Moshe Pesach

Greek rabbi (1869-1955)

Moshe Pesach

Μωυσής Πεσάχ/Πέσαχ

Born| 1869

Larissa, Greece

Died| 13 November 1955 (aged 85-86)

Volos, Greece

Burial place| Jerusalem
Occupation| Rabbi
Children| 2

Moshe Pesach (Greek: Μωυσής Πεσάχ or Πέσαχ; 1869 – 13 November 1955) was a Greek rabbi who was the rabbi of Volos from 1892 until his death, and chief rabbi of Greece from 1946. Through his efforts, and with the assistance of the Greek authorities, the majority of the city's Jewish community was saved during the Holocaust.

## Life

[edit]

Moshe Pesach was born in Larissa in 1869, and studied Jewish literature and philosophy at Thessaloniki. From 1892 he was active in the Jewish community of Volos as a rabbi.[1][2] In the early 20th century, the city of Volos had a vibrant Jewish community: a population of c. 500 in 1896 rose to c. 2,000 in 1930, before falling drastically to 882 members in 1940, due to emigration to the large cities of Thessaloniki and Athens or abroad.[3] In 1939, he was awarded the Gold Cross of the Order of the Phoenix by King George II of Greece.[2]

Following the German invasion of Greece in April 1941, Pesach was active in the underground network helping stranded Allied servicemen escape occupied Greece to the Middle East.[2] During the early years of the Occupation, Volos was controlled by the Italian army. In 1943, as the Germans began to deport the Jews in their zone of occupation in Thessaloniki and Macedonia, the city received refugees, and many Jews of Volos began to flee the city to Athens or the surrounding countryside. After the Italian armistice in September 1943, the Germans took over the city.[3] On 30 September, the German commandant, Kurt Rikert, summoned Pesach to his office and demanded a list of all Jews and their property within 24 hours, ostensibly for the purpose of determining food rations. Suspecting the Germans' real motives, Pesach managed to secure an extension of the deadline to three days, and immediately contacted the local Greek authorities: the mayor, chief of police, and the bishop of Demetrias, Joachim Alexopoulos [el]. The latter contacted the local German consul, Helmut Scheffel, with whom he was befriended, and who confirmed that the Jews should leave as soon as possible. Provided with false identity papers and with a letter from the bishop to the local clergy to assist however possible, about 700 of the city's Jews dispersed in the countryside, where several joined the partisans.[4][3][5] About 130 Jews, mostly those without means, remained behind. They were rounded up by the Germans on 24–25 March 1944 and sent to the death camps.[3][6] 117 Jews from Volos were killed in the camps, 12 were executed there, and about 30 died of privations and starvation,[3] but Pesach's actions saved 74% of the Jewish citizens of Volos, the second highest percentage in Greece after Zakynthos (where the entire Jewish community survived).[1] Pesach himself survived among the partisans in the mountains, but his wife died from the privations, and his two sons, who taught Judaism in Thessaloniki and Didymoteicho, were captured and executed by the Germans.[1][4]

After liberation, Pesach returned to Volos, becoming chief rabbi of Greece in 1946.[4][7] He was honoured by the Allied Middle East Headquarters with a diploma, and in 1952, King Paul of Greece decorated him with the Order of George I.[2] In April 1955, Volos was hit by a devastating earthquake. The aged rabbi was forced to live in a tent, later forfeiting his house in order to build a new synagogue in the same spot. He died on 13 November 1955.[1] In 1957, the remains of Pesach and his wife Sara were brought to Jerusalem and interred next to Ben-Zion Meir Hai Uziel. His extensive library was transferred to the Ben-Zvi Institute.[7]

On 16 April 2015, Pesach's role was commemorated at a special ceremony by B'nai B'rith and the Jewish National Fund at the Forest of the Martyrs in Jerusalem.[4][7]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d Margariti, Kiki (18 April 2015). "Ο ραβίνος που έσωσε τους Εβραίους του Βόλου από το Ολοκαύτωμα". in.gr (in Greek). Retrieved 19 April 2015.
2. ^ a b c d "Τα εβραϊκά ονοματεπώνυμα στην Ελλάδα από το αρχείο του Ιωσήφ Σιακκή: Βιογραφικά σημειώματα" (in Greek). Hellenic Literary and Historical Archive. Archived from the original on 19 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.
3. ^ a b c d e Shmuel Spector; Geoffrey Wigoder, eds. (2001). "Volos". The Encyclopedia of Jewish Life Before and During the Holocaust, Volume 3: Seredina-Buda–Z. New York: New York University Press. pp. 1411–1412\. ISBN 9780814793787.
4. ^ a b c d "The Rabbi and Bishop Who Saved a Greek Jewish Community". 16 April 2015. Retrieved 28 June 2021.
5. ^ Katherine Elizabeth Fleming (2008). Greece—a Jewish History. Princeton University Press. p. 139\. ISBN 978-0-691-10272-6.
6. ^ Bowman, Steven (2009). The Agony of Greek Jews, 1940–1945. Stanford University Press. p. 70\. ISBN 978-0-8047-7249-5.
7. ^ a b c "B'nai B'rith World Center And KKL-JNF to Recognize Greek Rabbi who Saved Hundreds of Jews During Holocaust". B'nai B'rith International. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 19 April 2015.

* v
* t
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Greece during World War II

1940-1941 Balkans Campaign

| Greco-Italian War
(1940-1941)|

| Battles|

* Pindus
* Elaia–Kalamas
* Korçë
* Saranda
* Morava–Ivan
* Himara
* Klisura Pass
* Trebeshina
* Italian spring offensive
* Hill 731

|

Leaders|

|  Greece|

* Ioannis Metaxas
* Alexandros Papagos
* Charalambos Katsimitros
* Konstantinos Davakis
* Markos Drakos and Ioannis Pitsikas
* Dimitrios Papadopoulos
* Georgios Kosmas

|

Italy|

* Benito Mussolini
* Galeazzo Ciano
* Sebastiano Visconti Prasca
* Ubaldo Soddu
* Ugo Cavallero
* Carlo Geloso

Units|

|  Greece|

* 8th Infantry Division
* Epirus Army Section
* Western Macedonia Army Section

|

Italy|

* 9th Army
* 11th Army

German invasion
(April-May 1941)|

| Battles|

* Operation Lustre
* Metaxas Line
* Vevi
* Kleisoura Pass
* Thermopylae
* Crete

|

Leaders|

|  Greece|

* King George II
* Alexandros Papagos
* Konstantinos Bakopoulos
* Georgios Tsolakoglou

|

British Commonwealth|

* Henry Maitland Wilson
* Thomas Blamey
* Bernard Freyberg

Germany|

* Wilhelm List
* Sepp Dietrich
* Kurt Student

Units|

|  Greece|

* Eastern Macedonia Army Section
* Central Macedonia Army Section
* Epirus Army Section

|

British Commonwealth|

* 1st Armoured Brigade
* 2nd New Zealand Division
* 6th Australian Division

Germany|

* XVIII Army Corps
* XXXX Panzer Corps
* Luftflotte 4
* 1st Parachute Division
* 5th Mountain Division

Occupation and collaboration

| Occupying
powers|

| Leaders and
commands|

|  Germany|

* Günther Altenburg
* Hermann Neubacher
* Walter Schimana
* Alexander Löhr
* Army Group E
* Hellmuth Felmy
* LXVIII Army Corps
* Hubert Lanz
* XXII Mountain Corps
* Alexander Andrae, Bruno Bräuer and Friedrich-Wilhelm Müller
* Fortress Crete
* Max Merten

|

Italy|

* Angelico Carta
* Pellegrino Ghigi
* Piero Parini
* Carlo Geloso and Carlo Vecchiarelli
* 11th Army
* III Army Corps [it]
* VIII Army Corps
* XXVI Corps

Bulgaria|

* Ivan Markov [bg]
* Trifon Trifonov [bg]
* Asen Sirakov

Atrocities|

* Missiria
* Kondomari
* Kandanos
* Alikianos
* Doxato
* Mousiotitsa
* Kommeno
* Kalavryta
* Lingiades
* Distomo
* Domenikon
* Drakeia
* Cephalonia (Acqui Division)
* Mesovouno
* Pyrgoi
* Vorizia
* Viannos
* Kallikratis
* Kali Sykia
* Anogeia
* Kedros
* Kleisoura
* Haidari concentration camp
* Larissa concentration camp
* 200 of Kaisariani
* Chortiatis

Economic
exploitation|

* Great Famine
* GWRA
* Hyperinflation
* DEGRIGES
* Compulsory loan
* Occupation Reichsmark [el]

The Holocaust|

* Bulgarian-occupied Greece
* Thessaloniki
* Zvi Koretz
* Jewish cemetery of Salonica
* Baron Hirsch ghetto
* Expropriation of property
* Rescue of the Jews of Zakynthos

Collaborationist
government|

| People|

* Georgios Tsolakoglou
* K. Logothetopoulos
* Ioannis Rallis
* Sotirios Gotzamanis
* Georgios Bakos
* Georgios Poulos
* Friedrich Schubert
* Nikolaos Bourantas
* George S. Mercouris
* Ioannis Plytzanopoulos
* Dionysios Papadongonas

|

Organizations|

* Security Battalions
* Hellenic Socialist Patriotic Organisation (ESPO)
* National Union of Greece (EEE)
* Greek National Socialist Party

Secessionists|

* Roman Legion
* Alcibiades Diamandi
* Nicolaos Matussis
* Vassilis Rapotikas
* Ohrana
* Andon Kalchev
* Cham collaboration
* Këshilla
* Xhemil Dino

Atrocities|

* Paramythia
* Executions of Kokkinia

Resistance and Free Greece

| National Liberation
Front (EAM)|

| People|

* Aris Velouchiotis
* Stefanos Sarafis
* Andreas Tzimas
* Georgios Siantos
* Alexandros Svolos
* Ilias Tsirimokos
* Markos Vafeiadis
* Evripidis Bakirtzis

|

Organizations|

* Communist Party of Greece (KKE)
* Socialist Party of Greece (SKE)
* Union of People's Democracy (ELD)
* Greek People's Liberation Army (ELAS)
* Greek People's Liberation Navy (ELAN)
* Political Committee of National Liberation (PEEA) and National Council
* United Panhellenic Organization of Youth (EPON)
* National Solidarity (EA)
* Organization for the Protection of the People's Struggle (OPLA)
* Slavic-Macedonian National Liberation Front (SNOF)
* Anti-Fascist Committee for a Free Germany (AKFD)

Operations|

* Drama uprising
* Ryka
* Mikro Chorio
* Gorgopotamos Bridge
* Meritsa
* Protests against labour mobilization
* Fardykambos
* Porta
* Sarantaporos
* Kournovo Tunnel
* 1943 Athens protest
* Pinerolo disarmament
* Steiri
* Agorelitsa
* Killing of Franz Krech

Atrocities|

* Feneos executions
* 5/42 Regiment dissolution
* Meligalas
* Kilkis
* Red Terror (Greece)

Non-EAM resistance|

| People|

* Napoleon Zervas
* Georgios Kartalis
* Dimitrios Psarros
* Komninos Pyromaglou
* Antonis Fosteridis
* Kostas Perrikos
* Ilias Degiannis
* Vasileios Sachinis
* Lela Karagianni
* Konstantinos Ventiris
* Manolis Paterakis
* Petrakogiorgis
* Kimonas Zografakis

|

Organizations|

* National Republican Greek League (EDES)
* National Bands of Greek Guerrillas (EOEA)
* National and Social Liberation (EKKA)
* 5/42 Regiment
* Defenders of Northern Greece (YVE)/Panhellenic Liberation Organization (PAO)
* Panhellenic Union of Fighting Youths (PEAN)
* Prometheus II
* Apollo
* National Organization of Crete (ΕΟΚ)
* Hellenic Army (ES)
* Northern Epirus Liberation Front (MAVI)
* others...

Operations|

* ESPO bombing
* Gorgopotamos Bridge (Operation "Harling")
* Agia Kyriaki
* Milia
* Skala Paramythias
* Execution of Josef Salminger
* Xirovouni
* Trahili
* Menina
* Dodona

Atrocities|

* Expulsion of Cham Albanians

British Military Mission (SOE)|

| People|

* Eddie Myers
* Monty Woodhouse
* Patrick Leigh Fermor
* Bill Stanley Moss
* Themis Marinos
* George Psychoundakis
* Jerzy Iwanow-Szajnowicz

|

Operations|

* Operation "Albumen"
* Gorgopotamos Bridge (Operation "Harling")
* Operation "Animals"
* Asopos Bridge (Operation "Washing")
* Kidnapping of Heinrich Kreipe
* Damasta sabotage

Greek government-in-exile

| Greek government
in exile|

| Events/Battles|

* Mareth Line
* El Alamein
* Wadi Akarit
* Dodecanese
* April 1944 mutiny
* Rimini
* Symi
* Santorini

|

People|

* King George II
* Emmanouil Tsouderos
* Sofoklis Venizelos
* Panagiotis Kanellopoulos
* Thrasyvoulos Tsakalotos
* Christodoulos Tsigantes
* Pafsanias Katsotas

Greek Armed Forces
in the Middle East|

* 3rd Mountain Brigade
* Sacred Band
* Vasilissa Olga
* Adrias
* Katsonis
* Papanikolis

| Squadrons|

* 13th
* 335th
* 336th

|

Liberation and road to the civil war

| Prelude to Civil War|

| Events|

* National Bands Agreement
* Plaka agreement [el]
* Red Terror
* Lebanon Conference
* Caserta Agreement
* Operation "Manna"
* Percentages agreement
* Dekemvriana
* Treaty of Varkiza
* White Terror

|

People|

* Ronald Scobie
* Georgios Papandreou
* Archbishop Damaskinos
* Georgios Grivas
* Angelos Evert
* Nikos Zachariadis

Commemoration

| Events|

* Ohi Day

|

Museums|

* Athens War Museum
* Holocaust Museum of Greece
* Kalavryta Massacre Museum
* Kalpaki War Museum
* Museum of the Battle of Crete and the National Resistance
* Thessaloniki War Museum

Popular culture|

* Aera! Aera! Aera!
* Captain Corelli's Mandolin
* film
* Ill Met by Moonlight
* film
* Ipolochagos Natassa
* Mediterraneo
* The 11th Day: Crete 1941
* The Guns of Navarone
* film
* What Did You Do in the War, Thanasis?

Authority control databases

International|

* VIAF

National|

* Israel

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