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German Instructions Organizing the Jewish Community of Salonika for Destruction

29 March, 1943

Special Headquarters of the Security Police for Jewish Affairs
Salonika-Aegean, 42 Belisarius Street

To: The Jewish Religious Community of Salonika
Attn.: The Chief Rabbi, Dr. Koretz

Re: Organizing the Jewish Religious Community

On the basis of authorization given me by the Commander of Salonika-Aegean, I issue the following orders:

The Jewish religious community of Salonika shall be reorganized to represent the interests of all Jews in this area of command.

1. The Chief Rabbi, Dr. Koretz, shall be the head of the community and the sole bearer of responsibility. An advisory committee, composed of the leading officials of the community, shall operate alongside him.

2. A Central Secretariat, carrying out the routine business of the community presidium, shall be directly subordinate to the Chief Rabbi.

3. The Finance Department shall deal with the financial affairs of the Jewish community.

4. The Population Registry Department shall handle all questions pertaining to population movement.

5. The Community Displacement and Labor Recruitment Department shall discharge its duties, which will be determined in detail in the future. In particular, the committee in the Baron Hirsch camp shall be subordinate to it.

6. The Department for Health and Cemetery Management shall be responsible for providing medical care for the Jewish population, especially medical services in the Baron Hirsch camp.

7. The Soup Kitchen Department shall arrange, in particular, supplies to the Baron Hirsch camp.

8. The Jewish Order Department shall be in charge of the Jewish order police and shall enforce residence in the ghetto.

The Department for the Disposal of Jewish Property Affairs shall be directly subordinate to the Chief Rabbi. This office, in accordance with instructions, shall be in charge of liquidating the cash and valuables of the deported Jews. Community offices in Jewish residential areas shall be subordinate to the secretariat. The remaining community councils and committees, apart from those mentioned above, shall be shut down and disbanded at once. By April 1, the Jewish community must present an administration proposal and an action plan for my approval.

Signed:

[Dieter] Wisleceny

Hauptsturmfuehrer-SS

Yad Vashem