The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers ruleSnoek, Johan M.
Religion
The Grey Book: A collection of protests against anti-semitism and the persecution of Jews issued by non-Roman Catholic churches and church leaders during Hitlers rule
Snoek, Johan M.
Antisemitism; Christianity and other religions -- Judaism; Judaism -- Relations -- Christianity; Protestant churches -- Europe
Excellency,
The undersigned are not seeking at present to interfere in any way in the
questions of general tactics of the German forces in our country or
elsewhere, but simply to submit certain views, regarding a question which
is keeping the entire Greek population in suspense and anxiety; we are
sure that you will examine these views in a spirit of benevolence and
understanding.
They concern the persecution of the Greek Jews of Salonika, who have long
been legally under the jurisdiction of our country. Not only have they
never given occasion for complaint, but on the contrary, they have always
offered proof of earnest and sincere collaboration. In critical times,
their acts of self-sacrifice and self-abnegation were apparent.
We must add that the above mentioned Jews have never acted against our
interests, even in the smallest matters; on the contrary, they have always
felt a sense of responsibility towards the Greek majority. Most of them
belong to the poorer classes.
It should be noted that Greek Jews have quite a different mentality to
that of the Jews living in Germany and have no knowledge whatsoever of the
language of Poland where they are being sent to live.
in addition to the above facts, we wish to add that during the long course
of our history, ever since the era of Alexander the Great and his descendants,
and through all the centuries of Greek Orthodoxy down to the present time,
our relations with the Jewish people have always been harmonious. We believe
therefore that, in your high office as ruler of our country during the
present war, you will not hesitate to accept our present request and decide,
even if provisionally, to suspend the expulsion of Greek Jews from Greece
until the Jewish question can be examined in the light of a special and
detailed investigation.
Our present request is based upon the recent historical fact, that during
the surrender of Salonika and, later, that of the whole of Greece, among
the clauses of the protocol, the following is included: 'The Occupation
forces promise to protect the life, the honour and the properties of the
population'. Certainly this clause implies, that no persecution would be
made against Greek subjects, on the account of religion and race, and that
consequently the theory relating to racial or religious discrimination
would not be applied in Greece. <157>
This was further confirmed later by a clear declaration made by General
Tsolakoglou, to whom the Occupation Forces had entrusted the Presidency
of this country, and who stated explicitly: "There is no Jewish question
in Greece and there never will be." "All Greeks occupied in peaceful work
may rest assured that their honour, life and property are under protection
of the Occupation Forces and of the Government.
Excellency, some days ago the Berlin radio transmitted an article of a
German reporter, which was a real hymn to the traditional quality of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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