!'Ossing tb.e ·st~aits at ni,llt v1hic)) tillnos appl'oxim8.tely 4 bours owirL_' to the sVIift sea.,

'lhe crossinG of the Ae~eah-Seri _bycaiques leaving via the East Coast bi' the AttiCa rE:l1U~.l·s _the ctrip r;1\1Ch simpler but lo1~~;er. The z,reatestc':iHiculty "lies in the esseritfalli t~: ot_ cooruin~tiJ\s,ttte _ dmulteneous arrival of boats_ and escaping

: parti~s_, as trl~~r~~: --~l,..,_e n6 Ca,r11_1:lnc facil-i t_ies ·<?tl t.(te coas_t- :or East jitt:iCa •. · ··:.·_:~_.;,- -

~. as · po·~~{~~~0th:h·~~g~91l£~ ~o;;:t::t~~m~~G~~~i ;~~~~~5 tci 8e~!~i~ly Jews. ·in ·av&r~omir~:::. -'"-~~1~!,fc'?.ltie·2 Etp.4. ·e. ~~oJ.·(jtn:c~ --u.rlne-CeSSHl:'Y,_Ti ~lis.

-SugBJ~~t-ion~::~-~ 1J6-lrt. r~e·ii~Sil-rcs to be t~._g:~_ln_~o~!_~! _to ~~iisJ.lita:te escapes bY,~":.·-.-

Per-sont!.i ·.c~:f~l;/'-4-t~Xrce loads -us· t:o 11!-e.ke -t_l~e i'b;Ll_owi-p.g _Erng::_:e_s_tion~-:

(a) :;o synchronization ~mst be. sought between c\epal·t~<res fro:o ;,tll6i1S ariL.' c;a:.lin0 I'ro' the coast- o-f- J'u1JOeaj -;vih:ich o:t --­prtA3ent _L9ment is i>l->acticnlly lt<J:P9SS1-9+e·.- ~t _. vrq~ild .be_· advisa~1l6---1;ri dir.:_-ct as Pany Jey.;~ __ g·s-- pos_s~ble fY.o~1 Athei"in to- l~ubo_8G., provic'~od sufLii?i·)nt bo-B.tS ~1a:ve ___ bee~ _seQp.~_eci.

(b) Ijisperse them among the var-ious -vi_:lla;c;es of the regio!l and scnt~i -t:-_~_m:l to the coast onlY irr m~1all gl .. ·oups­accordinc to the facilitiDs of a•acuatlon by caiques existing at the tl~e. ~or security p~rposes cbficentr~tions of refugees oil ti·~e coast NUSt be- avoideci.

(c) In o>·Ge:r· t!;nt evacuatio-n oi' Jews fro:a J\t!J.er;s to the ret=-.ion.s oJ. c.epar·turc-: !(u~y be utide_);~take+1 w:l th the_ (;l"'eate~t po_ssi ~le safety it is necessal>y to have reliable assistance. T!Jere a1•e local pc,ople affiliated to secret 01'£_anizat-ions who exer·cise super·vision, ci vc usuful ao.vices, _ pJ•ocure mem1s or_tr·anspo_r:ta­tion, etc. Generally, -they are consi\lei•ed as t-rustworthy people who alr;o must have some remuneration arlequate to the se1•vices r·endereC.. 'H1ei:c collaooration in 0onnfiction v;i th assistance to JeHs should be !'ewarded.

(cl) 'l'he coastal ree;ion or E\lboea f!'om which calques sail is ver·y poor; j;he villagers can hurdly afford their own liveli­hood; transit 'and prolonc;ed nojourn_ of numerous g1•oups of' refugees aggravate the shortaLe of- -foodstuffs. These conditions

len~

. ---- - ----~------

.. ll _,

lead to a tremendous increase ;::.n pl'!.ees which is~~ of no. iinportanQe _for t.h_~ few-_-:o,_vell~_t~o-:.-co-,- --but _G:featly_ erlciuh&;er::f ttre exi~ft-er1ce ·of_·-the- pttle-rs. It nast- be S:dcl_eCL that the soli6arity \'ihich shourci be expcnted amongthe· ref·~gees is ve·r_y -_C?-ften lacl-:ib-f:_.-; tJle pPth: .. o!·;:L:lU.ilt {eGlinc, be-in;:. 11

3ve:eyone

fo_r- -one~e):i' 11 •

last ~~{2iP~;;.s4fi~s;~~s <,ai~ tti~a;;,~;/1i~ ~o:~~~~~i~:~ ~~~~o~r,e ;~~~~ti;;0L~i~i~xr,,1;~~J,'"L:~~~-~ ;~;~ ~~etl;~a~:c~~;h~~~-~~e

~~~~:~~~E~'-~:~§f~t~:.~~~f:;!~~',:~~~;rlt~~~~~~!;H:::~~~~~ ·~I~e · sapposc.dly .f:lgi:-~c.J.JlE communi-sm, _Liltre mnu-t_ -be~ nu.Yfie:eou.s

spie:: wor-l{i-nZ -:fOl"- tlle Crestapo. Under ~-:~c.1ch CQ!1t~itior:s no_lnts of· (fc:GE .. tJ}~p.t.i t be moved furtll~l· north. ·

ACL:orcl_i n[}: to rE,,fu;:.:,t?tj_s_ rece~t-iY ·a:r;:-1: i vet~ in th-e lti d~tle ~::~; ~:~:followinz rezrette.l.,le incident occux·eo· e.: few-

At t11o !.lor.H-nl.i:! oi' _eailil}f!;, -~---?:f~i~ft.'te ye.~ :p~ev-~fit89-fr6m U.oin_~ so by fl.· g1•oup of Par-tts_ans; -all the Y.e:t'nb~cs alJoarr). uel'e searcheci.; a;l.l their per:sonal belorizin;c;s, 2;61Ci, etc.- \·ier·e taken from th8m and they wer'e told thc.t they (trw Jem;) shoul0 be cont,mted to save themselves without tr•yint:, to save their rJoss?sSio:-J.s -~1s i;cll! 8'J.cl: an tn·::.-irJ?jnt seewz entil1 e:J_y lncon.Ej_ stc.nt Vll th tl":e acti vi tJ ... and ;•elp shown towarCis ttw <Tews )Jy tile Pm'tise.ns from the beginnin:;. ;:.o, it may be pr•esu•necc t11at thoy wet•e not · Partisans but orcUnary malef2.ctors. However, it is hopecl that this v!lll be the onl;y- incident of its kind; but it is a bad cxmnple and- deset•ves full-att€mtio!l~

XVII, Arr·ansements for the impl'ovement of cam pine; Gondi tions of refugees in tlw coastal zone.

In orGer to rolievo the r-ef'uc:;oes ourint; thoH• usually delayed stay in t11e area from which the depai'tul'es- take -place and in view of tho prospe.c)ti ve increase of the number of Jews in transit in Euboea i-t :is essential:

(e.) to send supplies for v:tHfi:;_;crs -who i'eed th0 re:ru,_.ees ~.nc. for tlle refugees t.lm1nselves. l'or example, on their way back t.!•e cniques mie:h-t carl:';\" the necessary ·foodshlffs. In the :0e.st, supplies wel'f> s cni,etimes sent to- tpe papule tion of these r et_:;:i_or·s. ·;.J·,eat, eor·n,. potEttoHs ,-onions, olives. Lmcr figs would be appl'eoiated,

{b)

.. _t.---...... "'0

•• ~- _1--

XVIII,

,..; 12 -

(b}_o to_ c=:rant-)l_l~t-~rral~~-D:sS~.-Stanc~ ·to- tti0.-.- t"'_e~:-'-~gGi}s_- i-il_ n&ed:·;lr..itint, fol:' tho arr-iva], of a boat; Itmay perhaps be_ in?re. ·convenie~t i~ !J&r_t-__ :-~~- -~che 11_9-~P ~~-~~~ ~~: :g_r~nt_e~- w~_? given ln the loce.l currenqy so as t() avoid~ strengt!len~ing the fseHhg tll!it all Jev:s al'" wealthy arid possess _}Jla;

'.L·he \1ec.essi!lf o~_:ilil!Jl"oving _the solidarity aentimGnt·a -or--fiJe P.n ti v·e _ virlat';et's; _su.G_.~-~~stea be a0.c.1ree:$9:~~- _ i.,o them. -

tho'u;ood• r::.essa~e-- to

;b·u~.-t· ·,--l~h•1~ee .. -:2Pt-~-si~;; __ :_-"':.~Jt·:? .• _~e' i.n __ this_ !.i.r·eD.- :~s !Jpor··, r~kt_hor· i[;_nOrant ;-,, c> • "<->''·• "" . 'J'l:\ese villagers having passi velJ'

or actJvpl:Y-:l\~1:P~d fo~ the-~pist-·trn,.,ee .ye£!,1 .. !3. iti.- the ·t:t---B:ffic-­with"tbe ;.'l6<l:)::Q;iZast feel tt-,at, they s.r·e thiis- contributing

,/}. ,to -t1:e'cimr effort. <;ince last October, not onl;r Greek ol" nL.i<K oi'i'i8ers have passeq thr·our;h to join the fight­i.e!~~ -fOl•c-us,-~ p_r> 1r('ing vs_lUar:~1:e ·ir~fox•mati_~~,- but £~l~b gr-oup~ of men_, -wqm.erf- :;uul childl'un -w!;o are .not_ Ci.il·ectly eonn.ected with· the· \iijl<::j-:·thcfse al:'~· tiLe_ ~-C::\lis4 -:r_:efuc;ee·s .- -_All tl~ey-know· about· t;ht,r·; ls t.hut Jews are diff.,rent_ fron the rest of _the people. i~hy are they escaping? ~ihy al:'e' they -beine persecute(l by tile c;er·muns'l· 'i'hey (i6 11ot utid!)rst<trid ._ the rea_son lor· this pers~ql}ti6ri-. '.rhe ·ra.Pt.:Lsun$ t.a~G -Rskbd _tf~eM- to help thbs8 _Jews; -~-_t:n~i.r s-~hpol.t_eacllers·:~hs.V·e- ti<)ue­·times tried to explain to them that th_t,se people are eq':tally brothePs in arms, and sir1ce tl1e comr:>ori enE-r~y -- . the Germans--is pet•secuti-nt: thm~,}., -t;b/~Y ro-i:fst al·Bo- "be helpeO.;

_they l:~unt &.cconu:.odate anci_ ~t'eed 't!lGH thou.:).;. pU~y1i'ie~1t- raa~v __jjOnteti!!lfJS be impossi blo:. ·J.':r!-e Par>tisai.lS, howev6.t• ,_ o.re-·not always Ehtiv·.:;E of t11e 0.1'lea they rule nnC~ accordingly tt-~ey are not fully trusted bC~c the yillar,ers.. -Another t;l1ing;: "Je_ws a.re:. p!•es-·Jrr~Ei.r)ly :rich; 11 tl.fus the oppo_~t\1nj~ t~r for- i

profiteurln~. · ·

It is obviOas that unci.e.r,Sucl:}-_S:Qnditions 3.-mess?-c;e from tbe ;oroe c;r•eok Government wou·lci be of_ the greul;ost utility. 'l'lte Greeks have a very hlghly deV'e:loped sense of personal priue. 'i'his characteristic should be sti­mulat6l~. 'i'hey coultl be reminded that the Christian relit~ion says 11 loye· thy ne_ighbor n; "all_ m~n are equa~. 11 ; "those who ·auffel' should be helped"; -Jews al•e equal-ly G-reek. One of them, a eallant ooTfl.cer---natlve of Hnlkis, the capitHl of their own lsland.--was killed in acti.on in the i\l;Janian war; tllousnnu·s of 0reei{ Jews defended their- land a;:uinst the invaders, hundr_Qds !JD!Ont;st them wer-e killed, and it is upon-these·people",that the Germans

have

. "c" -------

..

.: 13 .;.

~~ v~;i~~~c~~ ~~~ ~::~ ~th[,~!;y"~~~~e~~c ~:~.!;]' c\~lc~e tr;lo ~~tl~~~;i~~t: ~~:~~s -beca1.ise _Je>YS -a1~e f.J_e?la_rad,; C-~e~1li?_S O.f _ l~_8.zi~r~. -~Si_d.e~, _Sews all. over u·,e. woPld ·ar0 fri&rids of Greece and t11e day is close -wl'len tne,y -wi_l~_ ~~~i-:ve_ly -sho_vL_Hh~\t- ~_hey can -_do' -~to -11etp_ x:~ali_z_e _ _ i.;h~~ natioila-~ Gl~_eek cl~im~, aS ·we_ll as_ :r~>lieve-- ~i1d · r~Store the cQup.f!~~y ·ruined by tl1e :1 nv~de.'cs. I .. c i_s ,_- th~r£?·f6_;r~e, _a---n~ti'q;nal

'~~~t&~~t~t~ti~ -~~~~y"'.~,o:~t\~1:8\;~:y';;'e~~i~;Qi~ ~i~~rb;0

r,,~~;loned tl:?..·t._~-~ttlQ;-_.l~el~) -~:i veo: up· to: n_iT~J :to_ ~·e'i\'~ by tt~e i~1babi tarits_ qf .thi-8 -ttB{;j~JJn is -well knQ\Jn; l~l_---pbn;~p_et_e_nt ci_i•clet: -__ and _:t_i:l~~:t~ ·~-n~ial

,~~~~~8;~;~~tY;%). r·c;;ar-o:i .;ill ·:)e torthNn:c5-''-~ us· a. rew>a·c1 to those

i.J, A~~-:-;-~-PP~al mnlJod.ying_ th0 _nbov_e-r~'-entioneO. l)r:i.ncipl_es

- sho~nld.-~-l:.re·:. r·satl in all the, .vi·ll~ges ·of t}it? -dist.rict.- It w<_mlc ;:;to•· rir-cfcl'a1Jle not to cistri ~outc leaflets which nmy "fall-- --l'n-to tho handri of th~e {}crr.1HUS wlio ·woD.ld adopt l1,'!easures

of repi•ionls. ·

- - -, -

'Ihe efforts tO --i)e -1~1ade _I:Or;._._e!lc6Ut>a_t~it1G, th~ -e~uc\iO."tiqn OL the Je·,/s f':COl" i.thens in dirE•Ctirll_; them towur<)s the COUSt wo·.1l<l bo useless and even 't',ar·mful if simultaneously arran:.. g ,xr~entr: .. wern hot ·n&.d.e· t~ :·pr-ovide. ~n- .adeq_uatc nurrCO~r- Of bodts.

Considor:in::·; the ·se':lt~aphiCa·+ -~:os:L r;ion o.t· :...:r~ecC, whic}: is one of the- ·tJost,in occupied. ~.~urope, the 1nwubel' of esc&pr;a have -·oeon_v~ry fE~v:. 1I'he JBwish-l•.efugde·s VlbO have escapee; to the i.'id.<:le ;iaat clul'int:•. tl1e last 'I mont!1s havo not exceociod 40Q, wbic.:h comes. to ail average of about }~ J·evs ~::.einz .t•escu~d pe~"' day". __ One :must _point out that a c,ood many of these .Jov;isn-refugees lceach the Tul'ldsh coast throu:;b pr-ivate _arrangements of_J;he:tr own.

'1:he Smyrna Allied Authoritius have at their disposal many caiqu.es of diffel'<>nt· sizes, the smallest be inc ·able to hold 20 passen[',el's and- the lart;est 80. Since last . October tl"lel'e has been 1huch talk about a Jewish Ort,anization employing 2 caiques; some even--t-a-lked of 5·boats. Actually, we have not as yet heard of any Jor1 crossinG the Ae~ean Sea in one <)f. these calques. Besides, if .tJwre really· exi ste(; 6 ox• even 2 caiqueo for· the·. exclHsiv<) use of the Jewisl1 Or·gnnizacj_Oi1;_ vte 'should }u:.vc' been able in· seven

months'

..

- 14 -

months t:ime to save a -much O"en t.er --mif,\b(H" of -Jens • _ Orw muSt- reCkon t_t..ut-illo_st __ pl'~Gb~bly~_t_t1~ Je\'{islr-or·li)tnizatiqn :ttsel:i.:- cJ_ot' s i1.0t r~n:. &riy __ lJ_9~:t- bu!-- hf_;l.~ -.-an~.a~.re~8merit wi-th_ -SaNe Of the ~~-~=~~i;:s of cai_qu~s __ -~o ~c;l~~ _ :c?ftig~~-s on· bOar~J _wi~,r~- t~~e --l.-n·o~~-ise

--~o:(~ bein.; _gener·ously- ·:re;f~l·~~~-~~ ~~_l?-64<~t-·rc.a6E:l:ll:?-n~-- vllii~h--Se~r~is :t6 p__e~p tl::.{?_:r::.sc~-li~l..~ o.f' -'cb.fJ- JeydJ :is -s~iJ;l- qa~--_tQ iaadequate.

-~-:~:i~~!~~:i;,~l ;~~~-~~~ ~;p::~~!:~~:c~?Htbts~~~~~r:~r~~if~lng -~~0l~1 ~!~0:\~~~~i~1-11~i' i~a ~~~~~:~s t~! t: ~~1~~:~ ~~s;~J~~t~~ ~0o-,~~1-al~- .! -J.~~l~i\~.:~-~-·---~-- .- to ·t.f·~~; _poi:lt Qr t::-.~e- .. oi-·t:c}~ ~go-~st fr-m:l which u: ., .... 0 __ .;_~"0-:-~- On tL(., 'O~GJ~c;:r~ l~iin~:., it- nuiJt be rt;!";~6t·;.be"l•eU that

~~~v~-~8 ,~h2tt-~~ ~1:;_ ~:;~~0;,1~8 JJ~~;~~n~/'~t~~~ft~;~; ~~a;~~~~-~. the J~esi~~us., :·-L!'u:; :Lr .. _cr·e&s-c _ol· tttf.; ·i-n.l.Y:~Uer of rei'l;.gCes is-- :i.H so1.·,c¥ ·;;:...._~.J<·toHslt"~uJ,.._-,(~ r.s a_·C~t..Ht--=:t.r'- to .the r·:ain HCtivJ.tic:s of t-l1.6 .a~::;-,y;_;.;;;~~IJ~(;;:J.t:;.c-_:_, c; GeJ··vic~-;.

1?heBe ttrs at J?l~asant ·t:.l:•.f::1 ohiB.f c~if-J.'icultles~ in .r~~_c\J.:~;:_: ___ ~-t:.~•'IS t!·.~·--0-1 1:11 ·t!-;.t:: -~~e~?~r~- :::9t::,-~ Dnl:.e-r- th-e a·Dol.rB-mt~lltion0C. con(_j_t.~.:J,-!~ i~-- i-s _sttc_:estt:c -to--;-;.av_G t;::e ;:\ut ~~•::·flJ. .ce

. BouPG. t.r~kf:: this ([:attqr up~:y:li tb ~he_ CC?nq.)et.o~t ~,:ill t-ur·y

~~ t~~~h t~~ ~~e ~ ;.1 :l~;;~ll~i\:o;i~~htte "i,~~b;~c~}l'Ir1~r;~:~J:e~~-" t not continue to 1,en1aj:n- 2~~Y: i'urtt~e_r _an u~uxi lliary duty but a systE.:•·,:&tir; and efi'icient ef'for•t to be ~r·et w.!. tb. full attr.;,ntio~l.

:lJ.c. '.iOl?li _ _of roscu:L_n:_ ue·{tS :.:..n Atbens '.'I01J.l';_ be ~r-_cf.!.~ly fac:Ll:i. t.;-.. t.uc.. ~f the oi~i'ice o..C th.G ~~·ar llef\.tS_Ge L;Qti.l:·d il1-

b1nyrna wquld orcUnize an l:nfoY'J<~~tfon_ J.)Gpar·tncnt J.~o:r- the qu.es 2~;1c.H1in.(.·- of cacL ~ce_i\.l,f:'~Y_C '!1JQ_(l al,r·i_vnl_.

(a} On relat!. ves and- 'fl'i€>1HtO 1'en,_:ini.n,::, in lil'•2ece. (b) On the_ conditions ui\ctqY: Hhich tJ.1.oy al"'e h_i~·lin,::::. (c) Hov.- UH.y C!il1 be tl'uco<l, _,lh.:;\;' !1011) th•3Y need, etc,

lhe infol1.wtion be extrenelv- 'U>ci'·.J.l. in Palo stin~ im't"n<: woulc]. tu C;'8. ;sn0.

tl~us 'con.i'ic'ientially obtained would rJho .. J.~i thls .i llfOl1!110.tiOIJ. be p'at.ht:H·od

oJ.~ ·.;\i.t·kt·ly1

~ -c~~lety of ovel~ o._-~nonth

XXI.

--~--~----- --------·

...: 15 -

-, - - --

XXI. Help to be dven to Jev/ish ftef1x::;eesJror.l tlie provihcial tot-:ht•- G.t -pt·t:ise_~~lV~nf..;_in: t--~£§}~_:06ci.~E~~~~~ f)~urtTs-ai1s~

,/'I

. L• shT.i..l<:"..;. s·0c~.:0l~-1-; ·~·: ...

sJ-:eio;-.;c:·,-.

the in O:edet•

l>_s ~i:; t f.l_l:.c·e- L~c- ·ol··:::·.t.nii.eti,-_ acc-Ql-.dinG l_i. yi :::1~:.::. ?o~~~.i tiC:-_-.:.,:; -:.;r _-J_evi 8b --1-}_l:)_.fU60_es. aHs~stE!iC0 r;h.o _~.l:t~! bG -Lc~Oe unC'or tt1e

1oc}~1- .r.u·J·,·t_i~&.n Or-~_,ani;;:;hti(in; t~~:i.D t2.sk T.'b.~Ij"-:>. -_tl_'lt" ·u -~:v:i f~!:': i.'< G L·.I"C nO:t-

tC;~E;t}J.~~t·-.

~-'!'::ess.::-t:e s~~~:J.l<il· t;·:) ~v!~E-: ·orl~ ?r)·-~·~,(:-steL_i_- i::1· pin~a XVIII Le u(.Cr·s-2-st.;c~.- to :tht/. -~10_;_:ula·~_l0~1S :L_n i~cf•ent

co·n1~-J·',Y: uf .. ot·t~ tt:e -_-;}_e-.;-J.fib _X'~-~urcef( talcen .=:L•':. L~c:.ll :cc.:·.tisti.·n \:J;c.:::·£·.nizf:.tiu;·u:; c _ ·t-:.lc;_ -~uider·tuke.

LUI. ;::_sc:>.:o__c;~'t .. ,,,-. war·n::-'1:· _Lo 2~_ivc:·\$---"=-'::'..:~~r:9~--~,ree}~ .. ov-.;rnr.:i.Gt:.t rt~ls.t:i.ve ~ .. o l!:s olo.C.XrilG..!.. L.!..:'"<.· "' ....... ·~Gnd.lJ.C .... ~GlOil ~Jf ·-ym:;8-.---------------------------·-,---·.-------~---------,--

·it :::y ~1~-; 0::: 1,· s"i:.·:~r <3e.s:tr·8.~1~ i1' ~l~tc. }i'1'8( Gr·c.\"1k C7o.ver·nment

~~·;~~~c: t c~:~u~,"~~~~~~~:;i ~~-'~! ,,"~~[~~~;~;,,,~~ :·:~~~- ~;ff.~ ~;nt.~~~~ S~~;teci -:.-.. y t..':_.~ .. :~-:;-~'1::u~1 ..:iuti·L):t-'5- ti 'J::: vtill !Je i.Ju!1l sh~·~l upon li l~et·a·Gi~ni o£ 1;J~o c9u11try with crontes\ ~0ve~rit;. .~11 hCl~~ af :this nnt.Jl'<:: ·:d.:.:.l ~Jo c.o:-::cJJ'·:~-<c{::l:: f:l'(F1.~.vo.lC!1";, to·:.;_cts of t:£'t-:c:..sbn.

No !n<"lt b:~r ... 1--::o·.-; d;_.r ticul t pr·u-~ent c.Cra(::ttio~1s B.:cu, the 0·.1t;J o.t' ever·~r ... TcH ~L- ~:o 'eont):'ibt~t.e ~-n e._v_er:( p:>~st~:lu. V!aY t,Jviur<·: B the li ·;...c:ea ti OJ!. _Jf' tl'l<~--- countJ_)y. .~fl-H~s, thGse who ar·e of a;cu, who have bscn throu:-;ll tlle Aloan:i.an ·wal', or .who have !:';3Ceived mil:1 ta:cy t~."'nini n., nnd sro \"i:i. thout {~e~:enUents sb~J·J.Jn join t!le Psl"'ti.Etln.H; that ~d3 whu:~. _!;!Qsl; of th~il"' fellor! .Jews, v;_ho avo}Jicd_ t~o~;~0 ~UUL,Lt. ~n tl.:.G ~Jtf.tl~- occupied C01Ultr-ios )li.\Vt done • ~tho1~l~"'~ t.hia p<>liqy 1JB_ u_c:o"pt_ed, t11c

~-----'-'-- ---------

------- --------- --

- li' -

- . - -

ntunfJe:C· o£-:c \vor:·l~_li, ~e~i i-f~tc(n ~~-P~ftd- -at.:_:e~-~J:-_~-t~q-- -l?t1 0;-~¢_Uf~~~·~ed:~ -,:.'Ol~l]~(:i

r~ t~:E~~~,·,l.,"JlK~t sJ~;?;~~''a;.!s~" b~/~~~r~l~ciLt6~-,~l~l t~~~;i vul service '.;i tli _t:1..e }Y·eek- Al'J :.cr~ I·'ol·ce!:~.

Dear Mr. Hirschman,

American Consulate,. Izmir, July 6, 1944.

In acknowledging your letter of June 20, I wish to say that I am also very sorry that we did not meet when you were in Turkey several months ago. As a matter of fact I did not know that. the War Refugee Board was represented in Turkey un­til just before you.left or I would have gotten in touch with you.

The Jews in Greece for whom we were making a special ap• peal at that time-- that is, those who had registered in com­pliance with a German order-- have, as you know, since then been sent off to an unknown destination as was foreseen.

There still remain approximately five or six thous&nd who, for the present at least, are in comparative safety with andart bands or in territory controlled by EAM ( National Liberation Front). There are also approximately 2,000 in hiding in Athens ani vicinity but the number is being contin­ually reduced by the work of the Gestapo and by the escape of those who find the means to avoid a_ similar fate.:e-

Escape from Athens to Euboea does not present great dif~ ficulties and every facility is given the rufugees by EAM both while en route to Euboea and while waiting there but it would be useless for large numbers to escapie from Athens unless transportation is available from Euboea to Turkey. And so the chief problem to be solved continues to be transportation for . the trip of approximately 150 miies from the east ooatt of Euboea to the Turkish coast. Many thousands of refugees, in­cluding about one thousan:i Jews, have made the trip with little to fear except bad weather. ·

M~~ers of small groups that dntinue to come say that the news of

4 ~nterest of our gover11ment in rescuing those subject to

persecution in occupied auntriss has reached those in hiding and they beg that steps should be taken in their behalf. To the

f best of my knowledge none of the efforts made have to date result-; ed in any American assistance being given. ·

I hope that as you suggest I may have the pleasure of meeting you

.--~-

and cooperating with you. It is unlikely that I shall be in Ankara except possibly for several hours between trains in the event I leave permanen~ly as I may do in the near future. I may be in Ist:-"nbul sometime during the slimmer but I chink it rather improbable. ·

With kind regards and with best wishes :flr the success of your difficult tasks, I am

Very: truly yours,

. -

July 3rd, U44~

GREECE

~ihen I was lan t in r.rur:re:;,• I \'/as cn·la:re Of a trici;::le

a;_· COilStu .. t ~.1ove_:l81!L oi' reft:..gees ~lCT'Os·J3:_i·~~~~--~E:~~~~e- fo iZr;Ilt .. -;

to a S~:lall .islanli. aouttln~ Izmir. 'rhese Pefugeel? tene-l'all-y -are

l'"'G,;toved. vy the ~o-calleu .)&.!'tis ~:.u::.s :i'ro:n i.~.thens to Evvoia -and

.s.re pL:.t oi·i 011 Lue SHore at to..u 11\.~.rkish isle. After SOE'ie

rG1<tine a_·.u iOEC;alities WrliCh O.re uirectetl lJy re)resentatives

of tlle Jewish A~;e,,cy, tiwy secure their visas f'or Palestine.

11hG r:ll .. rkiS11 jOllce ta_,-:e tll~ passen_-:::ers to I'zfnlr YihOre the IJ::t•i tish

(, . .;·. Kabsky,

ucto-:Jcr, 10~0 - Janu-ai>y, 1'2.:.1ti J&.nl.U.l.lJi; 1044 - ir~ebpuary ·1';)44

300 33

': ~- ;-:· < -~.;·._,Jj,_, (~Q . ' ~Jlea:_;e c;ilaJ::·uc 011 t~1is Ope_Pa.Giou. Wl t11 .Gt~;.;Le:Jt.i.ons

&s Co i10\V Vi8 cc.t.:.. £1e:l.p).

lslru1.u J.JO~dt.s. !J: ... lv .i:.-l'.L tl.s1-... .l.Jrc:viously USSJ.S teU-·il} ~.;hes_e raove.r::tents

iruoe.HJ.lly. .i:ouujr t11.i.s ls _,lore uecessary -unci the i:::illitisi:1 ail<l

1L11er..i..cans 1Hl.Vt! &Skeu to ;J8 i_Jer:.iiltteU to concentrate On their

OVI!>- pol..i.tlcal .LUnctions ln this aPea.

.. -L

.J·~lb.i '.Ct:

On'l of the; :JY·ticl<;S of tlHi armisti,;e concluded between the Gei·man an!i Grclek military authori~;ies in April 1941 s oeoified<J-lcarly:t'1i' t the life and property ol Gr<Jek citizens •t~ithotit-dLjtinction of roce ancl relV~ion would b'-' respected by i.ho arinies of occupation. Aftor }lignin,". t.hir-; n~·mistice, Gon•,:t•;Jl T::10lt1koglu _v;ho_ ;~as 011~-, __ o.f th·;; j):t .. ~r?~_!ipol mem'b9_rs_ of the armis-~icc corr.mission and one of -~he moot· h•por-, tan\J signatories, t;elz_~d _a~t119J?i_t.,y ·an~_ foi'mBd the ftrst Greek e:ov:1rnm0n t fol;.odnc the capitulation. Upo.n several occasions the Germans urged Tsol?koglu to pu~-. i_n_~o effect :_.11:.::-_ Na~:.~--lav·l~3_ Dgr.~j,-ri:::;t the- ,Jfi·Ns. In un oi':ficia l tl<lclnr:l tion, however, GenPrnl Tsolak..; oglu ;jtrJte,'Lthat after tho war t,he Jewish [Jroblem in Greece would be :oor,sidered in ito ri! lation LO ~he 1POrld-v:ide .Jewinh. p:coble·m., fihus- -r~l}.e -J-~wi~lh c:u~_6·t:i-Or1 was s::·t t~~->iclo_ i'o1: n -c8rtain tim~.. Aft-~r ~thi~ ·fall-'of the Tsolakoglu gov''i·nm·:!nt un-l !,ho appointnietlt of t:l1o Lo·go_the Lopot_llos- gOVt;~:.:.. ... Ilm-.-;r~t "Lhu J-ewish _question cc1me u;"' u -:J_in and p.:r;-.::eou.L:.iOns of evr:.,;ry dogree of cl·uol ty i:~nd b~:;:~x·brtt·ism be~-~a'n 8·':_.:~inst -~h~:! Jewish minority. ·

.EQ.;rceti_ [,,'!.~·

On July 11, 1942 ~;[u: ~'eld Kom>Jic.,ndantur -2Sk\Ofd all­mc.le Jnwfl from 18 to :<.5 to nnt)bar -in Platela . J:!.ofthc:ria •:S•i ue1•ty :;quard) ·of :ou lonioa ·to on roil i'or f01·ced labuY'o About l().;.ol2,000 puople1 lne>luding •.•10se woundecl on 1.he Albrmian f'ron t, ussemblod in the square. In the Growd i.here \'HHl a large number of war vic ~ims, ,.,i ~;hou t eyes, VIi thout u rms and >'lithou!, legs. At 8 a.m, fl.~;. officers began nn inspection of t;he canditlates Tor forced labor. '.£'hey seloo·ted pr.Ltciprally _thoue pcr:~o_ris who,- fron), thr;i.r b::aring and appearance, were thour.;ht :to belong to lho better -elasnoa. '£hr:oe vic_~ims wer·o forced, under threat of bo:l.n.'.~ -\1:lrl~ped l)_r·-P,hot, to g.azo. _ fixedly al; 1.~m h'ot ,Tuly sun .ror winutet> ut. a :.im3 0 v:i thout b•~in>' ai lowed to .rnoko '~l1.- slip;hteat move­ment, oither- of eyes or body~ 'If anyone lowered~ his eyes or t\lrned hir; e;aze aside through sheer physical necessity, he was whipped until t:ho blood ran. After thL; to1·ribl;J' ordeal ~ho ttnfortunate victims ·;.ere oblie;ed to perform physical exercises without ntopping until 2 p;rn., which resulted in Lhoil' complete exhaustion• Anyone who ntopped for an instant, bacause ho WEJB wo_:rn out Bnd at the end of his stfongth, was Btruok wi 1.11 the whip and kicked repeatedly. 'rhose who fainted and fell to the ground were revived by having pails of ioy water poured down thoir backs.and they wore obliged to ~o on with the frightful ex,.:rciae. 'J'hh; tortuf'e 'lasted from 8 a.m. to

2 -

2 p.m. Ra-eh -o:i -:-the -victims ·.~;aS p-r·ovidt:!d- ~.vi-tlf a numbered iiO~rk card. No~ oon~:..~mt ''lith the above outrd-ges,- th.:-- ~a;~-. ordered {fL.;:iT.~ -vie~itils-- to __ t-~o bank to •.twir homes unJ~ r"f!uired- ·"hom i.o run" the :fin;t 150 meters or i,o •so or:i on all fours 1 turnin•; ~:omersa::l ts or rolling in ~:,he >lust. PD-;•ks of !JOliGo,-dogs were set on the_ mothers, wives and ~hildren of t.lle victims- who were 1n the squore an•~ '"'ho ,_:oul:l nor keep from express­ing t!Lir an;>;uish 1}y angry oriel:'l of inotest.

The bDloonios _ant~- windows 0~· _the _large bU._~ld_i~gs_ •en Plateia Elef~theria were r:eseryed _tha"t day for the Germon ladies o{ che city nr:idfo.c·German officers ·:;ho ~Jhowed tlldir sndistic pleasure ln this frightful speetaole by enthusias t.io .expreusions o:f:- joy ::tnd her:n~ty -.:tp~)lauso. .1rhcse s pee ta tors u lso took it upon c,hemse t vos to p~1.oto5raph anfr film t;hese sconBSo

·,'the :nnd:itions in ·;.hi:ch U1e poor devils were made to :;ark in :,lF. unhecll thy t·'"'!.ions of .'!estern Macedonia ~1111."! : .. he h'·1rd l::,bor-- tlftt-t_ w3:~ ---~"'-·::qui:r•eq.-of L.Jt::m wor':J o:f. ~ .. ~tv;h n na t,;uro ~ hni- mos.t of _the latorcrs b<>J9!W ill and ,Uw output' oi tho :xork was noticeably ufLctod. A.t Lhi<J ,point:tne. Germ.e1n con:mission, :.it'-, the unso_rupulousness ·hioh i nlways a oharacteri:ltic of German pl'OpO:;itions, lr'[ll'Oached the Jewish COror;lUllity through the modiation of t;he. German overseer, Johennen Willer, with the propoGal to exonerate the; Jews of all fl)roed labor if a ransom of 5 billion drao1~mos was paid.- Di'scu::;sions on

~ thi[; subject ended in an agreement contained · in a doc:ument signed by an authorized repre­

sentutive or Cho German authorities, Professor Mork. In thic• d•:;eumen t it was clearly Btu ted that i'or a year, that if; until Sepi.e~ber ... Ootober, 1943, the Jews would not b<1.diBturbed, as lon: as th"' ransom was paid at the stipulated intervals. Tho Jews of Salonioa bled ~themselves 'II hi te in order to pay the enormous ransom and as soon as th' last instaJJmr~nt was paid, the t~<nmaile in their usual manner forgot their written promise and in violation of th .ir signoture.bo•,,an the savage m•wsures whi()h are desc:dbed below•

Not content with attacking the livine Jews of Salonica, the Gorm~;nn found means- and excuses to attack thH dead also. One fino morning the Jewinh coromuni1;y was invited _to send r·uprcisen­tativ,Js to a oommi!J9ion whinh had boon set up l;o expropriate the Jewish oemwtery. -It is-not necesnm''J to ot:1to that t.ho J,ews 1vore obliged

..

to t.·Jke part in tni:i~o-o::P.ID;ission for thH sole purpose of henrih<;-4he1."r condemnation, · ond not to offer the lens~ bit of advice._ They wero told that from tha:t momE!rit,_the C•Jmetery was e;{propdai;ed for- thtr pu~·pose of_ rna kine; a large park and providing roads connecting it \•Ji th the various ::;ul)_urbs_. Workers set ·about di:omrintline the tombs ahd disinterring the dead. Jews living in Salonica were allowed to carry away the remai~s of their dear- ones ·ii' they arrived iti time. \'le want to draw attention c.o :.h·:" fact. that Lhc S~o1lonica cemetery ·i1as of the grcat.est historic value, de.tin;• from the first c'"nturiea of ·the Christian e;.·u. ···.rhere werJ in t.hi:~ cnxetery very _anctent r;i·avo t>";on"s ·.vi th very importun·t incriptions. Tho ~·1ork oi' d,::stroyihg i-h~ ce~etery W£fs done in such haste th;,t very few J·~ws succeeded in finiin;;· the remrJins of. !-h;;ir families and re­l,tiv;;s. Rccuntly buried dead were thrown to th~~ dOGS•

Ghetto

Towur<l the end o.f I~ebrt'tacy, 1943, nt the momm:t whe!1 the last in!;tallment- of 1.-h<f runs om- -..1as paid, tho :~.s. selected pc1rtb o:>t.hc city in which all the Jews were to bo uonfinerl.~ :fter takin!r all their proparty, the s.s. obliged the Jc· . ..-s to leave !;h.:ir homos and shut t,hor..selves up in build­ings in tho designateds(;lotions, threatening to shoot nnyono who refused to obey the order. Iloginnin:c 11i th children of 1;wo y<wrs, all Jews were obliged to wear on their ohests a distinc--tive badge, which was quito large, yellow in color and rc:prosented a Mac;en David. This dintinotivc budge was qdl-led a "Cocarde". The cooarde was numbered. Jews-were forbidden under p.nalty of death to leave the concentration area. If an excejltion was made and a Jow-was authorized !;o circulate outside the ghetto, he was not allowed to make use of any transporta·tion facilities.

After the Jows had brHin concentrated in tho ·section called the Ghetto, thay·nJooived printed forms t1pon which they were to declare their porrJOnal and real propc>rty. Under throat,of terrible torture every Jew was obliged to make a !noBt de.tailed declara­tion of everything ho porHJeSBed, ,including flirni;... ture, · olothos and -underclothes. As soon as the s.s. received those- forins, i·obbory and pillage

-4;...

were .systerrntical).y- ca:rrj.e.:r ou-i -e.nd _\\1 ~hln- a rr.on t.h the unfortunate Je1~s were denrived of all thoir p;~operty and every: meatU"J 'of support.

-It is impo,lsiblc to d<Jscribe th: ten'iole suffering c>,used by :Hl <>Orts o'f privations and abuse; tlle f2ct ~;hDct A')-,000- people looked upcp. cle2. th 2$ thfJ-~r qnly _SourC~ -of_--·-_re_-).ie_f- ~s-­indic&-tiVe o~· ~shGt t.h~y wor0 -9h+ierid ·to ·endurci.

:hi.:f cnt'-P y,as use-d as a t's!:tpOr_a_ry pl~oe Qi int.;-rrHii>Jnt fer· ~-hose Je\'<S \\·hO.-wer·D·t.o be· dopo:r1;ecJ. vs fc::St as oars bocrime avsila ble. 1L group of 2, 500 persons VJas firSt· .tuken--:fl~Qni · tt!e Ghc:.:t to and- interned- u.t -Ba.i·on_ HirSCi::.­Th9U:~:YnGJ; oj_: pOople, x·eg::Jr,:lesS-_-_o:r sex,- age c:nd fc>.mil;r were- crowded into • thil camp pollmoll, and "on-ri nod under c;oncli Lions· .so terrible from tr:e poin;; of vie"; o:i' hygienv t.htlt ·t;l'Ley cannot.·· po~-~~ibly be do{jeribed. · Wpf;_ to nny'ono who dared r~rilt,; the Blightest timid r;~ques-t. 'fllere were t(~L"ri bl t.~ seon.cs-:_ ... -- fand Jleci were eli vided, moiJv?.ro !Y:lPJ:>Ched ~ or-,tivi~i;-, Ch.ilrl-ren9 hu.:JHH?-9.8 )or LlFJi1' -"iven. Childyeh -were gerw:cally_left belJ.ind in -~t:: ~he ct.o ·hC.i5----dh:d-r-:p[ii·en~.s ~H::_r~;.: ~ tuken ·l;c >nron Eirt;ch. frl~_-:: :unfo:r'i..unate- inf11f::t8s c f B!lron l!irH'h woJ:e-no', only -obliged to endure great phyd.<Jr:l ;.,uffering J'usultinfi'rom·bunger, thirnt anll oold, bu"l. evec':f ev(min:' at lQ t;lwy wero forced under threst of 'cteath to l:Unce end shOW ovcr·y Bign of gaiety, while tho So'lo turned upon '.hem the brilliant lil}hts rr:qntred for making films ·;;h1.c!l would prove co the .world how tw:•p.v Lh·'l ,J<.<·;,s 1'/el·e to uu under Crerman protection._ 'fhere ~-" not 1"tuw or :ipllCt1 1;o enumorate in i'urthni• de·tatl t,h8 terrible sufferings ;•:hioh the· Je\·.•s ~:ndcrwent at the fl~n·on Hirf'C)l·:. c;;:;r:~p.

Ao sc.>on as fr<)if,ht cars were; _ovailable, men.­woraBn rmd· c;hildren "'er·-; piled -in - 70 to 80 in cnrs .. h:1·t vier::: large enough fOr _no-t. more than 30 to 40 poople. The hygienic conditions of these cars were deplorable; i.hnre. was no venti­la tlon; only one cun of water wos allo<~ed ·~nd

another can was provided for· perro:onul necessi t,ios. Th<J ill and ~hose sufforine; from Luborculosis were oro'llded in ·td.t.h the hof.llthy. The curs· vwre ooa led J

..

\ --" _- -- ~ -

'.i!ho fir2t t;r:mspo.d iei"t on Maroh 14, 1943. Thu iElp:·oBs_j_on __ -;J~-il--;:~-;i:ttln_or:tt_ ·:::·~l'td;_ tii~3t- Only \,;;_e inlHlbitants. of ·1 .. h0 suburbs -~noulcl be -deportod oui, lio\.le by li:t"tlc Dll' '.llo ,Tfo\'«1 o::.' ~1;;;.l~·n1~u:a. 'IJ(.,-1.-.,:-: S<J!flj _aW?-Y·----~:!-lo'--ont~ w8_~ spared - not- r2vcm women in !JhilcLirtli, inmates of orph~tn esylum-s 3r1l1 ql::l men 1 s hO,f!8s,- o~· t-he in·:;~~ne.. Th·:; ;:l.OOl'"'~i: ·of ::~~'l~ imwn0 asyli<ms 1';ero opr.metl_ ilnd the iritn:.~tes

~-~':O~:E;;t_~t:~c:~-~~~-~t~~~)l:~.1~tG~d!:~;;:~~d-less of .-:!very -effort ·tq ros~·st. ·-.err this 'N~Y .. -t~)--50,;~_:0 p·:::opl8 weru q·§nt ·r:~·Hay ·,~ithtn a month to unkno·};n de!J t;5_nntionu~

-r; ~.::7_:-'1_~ :J1~· . .: ·rzonth~ J·.~r:is!:~ d~.?lt::gs~i,Jn·s, re---pr- :-se~~"~.-Jtj_vetl o-l--. 1J1e pvli·':..ic:-11 p~!r~i·~s~ an:i !)J'r;sld--·ntec. of u}_l the Gr(.'Ck .Ol"'.'-"'.H1i~ntions

.,in A thenn a ;.p:··::.v c!!ed ?r•it:.v; __ f,!inrstcr r~ogo,;.. , the .. (;O}JU~OU n~·d VDriOUf:-3 Min_ist~rs,- .?JB~t:i~g

them to in'_.•·.··vune, but Logothetopulos _;_·,:-~ru~'.?d ;Jc ~.!£~ke ·0.::c ~:.1ghtest prutest, and:.n: ' . .ile .:.·,_~_·rJl.:ifJXii ~)1,::-t: :.J1·.:= -G(:~rtcc~·tlf3 \~J_OalU r·~-~~novo hir:-1 fr'.'~~ o~; ·:· :_oc. -"If, I,c-c9thc·i;opuloR hod l-,is!led to do sc, ht:! ~;ould h.--:va-=-nB:\'?<l_~- the {1:-:·~-.~s or G.t'fJ(!CD. :Iov;evGr? h~:- BllowfJd ho 8Ue~ i~clinn ';ion ;:~nc~ he f:vcn r3u .. -nJort,;;d;~ -';;hef Ge-~"l'm:"Jns ei i;i1er 'tlrroue;h J1is a t;-ti ,_.u.Je --or p~l~siv:L tY -url:d in\_!.iffc~rBnoe to· ·th·; ~~u:efe:ring of- Gr~H.~k tTt~V!B or t·nrou0h im:t~uctl.orw sont secretly t;o -~he Greek proviw)iul authori tics.

The Govc:~·no.r-Gen.:~ral o:f' !iift;_.q.d8nit\-t }~iroonidoe, snd his o. fieia'Ls wel''-' umaovod'-by the' German meiJsu::~u£ ugullH:d; t:-. o J own. 'ih:; no\~:spapor . NEA E1fROPI 1 who De eC.i tor--in~cllluf was Ella<U 1 yJUblished menacing u:::t;icles i'::i.l.h- tho e:qn·~ss purpose or arousing 'Ghe Greeks o·l' Salonica ngainst \.lw Je<;s, The sinh:te-r: Pnp1 nohcmm was th., head of this group of torturers. H.e-­and his ac:Jor;.1llices have omassed largo fortunes from the confiscated Jevd.sb Pl'O:perty FJnd they make a puhlio rUsplay of Lhat faot•

Howe·v-er, spoo,ial m'?ntion must bo mn;ie of the extremr;ly humanitarian attitude of the Or­thodOX Church in ti1is tr<Jgedy.- Th0 hr<Jh­bishop of Athonr; '-' nd all r}reece, Daraaskinos, whose nome slwttld be written 1n lottors of gold in -~h., annals of ruoon!; .yours, showed a npirit of ublime s<•crifi·ce and practical

..

6

unc\er:~tanrl:i.ng ·t1-uly wo:rthy _of a great Pas t.or• It is to him ~hut we owe. the famoua protest ar;ainst tho crimes oommi tted a;iainst the Jews of Salonica, a protest ;hat .the Logothetopulos {lovcrhmont rof\lsed to make; T!lio pr·otest was dravm up by the Archbit;hop.himself at .. i;he mc:morn ble reunion of tho p:residen:ts of 31 or­t;anizations of Athens. Tho-Archbishop was the fi rnt to sign the protest; ~~he oth;oi•s ~followed.

A smnll Gomrni ttoe was appointed, w'hlch, in c:ollabora tion ·,;i th t·::o Jewish· delogq_tea, -s)Jen·t the entire summer in pruparing :~ system of_ hiLling :1nd prC;vidintt, mc.:ms of fJL\oope for t:he J:::·::s o-i· .Ath~1nB in Case -th~;- some- me:!Sures ___ wa-re taken in f1th,Jnt1 as: hall _been -llFI}licd·_Py_ ·the Gerr--~Jns_ in 8n1.oni--ca. JH~::n th~~-_.Ar~h_Qisl~o_p __ ·Nent <.'ith Professor r.ouvaris to prosent the subject to Ati)cnburg, _i;1:<~ Gern:-1n d.Hl-:,~~J_te fo-7' G-reec-e, Altenburg a sired tllotn cynicully not to mix in Jewish :~:ffairs, iriasmuoh as the decision to use ~-h·-~- sam~.: measures_ of por~ecu_·t;:;ion- a[jaihSt the Jcvm of Athens as had :)eon employed- in .::.alonica had b-.wn clefinitely and- irrovocably tuken.

On ~>optumber 21, 1943',' - t.hat ~inc, -oev~_r~i weeks niter -r,}·,n GoPmans- t·ool~ over fJ'·orh' the Italians t£1) diraction of <iffairs- tn f,'.;l!untl, tlB Grund Rabbi of Athens wns- aslwd to ,o: to tho GestE>po o1':fioo ·.-;hcro'ho~,;u1s_~oL\ Ut:5t all Jewish property, p:'ivote · o:r· om:.munrty, ·.'las cxpror>~·-iuted 2nd that :an·1:i-rG{~ial- r:r:t.!Stn•ns -,·,ould oe tdren imrneui:rt,;ly. He-\'lnu 9Bked ·

·-- . --- -~~--~-

to <m bmi t ;J detnilod inventory of co:,nmal property. 'Jild u list or impo!' tc:nt iwd. vlduals for ::he purpose of formine "c\. Bo-oall,ed -JO!:'munal council, T"o days L!ter tlw Grarid Hubbi, through the aid of EAM, disappeared_with all his relativos. Thus thwarted, <,he Germans. appointed o oon•mitJsion of unimportant persons oj doubtfuL integrity ::md asked ·tho Athenian Jews t;o register, As could be foreseen, nlmoat nll the Jews o:f Atheilfl went . into hiding in the houses of Greek :fri<:nds where mrmy of them s t.i 11 . are. Only. a few poverty­strio!cun Jews, olcl men, invalids, and mry rare-ly ontiro fomilies who unfortunately hud been betrayed by traitors in !Jerman. service, regis-j;ered. These were the Jews, 800 in number, who were seized on March 24, 1944 ond throwninto the Haidari uonocntratlon iJmnp. From l.'wre they

..

r.;er-e deportt::d- ~~o·' ~?ol.:Jnde i'hi:L q.-:rc~e~s oi~ _Athens, o,·;~10 2:'\)Se nobly ·i;o ·ch8 Ouca~ti o·n:. <-d.- 1;ht::, time _of' thi!:; i;:r;ugedy .:L:."::.:· ctn:r~d.rntinl:? _ ijo_: protcicrt .the ri 8VJS :..-~-i "Lh :£l ~J.eVo tion· \,hi:cl~ s_i. ap~(\S. ~-V-~ry-_ -~e_s-t~.

- --.-

t.i '·"ole i;_y lit~f.lo che ,rows <1ro flndi1[': wc(yH to u£J,..;upt.: :i..o 8_ ~pot· i'z·om- ~Jl?.icli ·cai9ues ta ~:!.~ -them to r; pL,ee of c;afety.

. -

I~

---- ------- ~-:--:---:---:---c:-~~

··'v·

- ,__.,=--

March 6, 1945

Dear Mr. Leavitt:

The following message for y~ from Joseph sca.&rtz was received through the American linbassy in Paris under date of March 4, 1945:

v / •Begarding projected emigration from Greece eTen before receipt your cable have advised Resnik that prices excessive and that all emigration from 1lll.kans should be tandled by Pas-. Kaplan Jewish Agency agrees price exceasive and bas heard nothing concerning this entire project."

VS%7 truly yours,

Florence Hodel Aasistsnt Executive Director

Yr. M. A, Leavitt, Secretary, American Jewish Joint Distribution Committee, :t70 !.!sdison Avenue, New York 16, lfew York.

~v Rm!u.tchison: 3/6/45

-,,---

INCOMING TELEGRAM

DIVISION OF -CENTRAL SERVICES

TELEGRAPH SECTION ___ -1,_,.. ;;- /~

;/"lz.rif.A ..... {'f;~Il

DCG-117

SEcrEtary of StatE,

','lashing ton.

PLAIN I

Paris

/) ··/

DatEd March 4 1 1945

REc 1d 4:16a.m. 5th •. ,

. · ...... '· / .. '

1021, Fourth ~

FOR MOS':S LEAVIl' AMERICAN JOINT DISTRIBUTION COI.:<.IITTEE

FROl:l JOSEPH SOH ARTZ /

"REgarding prOjECtEd Emigration from GrE.ECE EVEn . . I

bEforE rEcEipt your cablE havE advisEd REsnik that

pricEs EXCESSiVE and that all Emigration from Balkans

should bE handlEd by Pa~sman. Kaplan JEwish AgEncy

agrEEs pricE ExcEssivE and has hEard nothing concErning

this EntirE projEct."

CAFFERY

l:iJF

-f I

-~----- - ----------- ---

~ . .. DEPARTMENT OUTGOING

TELEGRAM

DIVISION OF CENTRAL SERVICES·. OF

STATE TELEGRAPH SECTION i,.. / .. 0 :;..rflG/1-f-'. . ' /

iP J?,l,,.IN·

[/ I. J A' A L . · .. 7; ;F.·~j .1./VV/ \... . . !'-" . '"-"'

6991 Twenty~first~

> l·laase O.eli "er fol1o~Jing message to JoGep~ ::>ch~1e.rtz

' fro:.. !1. :i.. J..eo;;r;, t·t of iu:le:d.oa.rt JeHleh Joint Distribution

'C01:llili ttee, tl"l.rou;;h "Hz,!' Hcfv.gee Board: /

,oUOTE Hefe!'IH1C0 Permilt' a ogble projected etlit;rD.ticn

900 chil<l.ren 100 ,::;uul te 1)•om Greece ~·re '11s1mrbecl c~Neer,i ve I .

cost ,;600 per :p!liOBne;e 1mlese emigration of g1•oup is r.tat.ter

of life a.Jl(J. deatil \18 C(,nnot autlloi'ize SUCh t'XCElflSiVe COStS

even by partial. purt.~.clpation a/J.triee, your rooor.m1en(lat1one.

~~ l:UJ: llllV: KG 2/21/45

GHF.W (Acting)

. (GL\'i~

HE

..

.I

',)..L.~ .. -"·,. ,...,.

CABLE TO AMEFIC.f..N DIBASSY, PARIS, FROM I'IAR HEFUGEE BOARD.

PleF.SC deliver follo .. ing message to Joneph Schwurtz from n. A.

Leavitt of AMriaan Jewish Joint Distribution Committee:

QUOTE Pa':':' f::cE !i~S!UK 1 S 0/;llLI PHOJEC'fFDFi.!lGHJ..'fiO!" 90:l CrTI.:DiE:.l lY.l J.DULTS FBOM Glill!:CE \'IE DISTUPJlt::n l:XCESSlVB COST \l600 P""l'll PASSAGE UNT,Jil:lS N.IIGRATION OF GHOUP IS :,u\TTI.R 01" ':.IF!' NiJ IlliJ\'!'l! '•E 01\NtiOT AUTHORIZE. SUCH l:XCLSSIVE COS'l:S EVEN BY PARTIAL PAf<'flOIPi.TIOH .ADVISt YOUH HF.COW.lflolDJ;'l'IOHS. Uli~UOTE

2:30 p.m. February 17, 1945

Miss Chauncey (for the Sec•y), Akzin, Cohn, Drury, DuBois, Gaston, Hodel, !f.cGormack, O'J)Iryer, Files

p;.· RDrury 2/17/45

. -~~~-------·---·-

r1. W. Pehle

As•istant to the Secretary

..

'.i'Le-· foilO;;;iq.-i~ qe; .. ci::_;e-----~-~~~~ 'y~:n:i; f~·o~~:. Hii~·qld •ri·obe '.'JL~; .n:~::e.Lved --_thrOu~h V_te /nuericr.n Leg;:. -Lion ir! Lisbon Ull ~.er dr~.te ·o.f-·:feb~·w~ry ), lj;:5;

11J!)C l6J. f:oenik c&bles !P~·oj_cet_ed _L:o~~~-l -~~':~;.~~~~t_ion

sCh€ntlH from \}r_e_ec·e ~ri?pl_Ves mov~!llcint Of l,OJ~_,of wh(Hil->10~1_ _C?_h~lo_ren_ lrJo e::·c-Orto.:.- ~l~Ol)bse<~-- ttw·(:J.'irSt ~roup JOO re~rJy:.f.l~.rl:t Mar~!r On t.i'i?"~=:,~L.1.1_:_ve~--.~;¢ls. __

.At· this-_s_tt.:.ge cOst -·ex~es_::?ivt~ ~·pproxlr.1c~-~~ly· ~~6_00 pet· puSsenger 1)~~)~! Athuus tf? _H_ldfa·. ~-It-_i.s- rt:pO~~ted thit certifict~tes ·,·/iTl ~E;1_-_iilf?J1e-~etvc.ill~Ple.- ·.re. ui~e· es.{cd ·to

_ pl~rtic.-ip::d~e- nhic;·, _I reco:>iiunolid.i If- ~/o~ :=.g~·ee indichtt:; bt;-uif., on --w~~Ch \:,e CiH1 :-;t~i·t.iciJJ~ttC~ .?t:j-'ment :-ciill be ;-.lc-_dc·--in--Pt:lu;til,e.' J.dvi;;sct -~·ch~:c.1·tz .:-:nc- ~!t!t;ne;;. 11

'l rn·y trUly yours,

Flc·rmYCe l!onel t:>::. ir;tt.1i t IxccHti ;J"e ~=ir&Cto!.'

-t.li'. U. i ... I .. e~vi_tt;. S~~t·ct~r-.(,_ ._. /ll.'lHrictxJ -Jewiuh Joint Distrihutiiou C;Jl:.tlit.tee, 270 i.liclison-/iv()iiue, fley; YorK 16, -Now Yo-r!c:: ..

_.:ARTMENT OF

STATE

INCOMING TELEGRAM

DIVISION OF \.-t::NTRAL SERVICES

· TELEGRAPH SECTION

PElrt-598

REc 1d 11:4_4 p,m,

SEcrEtary of StatE,

Washington,

292, Ninth X

':IRB 397 JDC 163 FOR / /

REsnik cablEs "ProjEctEd Mosad Emigration schEmE

from GrEECE involvEs movEmEnt of 1,000 of whon1 900 I

childrEn 100 Escorts. ProposEd that first group 300

rEady Early March on two s,J"all VEssEls, Atthi·s stagE l

cost EXCESSiVE approximatEly $600 pEr pa·ssEngEr froin

;;thEns to Haifa, It is rEportEd that cErtificatEs

viill bE madE availablE, V:E arE askEd to. participatE

Hhich I rEcommEnd, If you agrEE indicaff:_ basis on

which WE can participatE, PaymEnt can bE madE.in

PalEstinE". lidvisEd S~hvmrtz and I.lagnEso

RB NORWEB

) I /

(Z__

FRON:

TO:

DA'i'ED:

NUl•iBER:

- _:;.·/~~'~

~~ ORIGINAL. TEXT OF_ TELEGRAM SENT

Secretary of State, Washington

American' Embassy, Anke.ra

lUJNTROL CDPY June 26, 1944

571 y

FOR HIRSCHMANtf FRml ~IAR REFUGEE BOARD

Please refer to memorandum of May 15 concerning rescue

of Jews in Greece prep<J.red by Alfred Cohen •'and forwarded, to .i. l . • .

the Embassy in Ankara by Ambassador Mac Veagh at Cairo.

We aw2it report from you before taking actionem Cohen's

recommende.tions.

THIS IS ~/AR REFUGEE BOARD CABLE TO ANKARA NO._Q§L_. X

HULL

DECLASSIFIED Stale Dept. Leiter, 1-11-72

By R. H.'Pn;l;s Dnl<l. Q [ S , 6 \1Q:Q

SEP 191972.

CABLE TO A;'!:BASSADOR S1'EINHARDT J"Olt HIRSCHI.fANN FRW WAR REFUGEE BOARD

Please refer to memorandum of l!,ay +5 concel'llins reac11e of

Jew1 in Greece prepared by Alfred Cohen and forrtarded to the Er!Jlaeay

in Ankara by Ani;lassador Afae ~ at ·CairO~ ·,

We await report !rom you before taking action on Cohen' a

recoJZendationa. '.Ibis ie war ll.ei'ugee B.oard cable to Ankara Uo. ____ 5_9,___

1(' • ..--.:·. [• .i'l •

. -;-i_-"e ?-: .. , 1_SIJ: .

. -Gs Chm.'."!1CC~' (for the -~·;!":C 1:r) J.hr~?..hr.:-.;son, Cohn, DuDois, F:i'iecii'\e.n," Hodel, ~_:::1~:---lin; T':.':sser, :·anq, 'Jtewart, Centr::l 'J:iles, Gable -Contl:'ol F:i.J.es

..

,. d.Cll.IC •. l: ;a,:JLSSY

near the

J) 7!!) c:;X~{:) t;l /·~<))

__ GO_Vl:.U/r:..; . .t"l'- OF_GRE.l!:C:::

No. 126. {

Ca 1ro (Egypt, · May 310 1944.

Subject: Rescue of Jews from Greece.

The Honor .. ble

Sir:

The Secretary or State, Washington.

rsn'1TRD' nrv>v ~Jt,~!Ji . i .·"til~ (if{,:9( j

\';itll reference to my desp~tch no. 113 or M:!iy 181 1944 and previous correspondence concerning the rescue ot Jews from Greece, I haTe the honor to transmit herewitlt a further memorandum on this subject dated May 15 0 1944 prepared by Alfred H. Cohen, whose memo­r8lldum of April 27 1 1944 in the same connection wtis

.~~ trunsruitted to the Depu.r·tmcnt w1 tll despatch no~ 107 ~-, ~ of r.~y 2 1 1944. The muin pointe cov<;red 1n this later

meruorc.n<lum, ·.,hich is somewhat more IJ.e·tuiled thtlll the previous one, were reported in the Embassy'~ telegram no. 156, :,1ay 17, noon.

,A copy of this memorandum has been given to Mr. Irving So Friedman, Treasury Department representutive in Cairo~ who will apprecit<ta it 1f the Department wUl ulao make a copy available to tlle Treusury.

The ;;mbassy is for><ardin€; a·copy of this desp~tch ~nd its enclosure to the Embassy ut Ankuru for its -information-.

Respectfully yours 1

Lincoln MacVeagb.

Enclosure: Memorandum.

Sent 1n original und hectogruph to Department; ·rna no. 846; lli-Ji/>'IB/ ea.

. -~~~~~~-- ---

~soue of Jews Remaining in Greece

A.

The Present Situation of Jews in Greece

1. Deportation of Jews from Northern Greece.

Jews of ull tlle Communities in Maoeaoniu (except those or Kastoria) and Thruce were deported about a yeioil' ago. They represent 3/4 of Hellenic Juduism. According to 1ni'orillution received from . reliable sources, it is unlikoly that t.he ;.Jajol'ity or them >Till survive. - -

II. The samrJ .l'IGO:suras leadiOO to extel'lllinution have since been extended to trio' rest or tho 09~

Towards the end o:t' Septe!llber 1943, 11tter the dovm.:f'ull of -' _ Itu.ly • Gerro..n !lleasures of e:r.terminution were extended to the

remu.inder or Greece. Tllere were. therefore, 20 to 25 1 000 JeYis in distress still in Greeco seven months •.:~go, living in. -~he following to\,US:

III.

Athena IIul.kia Voloa Lurisse. Trj.ccala Kurditsa Yann1nu. Kastoriu

Art e. Prev~zo. Corru Zo.nte Putr~;~s Candia Heraol1on Rethymnon

time of thO-

The condition 1n which the Jews of Athens round themselves at the time of the applicti.tion of i.nti-Jewish mei..sures was essential~ ly different from that ,·;hich confrooted those llving in the provin-cial tov1ns. ·

It 1s estimated thut in September 1943, the _number or Jem~ in ;.thens was :rrom 8 to 9,000, of ,-,hioh about one h11lf were residents

C" or the c;..pitr;l und the other hu.lf 0 refugees who h&.d escaped from

= them to hide; Qlao their fortunes were atill intact; but they had .--1 the d1sudvantase or being easily traced by tile local Gestupo agents. a.. und a small number or IIID.le:f'actors 1ntercs1;ed 1n bluckrlll>.lllng. On

' .,

~~ Uacedonia m<~inly fro!ll S<>lonica. The residents or Athens !lad the

$12 udVCi.ntage _or huvint;; riumeroue -fr1-e_'nd-s-and a.oquain ___ tan-oe-_s who----h-elped

~ the other hand those ~iho bud es-o~ped trO.ni S~.<lclnlka lc..clted suf1'iol&nt- · ~ support 1n .. ~ll.ens; most o1' t11em ll.1..1ving never been there before, 8 round it very dlf:i.'icult to hide. However, most o1' their property

wtts left in s~lonil!!&. where it hud been confiscated by tile Germane. '" Thus, a great number umongst thel.ll \I'Gre without funds. UDder these ~ circumstances it must be very d1I'f1oult, 11' not impossible for them

- -' _ to continue hiding ill, .Atlleu.

~ ~ IV. How IIIQn:Y Jews .. re still h1dins 1n •• thens?

It ~s ~mposslble to know the present number '

I I

+ . J

' .. ~--

1n hidille; in Athens.·. ll<mever, a: ooneervetive esti.ml:.te would be about 5,000 1.!' one takes into H.CCOWJ.ti

-(a)-- Those-who -huve-been-c-:::--e~is-tercd oy the -aea t&IlO.~-t.hase-~---'--~---'c--:-:-~ 1vilo have been interned . ..nd deported •ue beliovt-d to ul tb.ou[;b. other inforrru:..tion cl;;.ims_ 1 t_ · to be ~ 0000.

(b) Thofl')who l:!.uVe 0 up to the present tiae re.:.cb.ed the Uiddle :E1;1.st. do not exceed 400.

(c) Those 11l:l.0 have since tlle beginnin;~ sou.ttere·d either 1n · the Peloponessus ox· in otllel' regions conCirolled by Partislllls.;

v. Dii'f'iculties existing for Jevts still hiding in j;thons.

Af'ter seven months of lite under such exceptionii.l conditions, most of' the Jews must by nou be short of mone.y 1 •~hich greatly endan­gers their relutive safety. Only those po~aessins money ~ve any hopes of escuping the· present pot·secutiont in which the life of every Jew is threutened either in one v1a.y or another. It is true that under these ci~c~~tances, the solidarity and unanimous support of ~>11 clusscs of the Greek people \1ei'e manifested. to>;ards the Je~IS. NeVG?theleas t llS l1lUSt be expected • there ul'El a number ot secret <:.gen~s ot· the Gest .. po and bluckmuilcrs • who e:,.-e c;~xtremely. dangerous. r.;oreover • one must consider thut:

(a) living condit1.ons in occupied Greece, particiulurly in Athens, -.re such that those who assume the risks ot llc.rborins . Jews llll\st rightly obtai» a J.llaterit~.l compensation which 11111 permit them to pr9vide for their own needa. ·

o(b) 1ews in hiding are deprived ot rution ourds issued by the I•R.c.c.t which me~ns that they w1st obtain thene provisions at r~bulous prices on the black market.

(o) they J<1't.'l'.: face other extraordinary expenses i.e. obtt.~ining r-.lse identity cai'ds, attempts of escaping which turn out to be unsuccessfUl etc.

(d) the presumption that every Jew is doh fl.lld possess large quantities or gold aggravates their difficulties.

(e) the fuct that they ~ve been living hidden und hunted has no doubt diminished their self-oonr1denoe 0 thus rendering them inc~pable or making clear und adequate decisions in_ the race or the many dQngers they no doubt encounter. -

(t) ·they have absolutely no possibility of ourning their otiJ;J. living.

VI. The tate of' the Jews 1n the provinuial tovma.

There is no inf'orl.1l. tion whatsoever • on _tho i'u te of Jews in the provincial towns, It is only known that those of Ht.lkis and Volos huve .;.bandoned their homes und Joine'1 the :Partise.DS in those district::;. It is presumed thut the Jews of-L .. rissu, Triccala, J{c.rdi tsa 1 Arte., I'reveza, Yunnina, Kastoria and Putrus lCJlO\'Iing the tate or their 1'ello11 J'ev1s of Sulonika t:nd o i;hor i:iacedonian and Thracian tovms must huve done likewise.

The Jews trom the proTin~f.al towns • who haTe been able to ~oin the Partisans run leas r1Slc of being extermina:.ted by the Gel'IIIC1ns. The Germans, not having sufficient torces 1 have up to .now avoided systematic pursuit or the Guerrillas; they have tacitly abandoned the administr~tion ot many districts so long us their · lines ot communication are not interfered \lith. Dut, or course •

. "

. ' '

11 ving condi tiona o.re. not easy tuere £.nO. t'ood difficul tics- are great. ·

VII. The conditions o:r the Jews on the Islan~

The Jews 11vint; in Corfu und ~nte had no possibi:Uty or joinine tb.e l'urtistWa nor ht-~d ·they uny serious ch .. nce or hiding-. As to t.hose of Crete 1 1 t is r epor•ted th<. t in lJ~rch-April 1943 1 they ht!d no·t been interned _nor .;iepcir.ted as those living in tlle other · Gcrmun occupied regions of Greece; probubly due to- trtJ.nsport(>tion dil':riaulties. However, &ccol•din~ ·to recent uncontirmed ini'ormution, 'tlle Jews oi' Heraolion were ull m;.,ssacred in 1'ields outside the to•<no several months agO. · · · · · · ·

As to the Jews of Rhodes and Cos, accordin:; to -ini'Ol'!lli. tion· rrom :positive sources until last ~,ebru~ry no drastic at~ti-semitic measures hud yet been put into effect. ·

A plan to come to their urgent aid ~;.nd an account gr the d!rricuities to overcome.

VIII. The fundamental condition for ~-!ucceastul plan in rescuinG ~e.~s.

--~'"~117~., "'· The fundt>.menttil condition ror a euccess:f'ul.Rescue Plun for Jews still living in Greece lioa in close and active coll~boration

i 'I

' l;\

of:

DC.

(a) Jbl (c) (d) (e)

the Free Greelt Government the vw:oious (}reel; Unde1·gr.ound and Resistunce Org~m1za t.ions the ;Jar Refugee Board 'lf.N.R.R.A. all Jewish Organizations interested in saving Jev~.

2:ast is un

An e:xoept1on~;<l opportunity tor the ooordinution of ~.11 efforts ~ihich >.ore actually beinG dioplayed rrom various sourc.es, presents itself' in connection with tlle ooni'crence which is being held in the Lebanon bet\<een tho Free Greek Govol'lllllent and re:.~resentt.tives of ull Greek political pt:;rt1es und nesistlinae Org<.nizatlons. It is the~·etore, necessary thut the question or SliVin(£ the Jews be pu-t for>lurd ~;;t tM.s conference and it is hoped thut tile opportunity will not be missed.

x. Necess~XJaf obtuinins accurute_ini'orm~tion:

The first important step is to get t.ccurute infol·=tion on the-­conditions of Je,;s living at present in Athens and in the oount.ry. ,Jith :mgard to tl1e lutte1• no iru'or=tion whatsoever, has reached us since the puut1ng into effect of the anti-Jewish measures.

Chiefly it is indispensable to know:

(a)

(b)

(o)

the number oi' Atnenian Jews who h~:~ve been interned or deported. _ the number or Jews ar)·asted. given away, or executed since the intens11'1o~tion or the persecution {by the end or ~'iarch 1944) IODd the number or those \ihO were compelled to report to the Gestapo sine!'! then. . what dic;l tb.e Jews do v1ll.en the civilian popul~>tion waa compelled to renew their identity cards ut l;lle begiru1ing

I

;I

of the year? Is i·t po<Ji;ible· to obt(;.in :t'ulse identity Cb.rds under .the new flermun regulutions on the ;:U.tter? Is it possible to find out 11' tl1c Je·;;s hiding in AthellS were ;:.;ble ~o obtuin these cu.rds tlu:OuLh the undergt-ound. Orguniz~tions. -

(d) does the .:utsl1ng Jewish Co;;.muno:.l Counsil set' up by the Gcrm&ns still exist? ·:,he.t do their activities consist of,

(e) do the Gem.ans use the servi-ces of Gll<': iet; Jewisll trui to• s (Hasson etc) wilo, accordin,, l;o rwnours were brou;;ht to ~·thens?

(t) ~;hut i1ex·e tno results o1' tfl<: ";rchbishop •s uttompt to hl:lve "E<r invalids, inf<onts. the u.eed 1 etc., exeltlptod?

(g) huvo :.:.11 tho Jews uctuu.lly evucu ... ted Hulkis, Voles, Lariss~.;., Tarditsa, 'l'rlccv.la, •.. rtlil, Preveza, J;;.nnina, !fastori.u, und 2utr<is to join the Purtisuns?

(h) from what provincial to,;ns, if uny:, htiVe the Jei'ls been U1la 1:11'~ to escape to the hills? Hou ouny of' them. have beeu into1•ned 1 deported, or lllliSso.cred ih e~;,ch of ·thea eo tO\ID{a? ,.

(i} which r·ecions controlled by Partls<ins are :·,Juinly givinc s11elter to Jews? Are they grouped or dispersed? Under wh.>l; cor.<litions lu.\ve ;;hey b£<en living until tho= present? '.'ib.c.t if! tlieir hN<lti:l. s't:;.tus?. Have they ...nyo funds'•

(k)

wbut is actually knovm ubout the condi~ions or JewJin Co1·fu .-nd .3unte? (most likely 1n1'orm ... tion could be obtu1ned from ~.tle Allied Serv1oes in .Jou·lihern It~:.ly WlCl from J.'urtis­uns opcr ... uin;; in l'ortllern b'plrus, ~-.lbunia)

what ... re the condi.;ions of Jo;;s in G!'e'\Oe 1 C!.iD.<lia, ller• e.clion, and Rdbymnon:/ Have they be,.n interned, de,ported,. mua ... ~o~cred Ol' lluve ·t;hey been ~.Cblo t;o .join the P;::.rtiS .. ns in t.b.e hills?

(l) ho·,, rauny Jews rrom Jdonil~e. have been fit.~ting •iith P<>.rtisans in tl:le Olympus region since Aplil 1943? Arc tllel'O ;;.ny •IOm_on >..nd childx·en •. ·i·th them?

:XI. \Vll<:..t Ct.n be done :for Je<JS in ,.tllens on pr~:.cticb.l grounds:

(a)

(b)

(c)

(d)

(e)

Provide them ·,;itll false identity cu.rds, comply1n,"'\,itll now rct;Ul"' ~ions. gr~;.n1; lJI ... ,;c.ri ... l aid both to those ;iishin_.; to ll'uvc ·the to;,n as >Jell as to t .. osc h<.vin"' pluusible 1·eusons .ror rCJauinint:. rind shel·ter i'Ol' tl1oso ,,ho are compeU,..ed to leave tlleir present ref'Uge. . -relieve the burden oi' the purents by udlll.i -~ing to children 1nst1 tu·tiona infants who h1nc1er or rei,der impossible their IIIQVing ubout trom one plu.ce to ttnother, thereby jeopard• izing the life of the entire r~mily. advise, help <md direct the eVI:LOU;.~ion oi' the gre;;.test possible number of Jews from .. thens &rea; the smaller the number or Je~1s romaininco; in ,.thcns, the t:;reuter the ch6lloes oi' security for tlio;..e unuble. to move 0 those ~111..; in the vicinHy to 1·e~ions controlled by Pi:l.rtisiUlS enjoy better liVinG conditions, more surety, provided thCJf t'CII,etve ree;ul~r dn ... nciul I!U~>pO:t't 0 SUf1'1oient fOOd und~~;led~c1nes. • ... ,.. '

.~'! }~!,; ! ',: For security i

..

. '

.;·

L ,';-

{e)

(f)

(g)

()•·

lor. secur1 ty and other reason£! they should of course be scattered as much as pot~sible. ;.,t·a l~;.terd~te Jne~;.ns or llel_ing tilem esc.:.rle' to the !;iiddle :.:::ast _miii.:ht

-be considered.-:·----_--- ·----

orsanize more eystt'!matically the escapes by calques und improve the .r.J.eans of sucll escapes by set,• -

c&.rei'Ully avoid. mention of the J'e~;ish p:dlblem 1n clundestinc p-L·esa_, all the reaction or t11c Gestapo VIOUlfi co.use mol-e 11"'-l·m thtln the benefit to be derived.

(h) endeavor to Si•re;O.d the iden chat it is ~,;n <:lllti­nutlon<>.l a~titudo to exploit the Jews in hiding. Guch exploito.tion t;ene:r..:.lly ends in;;iving u.wuy or tile-poorer cluss of Jews. ·- - -

The above outline sUf:L'icientlyillustro.tes tht1t one or·tho most enect.:l.ve ways of contributing to the rescuing of Jews still in Greece ls to yrovide tllom ~1iti1 1'Unds. ;

'l'.bese funds should be en·trusted to reliable persons, ;1110 1v1ll see t;hv.t tho monl'!Y J·euc!les ~lle needy •

XIII. DH.L'iculties to be met -,.1 th in 1;Ue execution ot' tile <•bo..!2, scheduled asslst;;.nce.

The putting into effect ot' t;lle ~;.'Jove Jo1entioncd propos .. ls ·;;auld presen"t; l•lWlY dirt1culties:

, .

(«) the addrc.:;ses of ho.rbored Je;Js are not, or course, knor..n, -nor those 0. vint; refu..:;e to thclll und tuose 11h.o know people sheltering _them ~re obviously c~re1'Ul no~ to reveul it.

(b) Jewr, end Clli>isti<.ns arc mistrustful of \mkno1•n p. 1·sons oi't'cz·ing to help them; thus tor ins C(•nce --uny good ;;.dvice or offer of .:.ssistcnce \•ill be met .. itll e_xtrelne cuu~ion·fearing it muy be a trttp set by the Ges·tupo. · ·\,

(c) it 11ill often be dl!lff1cult to convince them to sep~;o.ru.te mwnbers of the sa:ne families (i.e. old 1'rom young invalids from the physically fit); in most c.;;ses such u sepu.rto.tlon would give gr-eater security to both sides.

(d) the srll<ill number o1' people t;;king udv ... nt~.;c or the situ .. tlon in v1hlch the Jews in i•tllcns fiXld themselves <1t J.lresent have from the very be~nning spreud rumors ot imuginu.ry dto.ngers on ev~cu~.ting the capitul. h'Ver since October last, these lo.l,.rming l'Ulllours were being sp1·e.:.d on one hund by the organizers of d.epurtureui to the hills and on tho other hund, by the organizers of departures for the l.!id~le l!:ust, with tho res~lt tll"t m.ost o1' tlle Jews preferred to remuln on the spot.

- -

(e) ow in~ to the unavoidable oirc\Ullstunces due in most c~Ases to the· dit'l·erent intermediaries, it is most likely th<.t firu.noial help ·,dll even.;U<>lly reuch its ultililtlte destination in a much more reduced alliOunt.

XIV.

~;.ll

!A:eans ot ovcrcominj: thu t'oree;oing_ d~f'1'fculties.

The d.\ff1oJ4t~es JU{lntioned ubove ,;111 &.ve to bo the m<:Ji.ou!i>hlldi·Iili;.litd.G.l reaourcos "'-~our dlqpq~?a:j..

'' 1 v I . '•(' .... '

overcome \<it.:~_

d

(!' . \ ()' (a) Above ;;;11 0 WG III.Ust enlist the support of tho orthodox

Chu.roh whose llich prestige togathE:r· >~ilih her y,,J:1ous activities

was so helpful lss1i October~ 1\ll existinG oi·g;mizations ;·,or·king

in tile undoreround or openly, who have greu.tly contributed in

sp .. r!n..; the Jews froril re.zi e:xterminution, should be required to

cooper·<l.te. ·

(b) The church, p~·o:f'et;uional. orgunizutions un(l undere;r·ound

groups obviously know r:;. gre;ut number o1' Jews no•'i in hiding <:.S well

ua Ch~·istiWJ.s shelterinG JeYilil or being indirectly cor.nected ;·;ith

them. The. te11 J'ews >~llo huve contrs,ct&d mixed ·1uarriuges and . there­

fore are not subject to anti;;.Jewisli measuree·llJ.1ist be able to tr"'ce

thcix· rel~otives und rriends. The 400 rerue;ees whO huve o.~·rived in

the :.ric.dle .i!:c.st could .Uso give us some inform:;tion. · The Catholic

Church h~::.e <.<lao lwl:ped shelter Jews.

(c) to:c security purposes it ;,ould be lllllvise to disclose

th,1r hiding places. The only indication to be given should be

the addl'es;;cs of :people lilccly to know them. 1.11 this wor!;: "ould _

:W,.ve to be divided and decentralized. · Lis·!;s of n&.llllls must not be

issued ;;.s t-hey 11ould be detrlmenttll not only to the Jev/S themselves

but also to their ChriBtiut fl·iehds who a1•e trying to help tncm •

. No doubt the experionce of the underground orgr.niza1iiOns would be

or great vulue in tb.is matter. ·

(d) In .. ,rder ~o ensure the equc..l distribution o.:.: funds a

process £ receipts should be est .. blished Whereby no name of the

disburser sllould lippeur on the receipt, but only tile sUl'll, dute and

signature o1' 1;he recipient. This \iOUld prevent abuses • the inter­

mediaries realising thUt tue distribution is subject to control.

This ;;.rocess, o1' C';urae, woul<l no, completely e;xclude abuses, but

,;oulo. l1lll1 t tncljl. · ·

(e) In Athens ut le:.>st, funds should be distributed in !;Pld

sovercicJlS bec .. uoe oi' the continu.,J. depreciu.tion o1' the ·local currency.

(t) The Greelt Police o:f· Athens muy be of ;;t'eut ho-lp o(identity

c ... rds, watching devolopmemts or Ger.tlllm measures und ~1arning the _

people in iiime,) But one !;!lust be c:..re.i.'ul or tllc 1'e\·1 blackiiU:iilera or

C.es tapo agents ,;orkin~.; inside the .Police. Ot-her. ofl.'ici<:.ls linked

\"lit;h the p1·esent Rully Govcrxu~ent .. HI likely to do theil' best in

f"'vor of the Je;/S,

XV. Dii':f'icult1es und z·isks of 1nd1vidua,l (non>·organized). a-ctemots

to e sc ... lle §:v sea.

Generally spe;.kin~;; no one in i;thcns !:nov1s how eBC<:<pes by calques

are effected. The I' eason is that those \";ho attempt ;.o eso.ape and do

succeed most often huve no mc~ons of informinG theil' triends or the

pz·ocedux·e and on the otller lw.nd individuals belonslng to organlzutl.ons

who have contG.cts ';li til the r:irl<lle :;.:.:.at ·huve very ;;ood reasons fox­

givin{;: no informut.1on whatscsrer. Thus, tbese escupes are shrouded

ln un ~~.tmoaphere o:r gre~;:~ mystery, apprehension, ovcrv;helming dit1'lo~

ulties and enormous risks. .iith c.. sound knowledge or tho route to

rolloVT, the llclrJ of loc~:>l inhabitunts in one or tv1o places, couruge

~nd ini1;lllt1Kee the chunces of success ure great. This .bl.ls been .

proved by tho 1'uot thut ~1hole tc.wllles (infants, invulids 1 old people)

huve munt.ged ~> successful escupe in tile middle ot the- winter .•

The greatest dU"riculty ls to J.'!nd the ro<.od le-.ding to tlle

p~ces of ~aburkution alon~ the coast. This is not eusy tor people

in hiding.

By trustin() unkno1;n inte:rmed1u;r1es or ev~;;n the c101pt.ain of a .

cdque, the risk of 1'"-llin..; into u trup 11ett ·~ t4~ Gestapo is ulwe)'B

present!

A rurther i ) lh •!;:1 ' i ,·1- ti:i·-~~-~ ·-·~; I

i-·""'C~c

A furtll«r riak is that .the :l.ntermediury ;,ho h.l pr·etorid1ll8 to arrange ror ~n eso~pe is actuully only tryinG to e~oittrthe person, but 1n this c ... se tne b.urm is not so e;reat if tile escapee is enntually conduated to the em.bC~.rkution point: they then haTe a cl.umoe o1' lleinB sooner--or-laterTput-on-bourd~a'cclliqueo=-Th1s-1s 1.hut has hu;_.>pened to most Jews who ;l:u.ve 1uu.nuged _to '!'SCupe from Greece. Honever, t.llci:r stuy in the OO<>stal ~area can be_ a very dir:ricult one 11' their sr.dl1ng is uelt.yed aM they h.ave not suffic-­ient funds to buy i'ood ;;1th 0 etc •••

Anoth0r risk is that the calque ~ybe in poor sh~:pe 0 too _ small a motor, badly equi,,ped or a !!hipper ,,Hh no previous exper- . ienoe in crossings. In such a o~o.se, of course,. the crossint:.. llliiY: be_;c~-r ... t~l. - -

J,ll these esc&.ll&S ru.vc to be arr>mced :throut;;ll a·number of intermediaries Wld each one is interested in mu.kin•; _u profit; thuo,­the ~ount o£ money raquested is v~ry etten much high~r th~n the. price one can ;;;fford. In october 1943, -v,llile-a -Christian could arr<ille;e his escape for one or two gold sovereigns, e ire•• \,ould De asked at least ten to twenty and eometil11es 1'h'ty or more per person. O>~ing to thG< p1·esent conditions in Greece such sums are ~>vailuble to ~.>. s~ll number of Je\~s only. ·::11:;t frea_uently ®;,.pens is that those possessinf; the money do not ht.ve -the--required courage und vice versa.

The Greatest risK of the ;·;hole e.dver,t;ure ia the croasinc; of tl1e Evoikos str"-<its ;·,ilich. is constuntly p ... trolled by German guards on the look out for boats. Hence the reO<eon for crossing the str ... 1ts .. t night ,;hich te.kes a,Jpro:d1!li.>.tely 4 ho\irs.'o;,ing to the swift sea. · ·

, The cx·oss1ng of the "'ee;e..n Seu by caiques leavin.;; viu the .c:ust Coast ot tile "ttica renders the; trip muoh oimplel' but longbr. The gre<..test difficulty lies in ~he. esscntiallity 01 cooruinr.;tlnr;; tile sim.ultl>.lleously arrival ol' ooats <>nd esoupinb po.rties, as .tncrc are. no c~mp1n~ f~cilitics on the oo~s~ of ~ast Attica.

The ;,.hove lllentioncd notes ~1·e u1m.ed ~;~t sho·;·,ing u.S clc<~rly .. s possible the Z.<-cd i'Ol' .:. systw.1.-t1.c orr;u.nb.:-.tion to enuble Jews in overcomin.s difl'iculties and ~voidinvunnecessary risl~s. ·

XVI. SUfi as tiona about me<o~sures to i:lc tulten-in order to fuoiii tate escu;:es j)y seu..

Person.:.l e:x:;>erience le ... d us to IW:.ke the. 1'ollowinto suggestions:

(ti.) No synchronizut1on lllUst be sout.ht between dcpurtures from Athens ~>nd suiling from tho coast of JL'uboeu 0 which ut the i'resent moment. is prt~.cticully impossiblo.• It would be <4dYis::.ble to direct as lll<>.Ily iJews us posaibL from "thens to L:uboea, provided su1'l'icient boa~s have boon secured.

(b) Dis,;;crse tnem <UD.on(:i the v..:.rious villuges o:f the re~'ion tind send tt1um tc the co~.<.st only in small group:; .:.ccordin~ to the tac111t1es o.:· ev ... cuution oy calques existin~: ut; tile time. For security pur.:,;oaes concentrations of rei'u~ces on Wlo OOl•St must be IOVOio.ed.

(c) In ox·der th~.-·t evucut~.tion o1' Jews fl•om .. thens to the re~,;ions of dept:.rture =Y be undert~:~ken \lith tlle greatest possible s&.fe·toy, it is neoessu.ry to h~;;.ve reli;.ole ass is t •• nce. There ure local people ~.>.f.l'ili ... tcd to secret Ol"o"-nizu.t1one .. ho e:xeroise supervision, 6f,Ye­useful udvil:les, procure mo:..ns of trt.nspo~·ttition, eto, Generully, the;v ~"-~ ~tonsidered .:.a truat .. ort.b.y people .uho u.lso lllUst huve some Nlll\Ulerv.Ho~ ude<;uute to .;Jte services reJ.del•ed._ · ~:lle*r ·collaoorution ·-. ,:~,. -~

· T ··:. in co!neoti~n

.. -.-'

·:,.,··:_ · . .

'... ___ _.._ _\ . _, . - ,_, ._

·--~-~1'

~)

in connection v1! th "'"sis ~c.nc" to Jews shoulci,- be rewurderl.

(d} The cot::.stal rec;iori of l!.'U.boea from Y~hidl cair,ues suil 1s very poor; the vill.ugers c~:~n hardly afford their o.m lively­hood; tr..ns_i t . Wlt!_pr_o~o]lg~g_ so journ_o.r_ numerous groups of_ -~--'---------'-----'--~­refll8ees am~ruvates -the shol'tuge of :t'oodstuf:f's. These conciitions lead to u tr~ruenuous increuse !n prices Whi!Jh is Of no importance tor the few well~do~ but greatly en·dangers the existanee or the

"others.. It must be ad:lcd tho. t li.Ue aolidt.r1 ty which should be -_ _ expected umong the refugees is very often l~>.eking; the predominent feelinG bcin(;; ".h.'rcrt one· for' oi:ieself·"~ · ·· · ·-- · · · ·

(e} The I'~.>rtiS«llfl who occupied the region in october last tried oo en1'orce a little order in conneotion ·,;1th -~he tr ... usit 01'­Je.~a. i3ut it seems th<>.t they have withdra.wn~rocentiy fiU'ther north leaving purt ot the sector 1n--thft:'hr.J1d8-=-of ~l'DKld police of the Greek "uisling Government. This ult~ratJon-]l.as 1nore~sed the difficulties. illl!Dne; tile men of thiu foroe;-who is ar~aed by the Gci'Illt;;.ns and <•ho is supposedly fighting communism, there must be_ numerous spies working :1'or the Oest;,.po. Under such conaitions points of emburkation must be moved further north. · -

Accordin~ to refuge~s recently arrived -in the i-iidtlle ,.iast, the followin,_; regrotuble incident. occured a taw weeks ugo:

. At the moment. o:t: sailing. a c~ique was prevented trom doin~ ·so by a group of Pt..rt1ae.na; al.l the refugees aboard were searched;

c.~~l tb.eir personl:ll belongings, gold etc. lvare tl.l!:eli from them. and they. wore told th~.t they (the Jews) shoultl be con-tented to save themselves ;;ithout trying "to s<>.vc their possessions e.s wellJ such 1

an incident seems entirely inconsistent >Ji th tho activity aria help _: sho>.n towards tile Jol•s by- the Pc.rt1saDB i'ro1n the be_,iJIDing. so, it .ril<..y be presumed th;..t they .. ere not Partisans but oruinul'Y llllilofuct­ors. Ho;•ever, it is hoped tllt\t this v.ill be the only incident of its kind; but it is ~ bad example o.nd· deserves tull attention•

XVII. .Arr~:~n~;ements for the improvelll.<l:r.t of culllplne conctiHons of refug~es 1ri bu." co;,.atai zone,_~ . · - - .· ·

In or del' to reliovo ~llo re:;;'U,:,ees durin,u their usuuily d~l .. yed. st.:.y in the ~:<reu 1'l'Ol1l l<llicll tho depo:l'tUl'cs t6l~c pl,.cr.: <.<nd in ·view of tlH- p.rospect.ive increz.se of tlw number of Je1~s in tr.:.li.flit 1n Euboeo. it is -assent!«l: '

(a) to send sup .. lies for vill.;,{5ers ,,ho i'c.ed the refugees ~md for the re1'ugees tllew.selves. For e:x~;.mple on their way b<..ck the c~:oiques m.igllt curry the necess;;.ry foodstufl·s. In tho pust. supplies looJ.·e somc•timcs sent. ·tq,cthe popul<-tion of ·thelile re{i1ons. .JheE~tt corn, pot .. toes, onions, olives und :t'it;s •. ould be appreciated.

(b) to grant llltl.tori~.>l "'''si~>·!;...nec to the retue;ees in need waiting tor tile llrl'iV<i<l of a boat. It .llli;\y perhaps bo more convenbn1 ii' pc.rt of the help to be granted was given in the locul our:r,ency so ns to ~void strengthening the f~el1nb tll .. t all Jews arele~~th~ I.IIld possess gold. · ·

XVIII. od

'l'ba population in this area is poor. ruth~r ignorl.lllt. but honea1 by ru.ture. These villagers hE~-v1ng pussively or c.ct1vel:y helped for • tb.e past tllree yotll'S 1n the trl:lf.t'ic v;ith the Middle .East fool th~at .. ;' they ure thup oQp.~ributing ~ the v•ar o:t:'i'ort, Since last October, · DOt only G;r.-~pk or allied oi'fioo:r·s huve pussed ~rouijh to Join the fightin/1, to:r·o'es; or bring Vt.luuble intormutioni but. also groups ot men, wom.en,oi:IJld phill.dren \iho arc not directly connected ~th the war;

'I!/ f' • ·' ,,·.·, ,. I

· , l , . _.:..: ~~iH1

------~...__,__--,.-

I

,J

these m·e too Jewish refugees. All they know about them is tba.t Jema~re -Cf11'1'erent ·rrom the rest or the people. .ihy ar~ th€:y esc~ping? ~hy are they being persecuted hy tho Germans? They do not underst~;~nd the re"son for tllis persecution• The Pertissns h<..ve asked them to help tllese ·Je;is; thcii• school to~;~chers ha't'e so:netimcs tried -~o ex.,•lain to them thlo;t these people ul'e SCJUully bra tlwrs in ;..:rms • and since the co!lWon enemy-- the GermeXIs - 1s persecuting them, they-must ttlso be llelped; · they must accom.odate tmu feed them tllour_;a pti.ymont l!U:ly sometimes be impossible. The Purtisans 1 ho1·;eve1• 1 are not Ill ways natives or tlle ere.. they rule and accordingly they are not; l'ully ~rusted by the v1lk~;,el'8• _ Ano~hc1· thin{:';:--n.rews-are-prcsumably· rich;"-~us-:-tlie'-opportnnity -­for prof1teer1n~.

It is obvious th::.:t under such conditions a mess .. ge tram the Free Greek Government v.ould be or the gre .. test utility. The · Greeks have oo. very h1Gllly developed sense or personal pride. Thio ch<:.rc.cteristic should be ilt1mul;;.'f;ed. They could be reminded thut the Gbr1etiWl religion se<ys "love thy nei{jlbor; ulllil.cn are equ.ul",

"those .,lJ.o sut ... ·er mhould be llelped11 ; Jews are eqW:l.ll:y Greek. One or them, & gallant o1'1'icsr ·- n;,.:tive of &ll}is,- tlle cc.pitul o.f their O\;n iclun\1. - ;;us killed ili action in t.lle "'lbl;lllitm war; thousands of Greelc Jews defended their lund u.gainst the lnv .. ders • hUildreds amon _at them ·.,ere k1lled, und 1t is upon these people that the Gc:r·Lk.n3 ll.o.ve concentr.-.tod thdr hatred uain~.; the most horrible meum'! 'lt their disposul. They are detorm.1ned to exter­mine te them because J'evil!l o.re decla!'ed eno:,mies cit llr;.zism. Besides • Jews all over_ &he ~.orld are friends of Greuce til:ld the day is close 11hen they 1·.111 actively show whut they c<>.ll do to help reelillle the nu.tion.:J. Greek claims as \Well <--S relieve ~-nd restore tho country ruined by the inve.ders. It is therat'ore, a n~.>tion-..1 and p~;o.triotic­duliy as -;,ell ;:;.s a question ot: honor to help Greel;: Je<vs in every possib~e we.y. It could :Usa be mentioned tbc.t the help t;;iven up to now to Jews by the inhabitants or this. re~;;ion isvell known in compcten·t circles Cltld tll"'t morul lind m .. tei•ltal reward ·;1ill be rortncom.ing as o reward, to- those deservinG, it.

An uppeul embod7inB the above mentioned principles should be read in all l<he vill»ges ~:$ the district. It v.ould be preferable not to distribute leaflets. >illich lllb.y full· into cthe hc;nds 01' the Germ..ns who would adopt measures of reprisals.

XDC. 'l'lle nece. sitf oi' increc.sing the sllll>ll number of bo;;;.te ror tlie rescue o rE,fUiees.

The ei'forts to be lllclde .ror cncoun.,;ing tilo evc.cu~tion or the J'e1vs rrom Athena in diroc t;in., tllcm to•.ardo tho co;;.st .. ould be useless <md evc.n hr.;;.rmful, 11' slmultancously arrunt;ements ••ere not mude to :provide an udequate number Q1'-bosts.

Considerint, the geosraphic<-<1 posit.ion of Greece, \1hich is one of tho best ln occupied .L:uropc, tl'L~ -number o1' esc .. pes have bBen vory few. Tlle Jewish refue;oes 1 wllo ho.vc escupcd to the li.lddle East durint; the l<..st seven JII.Onth.e h~.:s not exceeded 400 1 ••hich comes to w aVH'~:~t.;e of '"bout 2 J'eiVs be in,.; rescued per day. One _ JIIUSt point out tm.·t "' good mtllly of these Je11ish refugees reach the Tul·ldsh co~;.st throuc;l1 priv~:~te arr;;.nt;ur.~ents o1' their ov:n.

'l'he ~myrnu Allied Authorities huve at their disposal many cuiques of different sizes, the smulleat beinGuble to hold 20 pussengors .. mi the lurgest 80. Since l~:~st October thol'e baa been ~ch t~lk ubout ~ ~ew~h orgunizution emp~oy~pg 2 cuiques; same even tull:cd ~f ~ ~oats. ,.ctufllly 1 \le llavo nqf ~~ yet heiU'd ot any

/.

------- ------------'-------------,---------~~--~----

.•· .;..-. "': \ __ ,

Jews crossing the Aer;eun Gea in one of these c~d.ques·. 3os1dos, if there really exis ~ed 5 or even ;; c;;.1ques fJr ~t_htL exclu~ .. "'"---------'------~---­use of the Jewish ore<>nizution, .. e sllould-hE~Ve been .:.ble in seven monchs time, ·co SE>.ve a much greuter number of Jev.e •. One must reckon thut most probably the J'e\<1sh orgun1zo.tion itself does not run any boat but has an «grocment with some ·1f the cu.ptttins or cu1~ues to take refugees on board 1'11·th the promise of beiilg gener-ously rewarded. ;;uch E<rr.:.nr;e;uont ••hich S!;(JlllS to help the rescuing of the Je· .. s is ztill quite 1nudequ~>te. The t;;ood \villo:r the ciiptu1ns 1n itself is not suft"icier.t; ·- ~ grec.t deul· dei,ends us well on· _ 0ompetent o.rriciols L"esiding in ~na; a cuptain ·or a c~..ique \>111 no1; undertuke the cro:;,sine; unless llc is or_Oered to; he is ~.tlso · inetructod us 1;9 _the nW4bcr _Qf l'asc._Q:UW;rs b.c. __ i!LE<llo,;ed.__j;_o t1:1h:e on board :md b.B ~o tha point oi' the Greek coust from \ihich lle vJi.ii sill.--­On the other b.wnd • it mu.s t be rnmcmbe:;;·ed t hut 1 t does not rest 1iith the .;;myrnu t.>.Uthoritics ·~;o rescue the Jel•s, their attributions ):>eing or u mili tury ch;;r~.ctcr. Besides 0 the inoret.se or tile number o1' _ rerugecs is in some WJ.Y considor.::d as a d:mgor to tilo main ·;;.cti vi ties or the ~:;bove ment.i.oned service. ·

These <;rc ... t present ~c ohiof dii'ficultics in rescuin(:; Je\ls throu;,)~ tuo i\egec.n Set.~. Under tlle t:.lbovo :~entioned. condi t!ons it is sugf;ested to iluve the .:-.r li.cfu,gce .ao,,rd t«ke this Jlll.;;tter up ,;ith t.tle compctont !.:ilit«ry 1-.utL;oriti<>S in order to react1 u- a:.tis1'uctory agreeiacnt to botll sides. ·

c-6~~- _. Furthermore. the rescue o1' tile Je .. s must not oon:tintie to rerua1n . ~y i'm··chE-r ... n uux111ury clut.y but !A systc.caatic und ei'fici.:;nt effort

to 'ot met ,;1 tll full attention.

'XX. Utility of guest1onint:l ever;y refuy;ee upon his .. rx·iV,-1 in the iJl(~die E~at.

The 1.orl: oi" rescuints Je·,;s in ,,tllens -.;oult1 be gre.:. tly 1'~ocilita.ted if th.o. o1'1'ice of the .:u.r Nctugce Bo<:.l't1 in -.~m.yrn<>. .. oulu orgunize &n !n1'or,a,_~ion De:p~rtd<-llt !'or til<, ljUC;;;~lonin,, Oi' CetCh i'cfu,_,..;e- upon urr·iv:..l.

(a) on rel;. tives w:;o :friends ret:k<ining in Greece. {b) On the condi~ions under 11!lich !;hey ure hld!nt;. . (c) Ho,, they c .. n be tr~ced, .;lwt llclp they needl etc.

The inform.. tion thus oon1'identiully obt<..ined .;.ould be extrer.lelY · u.seful. Should tllis ini'ur·:ru;.>~ion be tt<thcred in Pi.lbs't1ne inste&d 01' 'l'Urkey, ~;. delay or over ~:t montll .. ould be cctusod.

(a) First of ~11 it is nccesLury to obtuin the ini'or;a.: tion rE:~ferred to in P~ra X ( g Lhrout;11 1) in order to kno1. the scope ot this speci"l problem.

(b) Fin..ncic,.l aso1stWlce should be orgt.nized accordinc:; to the number and the livin,, conO.Hions o:r Jewish Re1'U(,ees. Distribution or this e.ssie~o..nco should be au.de under the supervision of the locul­Pc.rtisan Or(!;c.niz ... tion; this t .. s}~ .1111 be more dif' !'ioult where lille Je.;isll rel'IJ{;ecs c..r<J not IUOl'e or less grouped toe;o·tller.

(c) Or~;l'Jlize t~1e supply and diatribu~ion o1' foodstui'i's, vittlll11ns tmd modicines where .:;ll~y o:.l'(l most needed, with the colJ<>borution of the loc~l Purtis~n Or~uniz~tion.

(d) A lll.'-~St.~e;e sim!Lr to the one SUG, .~.yted in pura XVIII shoul~ c..lsq: l;t~ ndllrefl;;ed to thG popuL.tions in· d'i:t'l'crent sectors o1' the .. ;~

country

coun;;;ry where tu<.l Jewish re:fugeea hc..:ITe t.; . .!~en s!lCltur, 'l'he locul Pu.rtisan Organizu.tions could unde:..t;.ke the 1.-.ldeguu.t;epubl.icity.·

X'XII,

" It 1.ould be very desiruble :1.1' the ·:F:ree Greelc Govcrnl:lent. should issue un o1'1'ich<l .. arning to· the ei'feet thut any. attempt to denounce or to blt>.akiiU:Iil"'ny ·citizen IK'l'sGcUt<!ld by tll:e German Au ullori tius ;~ill be punished upon lib or<-tion oi' the country "i th greutest sevcri·~y. ..J.l ucts o1· th1.o nu~u~·oJ · .. ill be considc:t·ed ec:u1 V«len t to "'cts of: tl'e;;;.son. -- ---- ..

:No ~tt<-.r how did'icult pr·esont cond1"tions 6.J:e, tlle dutoy or every Jch; is to conti•ibut.e in eV.l'Y possible viEi.y to•.ards th"' liber~­v.t.ion of tile coun·r.ry. 'l'hus. those w.b.o ure or u(;e, ;dlo huv« bEen turou_.Jl the Llb~:~nic..n Yltn.·, or wlio have received milit<-.i'y ·tr .. ining 0 <.nd r.re · .. i thout aependents should join the. ?nrtisl:IIls; thc.t is "l!;;.t most o1' i;hoir fello.; . .re.ia, V·l.hO v.voidec1 boi.nt: CliUg.tit in the oth<.r occupiud countries i:": .. ve dono. Should this policy oe adopted the number of women, children o.nd uged 1 to be evacuated ;;ould be greuter. 'l'!1ey should <;;.l_so be info~·1ued that. upon urrivi.:lin the

~ _ :;:i.illdle ....:<.s t ~aey ure to ·oe enlis ~eel for railit.~ry DE '?V leo ;,1 tl1 the Gr: el: i.l'iJl<,d l!'o1· cos.

by ,.,lfJ:"ad ii• Cohen

l5tli ::...y. 1944.

~--

--e~o

IIIIIORANDlll

Deportation of Gr:ek Jewe -- Genaorahip Intercept (HTO 299?11-J). (Materlal obtained from file in Via& DiYla1on. State pepartaep!)

The following h a hlegrSlll whloh wae eent by Leon Xu.bowlhkl to J", Born, J., x.. Jaetiel'l8all, 515 llew Cayendleh Street, London, on !ln•ber 30, l943r Rtoelnd oaU;etrophlc newa Greek Jewry, 113,000 Jewe Salonloa 4eporh4 Poland. 11aJiF 4led en nute. J'ew fiU'klah nbJtoh arrln4 hrkq reoenUy. About aao Spasallh nbJtoh 4lreoh4 Spaln tihrnsh Gei'IQIQ'. lhereabouh Ullknon. s ... Uallan eubJeoh. Salonloa, Vace4onla, Tlu'aoe now wUhnt Jewe. ProperUu, r .. ounn oonfieoah4. After Araietloe Italy Athene Co...nlty lnoludlac 1,000 Salonloa refaceee •••erely pertecnlhcl by Gletapo. Soae 100 youq Jewe cooperating with partleane. General attltucle Greek population oorreo,. J'ew retaceee arrlYln& Paleetlae IIJpti Join Greek .a....,. Plaaae ttke etiepe obtaln aupport llrithh repr .. entaU••• 'lurll:q for Ieaao Jiolho froa Je:ro.eal• who prooeeb h\anbul.