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
hospitality of the Greek people in all occasions, even in the cases of
supposed enemies.
What must be the anguish of these people, who have been infused by thousand
years of Christianity and its message of love of one's neighbour, when they
see their brothers tom away from their homeland. Especially, when, for many
years they have embraced it with unlimited confidence and a spirit of
irreproachable solidarity towards us.
Excellency, in the name of the lofty ideas of the Greek spirit, and of the
culture of your country, both of which have so powerfully influenced
the whole world, we beg that the expulsion of our Jewish fellow-citizens
be halted as soon as possible. We assure you that the whole Greek nation
will sincerely appreciate a gesture of such historic importance.
Damaskinos.
Archbishop of Athens and
Primate of All Greece.
(This Memorandum was also signed by the leading citizens who had signed
the Memorandum sent to the Prime Minister).
There are some dubious remarks in this Memorandum: "It should be noted
that Greek Jews have quite a different mentality to that of the Jews
living in Germany", and "In the name of the lofty ideas of the Greek spirit
and of the culture of your country (Germany)". That does not alter the fact
that much in the Memorandum is to be lauded.
Archbishop Damaskinos did not cease his activities. He again saw Altenburg
asking for his intervention.
Following the formation of the new Government of John Rallis, he briefed
the new Prime Minister and asked him to discuss fully the question with
the commander-in-chief of East-Europe, Marshal Loehr. At the same time
he took the following steps: <158>
a. He requested the President of the International Red Cross in Greece to
ask the Governments of the European countries, to interest themselves on
behalf of the Jews of Greece, considering that their expulsion to Poland
would mean total extermination.
b. He negotiated with the International Red Cross to supply food for the
kitchen established for the Jews of Salonika who had been put into a
concentration camp. He then asked the Greek Government to furnish the
necessary technical means. In fact, the kitchen started operating immediately.
The Ministry of Social Welfare undertook its organization and the
International Red Cross provided large supplies of food.
c. He undertook, secretly, to send to Salonika the contribution of the
Jews of Athens to the Jews of Salonika. Their contributions were sent by
the Archbishop to Genadios, the Bishop of Salonika.
Thus far the biographer of Archbishop Damaskinos.
Comments on the attitude of Church leaders and lower clergy are favourable:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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