Salonika Jews Forced to Pay for Their Release from Forced Labor

(October 18, 1942)

Certified Copy.

O.K.
Commander of Salonika-Aegean
Vw kult 4/soz 4/1261 Dr. Me/Wa

October 18, 1942.

To distributor.
Re: Release from forced labor of the Jews working outside Salonika.

As was ascertained at the meeting of October 11, the Jews who had been enlisted to forced labor by the Liaison Staff for Road Building [Verbindungsstab fuer Landstrassenbau] and Organization Todt, are no longer suitable – especially because of the approaching cold season – for the work outside Salonika. Returning to an earlier suggestion by the Jewish Community [Judenschaft], all the Jewish forced laborers that are used on construction sites outside Salonika by the Liaison Staff for Road Building and Organization Todt, including their contractors, are to be released immediately. In this way, a further increase of death cases among the Jews will be avoided.

The Jewish Community of Salonika has – this too, in accordance with its earlier proposal – agreed to the payment of the total amount of 3.5 billion drachma. Of this amount, 2 billion drachma will be obtained in cash by December 15, 1942 and will be used for the improvement of the catering for the Greek workers replacing the Jews at their former workplaces. The religious community of Salonika will make the remaining 1.5 billion drachma available for the Jewish cemetery. The cemetery, which is located inside Salonika, has up until now disturbed the organic structure of Salonika, and, in any case, must disappear so that public security and order can be maintained. This measure solves a problem that has vitally concerned the Greek public for many years.

The Department for Administration and Economy [Abteilung Verwaltung und Wirtschaft] has been commissioned with the task of implementing the above instructions.

On behalf of the Commander of Salonika – Aegean

The Chief of Staff
P r a m a n n C o l o n e l

Distributor:

a) Authorized Representative of the Reich for Greece, A t h e n s – message to be conveyed [nachrichtlich]

b) Liaison Staff for Road Building [Verbindungsstab fuer Landstrassenbau], S a l o n i k a)

c) Head of the construction direction of O.T. [Organization Todt]
S a l o n i k a

d) Branch of the S.D.
S a l o n i k a e)

Generalgouvernor of Macedonia
S a l o n i k a – message to be conveyed

Certified:

[signature]

Source: Document Official of the Administrative Office of the District Court in Berlin.

Source: Yad Vashem