Microsoft word - arta for kkj website

Arta
Before the middle of the 19th century, Arta was the true center of Romaniote Jewry. The
indigenous Jews of Arta, Greek speaking Romaniote Jews, would be supplemented by Jews from
Apulia Italy and Spain, as persecutions and forced exile reached those Jewish communities further
west. When Arta became part of the Modern State of Greece in 1881, Ioannina was still under
Ottoman Turkish rule, not becoming part of Modern Greece until 1913. During that 32 year
interim, commerce and trade in Arta would suffer and many of the Jews who relied on trade with
Ioannina, moved to other Jewish communities in Greece, notably Athens, Ioannina and Corfu.
The Jews in Arta were engaged in a number of occupations, many having to do with textiles.
They owned small shops but also were engaged in commercial enterprises that took them to other
parts of the Mediterranean.
The community supported a Jewish school and a synagogue. According to the 1939 census the
community numbered 500. At the time of the deportations, the official count was 384.
On the night of March 24, 1944, timed to coincide with the approach of Greek Independence Day
and the round-up of most of the remaining Jewish communities in Greece, the Jews of Arta were
arrested by the Germans and deported to Auschwitz-Birkenau.
Official records note that 347 were deported, 28 escaped deportation by hiding in surrounding
villages and 30 returned from the camps, leaving the number of 317 as the official number of
those murdered. In 1947, only 60 Jews made up the Jewish community of Arta and, in 1959, the
Community was officially dissolved. Most of the survivors had moved to Athens or immigrated to
either the United States or Israel. Later, the Jewish cemetery was expropriated and the site
where the Synagogue once stood was allotted to the Municipality1. Other than the remains of a
few former Jewish homes and a recent plaque noting the loss of the community, nothing is left of
the former Jewish Community of Arta.
We have worked for a number of years on the list of the Jews of Arta who perished in the
Holocaust. We have included the names of Jews who were born in Arta but deported from
elsewhere. There are more names on our main list than the official number of 317. Even with
trying to make sense of duplications at Yad Vashem, we have had to live with discrepancies and
errors. We have tried our best.
For additional information on the Jews of Arta, access our article in Archives on this website. “The
Jews of Arta,” by Constantinos A. Tsiliyianni, Chronika [issue 192: July/August 2004]
Translated by Marcia Haddad Ikonomopoulos
In Memory of the Jewish Community of Arta
May their names all be inscribed for eternity
Surname Given
Tailor Married to Eftihia Yad Vashem testimonies: 1 This last information is from the official website of KIS (Central Board of Jewish Communities of Greece) Hadjopoulos & granddaughter Victoria Solomon Maiden name Besso Married to Aaron Yad Vashem testimony: Hadjopoulos Merchant Married to Shoshana Yad Vashem testimony: Hadjopoulos Single Merchant Testimony of brother Sabetai who survived has him as being born in 1926 Maiden name Sabetai Yad Vashem testimony: brother-in-law Sabetai Aaron Merchant Married to Anna Yad Vashem testimonies: Hadjopoulos & sister Viktoria who has him born in Athens 2 It is not unusual to have conflicting info in the Yad Vashem records. Unfortunately, many Greek Jews filling out the forms did not understand Hebrew. 3 See footnote 1. 4 See footnote 1. Yad Vashem testimony: uncle Avraam Askenazi Married to Tatiana Yad Vashem: cousin Esther Nachmias 5 Second Yad Vashem testimony has her with Elias as her father. 6 Another conflict in Yad Vashem testimonies. Born in Kalamata Merchant Married to Perlina Yad Vashem testimony: Esther Nachmias: daughter Born in Kalamata Yad Vashem: daughter Esther [Perlina] Married Born in Kalamata Yad Vashem: sister Esther Nachmias [Perlina] Born in Kalamata Yad Vashem: sister Esther Nachmias [Perlina] Born in Kalamata Yad Vashem: sister Esther Nachmias [Perlina] Born in Kalamata Yad Vashem: sister Esther Nachmias [Perlina] Born in Kalamata Yad Vashem: sister Esther Nachmias Father: Samuel Mother: Malka Married to Savvas Yad Vashem testimony: daughter Esther Not listed on Arta birth records Merchant Yad Vashem testimony: sister Esther Self-employed Yad Vashem testimony: sister Esther Maiden name: Zakar Father: Mordechai [Marcos] Mother: Rivka [Rebecca] Yad Vashem testimony Menachem Zakar: brother: survivor Yad Vashem testimony niece Esther Nachmias Married YV testimony: cousin Esther Nachmias Maiden name: Sardas Father: Marcos [Mordechai] Mother: Stella Widow of Moisis [his second wife] Stepson Haim Hadjis gave testimony Yad Vashem2: brother Samuel Yad Vashem testimony: brother Haim Hadjis Yad Vashem testimony brother Haim Hadjis Yad Vashem testimony brother Haim Hadjis [Ernesta] Yad Vashem testimony brother Haim Hadjis Yad Vashem testimony brother Haim Hadjis Married to Simcha Merchant Yad Vashem: Granddaughter Sara Ieremia [survivor] Mother: Rivka [Rebecca] Yad Vashem testimony: Joseph Vidal brother-in-law Father: Meir Mother: Malka Wife of Avraam YV testimony: Joseph Vidal brother Married to Elias Yad Vashem: Niece: Sara Ieremia [survivor] (Siona) Yad Vashem Testimony: nephew Elias Ieremias Not on official list7 Mother: Mira Married to Simcha Vidal Yad Vashem testimony: brother-in-law: Joseph Vidal [Yekiel] Maiden name: Vidal Father: Meir Mother: Malka Yad Vashem testimony granddaughter Tova Israel [survivor] 7 There is another testimony by Elias Ieremias where he lists the same family but Sarika’s maiden name is given as Kabeli. Father: Joseph Mother: Miriam Born in Corfu Married to Raphael Yad Vashem testimony: daughter: Perlina Mioni Matsas [Matza] Yad Vashem testimony: Perlina Mioni sister Matsas [Matza] Yad Vashem testimony: Perlina Mioni sister Matsas [Matza] Yad Vashem testimony: Perlina Mioni sister Maiden name: Zakar Father: Menachem Mother: Miriam Aunt Esther Mizan Yomtov gave testimony [survivor] Maiden name Mizan Benjamin Mizan: Yad Vashem testimony Married to Hanoula Yad Vashem testimony: Esther Mizan Yomtov daughter [survivor] Married to Saul: Maiden name: Gani Father: Eliaou Mother: Stamoula Yad Vashem testimony: Esther Mizan Yomtov daughter [survivor] Mother: Lola Born in Ioannina Married to Isaak Married to Efthimia Koen Yad Vashem testimony by brother-in-law: Joseph Avraam Koen of Ioannina Married to Gabriel Yad Vashem testimony: nephew Joseph Zakar Married to Stamata Yad Vashem testimony cousin Joseph Zakar Daughter of Avraam & Hanoula Zakar Matsas [survived] Maiden name: Shalom Father: Eliaou Mother: Sarina Maiden name Dentes: daughter of Michael & Makoula Textile merchant Married to Malka Ieremias Son Joseph Vidal gave testimony Yad Vashem Textile Merchant Married to Simcha Golis Brother Joseph Vidal gave testimony at Yad Vashem Father: Sion Wife of Raphael Brother-in-law Joseph Vidal gave testimony at Yad Vashem Married to Esther Mizan Brother Joseph Vidal gave testimony at Yad Vashem Maiden name: Mizan Father: Benjamin Wife of Moisis Brother-in-law Joseph Vidal gave testimony at Yad Vashem Textile Merchant Brother Joseph Vidal gave testimony at Yad Vashem Single Brother Joseph Vidal gave testimony at Yad Vashem Merchant Married to Zoe Listed as Vitalis in birth records. Married to Simcha Yad Vashem testimony by Malka Iakov Mother: Esther Zakar Wife of Makis [Solomakis] [Solomon] Yad Vashem testimony cousin Joseph Zakar Seamstress Single Brother Daniel [survivor] gave testimony: Yad Vashem [Rachela] Yohana Textile merchant Single Lived at 37 Filleninon Brother Daniel [survivor] gave testimony: Yad Vashem Died in Bergen-Belsen Involved in revolt Mother: Rachel
Sonderkommando Textile Merchant
Lived at 37 Filleninon Single: Brother Daniel [survivor] gave testimony: Yad Vashem Yohana Lived at 37 Filleninon Single: Brother Daniel [survivor] gave testimony: Yad Vashem Nachamouli Father: Daniel Mother: Eftihia Married to Solomon Lived at 33 Filleninon Son Daniel [survivor] gave [2] testimony YV Nachamouli Lived at 33 Filleninon Brother Daniel [survivor] gave testimony: Yad Vashem Nachamouli Lived at 33 Filleninon Brother Daniel [survivor] gave testimony: Yad Vashem Nachamouli Lived at 33 Filleninon Brother Daniel [survivor] gave Mother: Simcha Married to David Yad Vashem testimony: Sister Esther Married to Perla [Perna] Testimony: son Joseph Yad Vashem Married to Jeshoua Testimony: son Joseph Yad Vashem Yohanan Father: Aser Mother: Perla Widow of Mordechai [Marcos] YV testimony: Menachem Zakar: son: survivor: Rebecca had 5 children: Anneta Gani Asser Solomon Menachem testimony by brother Menachem who survived Married to Sarina Yad Vashem testimony: nephew Joseph Maiden name: Matza [Mazza] Wife of Avesalom Testimony: nephew Joseph Zakar Yad Vashem Salesman Testimony: uncle Joseph Zakar Yad Vashem Testimony: uncle Joseph Zakar Yad Vashem Testimony: uncle Joseph Zakar Yad Vashem Born in Arta but deported from Athens Surname Given Died at Auschwitz Mother: Malka
Birkenau in the
Revolt of the
Sonderkommando Albala
Merchant Yad Vashem testimony: Iakov Cohen Married to Sultana8 Merchant Yad Vashem testimony: Iakov Cohen Sister (Victoria) has family deported from Arta but they do not appear on Arta deportation lists. Besso Married to Rebecca Matsa9 Brother Sabetai Aaaron gave Yad Vashem testimony Mary10 Musician Mother: Rivka Son Israel survived and gave testimony at Yad Vashem 8 Sultana Albala was born in Preveza and deported from Athens. Therefore, she does not appear on the Arta deportation list. Sultana appears on the Preveza deportation list. 9 Rebecca Matsas Aaron was born in Corfu and deported from Athens. She would appear on the Athens deportation list. Rebecca was 24 when she was murdered at Auschwitz-Birkenau. 10 Mary was also deported from Athens. She is listed on the Athens deportation list. She was born in izmir and, therefore, is not listed on Arta list. Yad Vashem testimony by grandson Avraam Soussis Rabbi Married to Rifka Had 13 children11 Born in Arta but deported from Ioannina Surname Given Bakola. His first wife Dinah Colchamiro died before the war Sion Bakolas-her stepson-gave testimony at Yad Vashem Born in Arta but deported from Preveza Surname Given Born in Arta but deported from Corfu Surname Given 11 One son survived and one was deported with his family from Athens. Fate of rest of children not know at present. 12 Listed on Preveza list of Holocaust victims Merchant-had dry goods store Daughter gave testimony at Yad Vashem Son Armando escaped deportation Married to Lina Vellelis Deported with wife and family (5 children listed) Daughter Revekka survived and gave testimony at Yad Vashem Avraam was a banker and might have survived. He is not listed in the deportation list from Corfu. Brother-in-law gave Yad Vashem 13 Listed on Corfu deportation list 14 Listed on Corfu deportation list. Deported with husband and 2 young children 15 Deported from Corfu with husband and 3 children 16 Confusion as to where Joyia was born. One Yad Vashem testimony has her born in Preveza and another in Arta. Listed on Corfu deportation list with husband and 5 children 17 Listed in Corfu deportations with wife and 5 children 18 Listed in Corfu deportation list. 19 Deported with 2 young children. No mention of her husband on list of victims. Born in Arta but deported from Patras Surname Given Merchant Deported from Patras with his wife and children Son Moshe survived and gave testimony at Yad Vashem Mazal: 20 Shabetai: 14 Simcha: 12 Roza: 10 Shlomo: 8 Perished who was a merchant Yad Vashem testimony by niece Tova Israel Betty Elias gave testimony at Yad Vashem Born in Arta but deported from Salonika Surname Given Born in Arta but deported from somewhere in Greece20 Surname Given Born in Arta but deported from Milan, Italy Surname Given Our work is never complete, not until every name of every Greek-Jew who perished in the Holocaust is uncovered and recorded for eternity. If you have additional information, please contact us. 20 The information here is sparse but until otherwise corrected, we feel it necessary to include these names.

Source: http://www.kkjsm.org/holocaust/Arta.pdf