Archbishop Damaskinos: "The Hierarchs of Greece are not shot... they are hung"

Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens and all of Greece

During the Nazi atrocities taking place during World War II in Europe, and the inhumane persecution of the Jews throughout the continent, Archbishop Damaskinos of Athens and All of Greece stood in sharp contrast to other major religious leaders who either cowered in the presence of the Nazis or, in some cases, even agreed with the extermination policies targeting the Jews. Damaskinos, however, became a constant thorn in the side of the German Military Occupation Authorities and the Plenipotentiary of the Third Reich for Greece, Günther Altenburg, to whom he would constantly protest to.

Despite the threats and intimidation, the voice of Archbishop Damaskinos was raised and heard on countless occasions in support of the unjustly persecuted Jews. Damaskinos had the audacity to walk into the local German political and military offices to lodge his complaints in person, knowing full well that pushing the Germans too much could result in death. On one such occasion, Nazi General Jürgen Stroop threatened Damaskinos with execution via firing squad if he followed through with publishing an open letter about the Nazis in Greece that was intended for an international audience.

Damaskinos tersely responded: "The Hierarchs of Greece are not shot, General Stroop, they are hung. I request that you respect this tradition." He stated this because during the outbreak of the Greek War of Independence of 1821, Ottoman authorities hung the Greek Orthodox Patriarch Gregory V and other prelates of the Church in Constantinople, and would continue to do so throughout the final years of Ottoman occupation.

Putting his life on the line, Damaskinos defiantly published the letter anyway, which in part reads:

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The Greek Orthodox Church and the Academic World of Greek People Protest against the Persecution [...] The Greek people were [...] deeply grieved to learn that the German Occupation Authorities have already started to put into effect a program of gradual deportation of the Greek Jewish community [...] and that the first groups of deportees are already on their way to Poland [...]

According to the terms of the armistice, all Greek citizens, without distinction of race or religion, were to be treated equally by the Occupation Authorities. The Greek Jews have proven themselves [...] valuable contributors to the economic growth of the country [and] law-abiding citizens who fully understand their duties as Greeks. They have made sacrifices for the Greek country, and were always on the front lines of the struggle of the Greek nation to defend its inalienable historical rights [...]

In our national consciousness, all the children of Mother Greece are an inseparable unity: they are equal members of the national body irrespective of religion [...] Our holy religion does not recognize superior or inferior qualities based on race or religion, as it is stated: 'There is neither Jew nor Greek' and thus condemns any attempt to discriminate or create racial or religious differences. Our common fate both in days of glory and in periods of national misfortune forged inseparable bonds between all Greek citizens, without exemption, irrespective of race [...]

Today we are... deeply concerned with the fate of 60,000 of our fellow citizens who are Jews [...] we have lived together in both slavery and freedom, and we have come to appreciate their feelings, their brotherly attitude, their economic activity, and most important, their indefectible patriotism [...]

​On March 31st 1943, as the arrests of the Jews were intensifying in Greece, Archbishop Damaskinos in a desperate attempt requested the German authorities to at least exempt individuals of young age, elderly and civilian invalids of war. However, the Germans refused his request.

After much prayer and soul searching, he decided that the only solution would be to temporarily break the extremely strict rules of the Orthodox Church, in order to save the Jews. He invited D. Haldezos, the municipal clerk of Athens, and told him: "I crossed myself, spoke to God and decided to save as many Jewish souls as I can, even if I put my own life in danger. I will "baptize" the Jews and you will issue them municipal certificates so they can receive Christian identity cards."

Because of Damaskinos' very simple, but bold plan, Jews and others who were not Greek Orthodox during the remaining period of the Nazi occupation of Greece could simply ask for a new identity card that would feature a Greek name and their religion listed on the card as Greek Orthodox. Many important people mobilized and collaborated with Damaskinos on this plan, including the Chairman of the Athens Pharmacists Association, Lambros Karamertzanis, and the Chairman of the Medical Association, Manos Karzis, along with the Athens branch of the City Police and its Head, Angelos Evert, and Dimitris Vranopoulos.

Because the new identity cards were valid documents as the law was concerned, Jews were able to use them for normal government-related purposes - including the registration of marriages, deaths, property purchases etc...

Greek Jewish writer Joseph Nehama stated about this period: "The clergy had not been deceived. It was due to their feelings of humaneness that they didn't hesitate to receive these converts and treat them with kindness and sympathy. They supported them in any way they could through their grief. Moreover, priests, for the love of God and without any profit whatsoever, issued Baptism certificates to people who had never set foot in a church..."

By the end of World War II, according to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, it is estimated that up to 10,000 Greek Jews survived the Holocaust throughout Greece due to Damaskinos' bold efforts in coordination with the entire body of the Church of Greece and the Greek people. In the end, over 80% of Greece's Jews - somewhere between 60,000 and 70,000 - perished among the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust throughout Europe.