Greek Jewry and the Holocaust

The Greek Jewish community is the most ancient in Europe. It greatly influenced the evolution of Jewish thought and practice. From the 16th-19th centuries, the port of Salonica was a majority-Jewish city, a renowned Torah learning center, and the commercial powerhouse of the Balkans. All this got destroyed in the Holocaust during which 88% of Greek Jews perished. This presentation will describe the history of Greek Jewry, the tragic events of the Holocaust in Greece (including the role of the later UN Secretary General and Austrian President Kurt Waldheim), as well as the acts of unprecedented heroism and sacrifice by Greek individuals and organizations to rescue their fellow Greeks. The talk will conclude with a brief look at current Jewish life in Greece.

CEH member Dr. Andrew Lovinger, born and raised in Greece, is a research scientist, professional engineer inducted into the National Academy of Engineering, and amateur historian. As the son of Joseph Lovinger who was the President of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece for 24 years up to his death in 1991, he has intimate first-hand knowledge of the history and life of Jews in Greece.