Zvi Koretz | |
|---|---|
| Chief Rabbi ofThessaloniki | |
| In office 1933–1945 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Zvi Hirsch Koretz (1884-06-02)2 June 1884 Rzeszów,Austria-Hungary |
| Died | 3 June 1945(1945-06-03) (aged 61) Trebitz,Saxony-Anhalt |
| Cause of death | Typhus |
| Resting place | Tröbitz,Germany |
| Citizenship |  Greece |
| Nationality | Ashkenazi |
| Spouse | Gita Koretz |
| Children | Arieh Koretz |
| Alma mater | Higher Institute for Jewish Studies |
Zvi Hirsch Koretz (Greek:Σέβη Κόρετς; 2 June 1884 – 3 June 1945), also written asTzevi orSeviKoretz, was anAshkenaziJew who served as theChief Rabbi ofSaloniki'sJewish community from 1933 to 1945. His role as president of theJudenrat duringWorld War II has been called into controversy, with many accusing him of being aNazi collaborator.
Koretz was born on 2 June 1884 inRzeszów,Galicia,Austria-Hungary. He would study in theHigher Institute for Jewish Studies inBerlin, where he received adoctorate inphilosophy andSemitic languages, writing his thesis on "The Description ofHell in theQuran and its Prototypes in Jewish Literature."[1][2] Following this he would receivesemicha from this same institution.[3][4][5] In 1927 he would marry a woman named Gita, a fellow native of Galicia, inHamburg.[6]
In 1933 Koretz, anAshkenazi Jew who followed a 'liberal tradition,' was madeChief Rabbi ofSalonika, aSephardic community that mostly spokeLadino.[7][8][9][10] His office was given, on the condition that he would be able to learn Ladino andGreek within three months, and after doing so he would begin to make a name for himself by working with the government on their behalf. His politicking would make him an ally to several prominent members of the military, government, andthe King, among whom he would often make public declarations of support.[5][11][12]
Despite his connections outside of the community, Koretz had many detractors due to him not practicingOrthodox Judaism and living lavishly. His first actions in office would make this apparent as his first priority had been to secure the community funds and establish a large salary for himself. His lack of familiarity with Sephardic traditions would result in much of the responsibilities normally held by the spiritual office being delegated to local rabbis.[13] Because of these strained relations he would bring several Ladino newspapers to civil court in 1934 fordefamation, rather than theBeth Din, for attacks against his taking a large personal salary and desecrating theSabbath. His choice to forgo the Beth Din, would raise questions of whether the institution neededreform.[8][14] While his predecessor focused the office on resolving matters ofhalacha for the community, his first communal acts would update census information for the government; this would go into effect in 1934 and would be the basis for neighborhood lists that would be handed over to theNazis by Koretz.[15][16]
He would receive letters of reassurance fromGeneral Metaxas that theJewish people would continue to be welcomed inGreece during the 1930s and would successfully petition funding for two newJewish schools in Salonika. In March 1937 Koretz was able to negotiate an additional 500,000drachmas for the local Jewish schools, however in June the community adopted measures to dismiss educators due to the threat of bankruptcy.[3][17][18]
Despite the personal criticisms and ongoing financial struggles of the community, he was chosen to continue serving as the Chief Rabbi in 1938 at the directive of General Metaxas.[8][13]
World War II saw Greece thrust into the conflict as they wereinvaded in 1940. During this period Koretz would write an appeal to theAmerican Jewish Congress, relating to the international community and protesting how theAxis forces bombedcivilian targets, such as thelocal Hagia Sophia Cathedral, in air raids, as well as heavily affecting the poor Jews of the city.[19][20][21] During the war he would also be called on by theArchbishop of Athens to assist in the memorial service for several Jewish military men who were killed during the conflict, notably among them beingCol. Mordechai Frizis. Koretz would be honored as the first Jewish member of theParnassos Literary Society following the memorial service.[22]
After Greece was conquered, Koretz was to be charged by theNazis for anti-German propaganda.[23] He was arrested inAthens on 15 April 1941 and deported toVienna where he was held in agestapo prison for nine months.[3][24][25] He was released the following January and would return to Salonika, where he continued to serve as Chief Rabbi of the community before being imprisoned again for coming into conflict with, thenJudenrat president, Shabbetai Saltiel, despite the president previously approving him to continue serving the community.[26][27][28]
Koretz would be released in 1942 at the insistence of local industrialists to take part in the negotiations to replaceJewish slave laborers with paid Greek workers. He was able to negotiate a deal where the Jews would be released from the camps in exchange for over 2 billion drachmas inransom, an amount the Nazis considered the Jews liable for due to their participation in the Greco-Italian War. By liquidating the community's property,the cemetery in particular, they were able to successfully raise funds and free Jews who had been taken to do labor. That being said, because the Nazis had raised the demanded value and wealthier members of the community refused to provide the money the full demands were not met.[1][20][28]
Koretz would use this new freedom to guide the community once more, issuinghalachic guidance on how they might celebratePassover, in the April of 1942, despite the ongoing famine the community was facing.[29]
On 11 December 1942 Koretz was named Judenrat president, replacing Saltiel, he was the only remaining Jewish community leader who spokeGerman beside the former President, and would negotiate with theSS officersDieter Wisliceny andAlois Brunner over how the deportations of Jews were to be done.[5][30][31] He would also act against members of theGreek resistance, threatening to expose members who attempted to recruit young Jews.[13]
In the face of growing pressure from the Nazis, Koretz met withPrime Minister Rallis when the Greek official visited the city on 11 April 1943. Minister Rallis remained evasive on the issue of deportations despite the rabbi breaking down in tears before him and asking him to intervene on the Jewish citizens' behalf.[32][33] Rallis would claim that the deportations were out of his control.[1]
In August of 1943, Koretz, the other members of the Judenrat, and the Jewish police were deported toBergen-Belsen.[30][31]
Koretz would be liberated from the Nazis by theRed Army when the Soviets captured a train that was stranded inTröbitz while transporting Jews from Bergen-Belsen toTheresienstadt, this train would become known asThe Lost Transport. He would die later, in June, fromtyphus, which he had contracted in theconcentration camp, inTrebitz. He was buried in the Tröbitz cemetery alongside other victims of The Lost Transport.[4][21][34] He would be survived by his wife and son,Arieh.[6][35]
Koretz's role in the deportation and murder ofSalonika's Jewish community has been one of contentious debate.[15][36][37] At least 94% ofSalonika'sJewish population was murdered during theHolocaust, a figure that many have claimed was caused by therabbi's actions during the deportations.[38] These accusations would be primarily driven by survivors who accused him of being acollaborator due to his pushing the community to comply with theNazi occupiers.[39][40]
Some scholars have labeled Koretz as a collaborator and persecutor for having helped facilitate the deportations, handing over lists of Jews, and working to get the community to comply with the deportations. He would also tell the community that the deportations only meant that they would be relocating toPoland, where the Jews would be settled with a new life and work.[24][30] Others however have labeled him an unintentional collaborator; labeling the outcome a tragedy of weak leadership.[36][39]
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| People | |
