Property of Jewish Greeks in Context of the Holocaust
Property of Jewish Greeks in Context of the Holocaust

Legal Status, German Occupation and Post War, Restitution and Memory

Summary/Abstract: The Greek Constitution, since the founding of the State, recognized only Greeks–Hellenes. Full emancipation, civil rights and full freedom of Religion and its practice were enshrined and guaranteed. No Anti– Judaic laws were ever legislated, even during the German occupation 1941–1944. The Holocaust left property owned by Jews orphaned. The puppet government during occupation entrusted these properties to the meseggiouhoi [trustees]. De jure Aryanization was never legislated. Two days before liberation of Athens (12 October 1944), Prime Minister Rallis passed a law heralding the return of the properties to their rightful owners. Post war legislation, unique universally, restituted all properties to their owners and, in cases of heirless properties, the State did not exercise its constitutional right of acquisition but, instead, endowed with these properties a newly created entity (OPAIE) whose purpose was and still is to aid the remaining Jewish Greeks.

• Details
• Contents