Σιωπηρή διαμαρτυρία αντί Αποκαλυπτηρίων Μνημείου Ολοκαυτώματος στην Καβάλα – Unveiling of the Kavala Holocaust Memorial will not take place

Picture of the proposed Holocaust Memorial of Kavala. Via abravanel.wordpress.com

Kavala Mayor Dimitra Tsanaka [backed by conservative New Democracy] has come under fire after stopping the unveiling of a memorial to the city’s 1,484 Jews that were killed by Nazi troops, because it featured the Star of David (via kathimerini). A protest against this decision will be staged tomorrow morning in Kavala. Read below in Greek the press release of the citizens’ initiative that organises the protest.

ΔΕΛΤΙΟ ΤΥΠΟΥ

Στην τελευταία συνεδρίαση του δημοτικού συμβουλίου Καβάλας, η Δήμαρχος κυρία Τσανάκα ζήτησε την αναβολή των Αποκαλυπτηρίων του μνημείου για τους 1.484 Καβαλιώτες Εβραίους που συνελήφθησαν από τις βουλγαρικές αρχές κατοχής στις 4 Μαρτίου 1943, εκτοπίστηκαν και εξοντώθηκαν στο ναζιστικό στρατόπεδο της Τρεμπλίνκα στην Πολωνία. Σύμφωνα με τη Δήμαρχο Καβάλας, το μνημείο δεν ανταποκρίνεται στα αισθητικά της κριτήρια και προτίθεται να κάνει άλλο ύστερα από καλλιτεχνικό διαγωνισμό. Σύμφωνα όμως με τις επίσημες ανακοινώσεις των εβραϊκών κοινοτήτων στην Ελλάδα, η Δήμαρχος Καβάλας ζήτησε να αφαιρεθεί το άστρο του Δαβίδ από το μνημείο. Το σύμβολο αυτό είναι στοιχείο της εβραϊκής ταυτότητας και υπενθυμίζει το κίτρινο άστρο, το διακριτικό σήμα που φορούσαν οι Εβραίοι της Καβάλας πριν από τον εκτοπισμό τους. Επειδή η απόφαση αυτή προσβάλλει τα δικαιώματα των συμπατριωτών μας Εβραίων και την ιστορική μνήμη για το μεγαλύτερο έγκλημα του Ναζισμού και των Κατακτητών στην πόλη μας, όπως και τα δημοκρατικά αισθήματα των πολιτών, καλούμε τους πολίτες της Καβάλας να συγκεντρωθούμε ειρηνικά και να διαμαρτυρηθούμε σιωπηρά μπροστά στο Δημαρχείο της πόλης την Κυριακή 17 Μαΐου 2015 και ώρα 10.30 π.μ. Τέλος, καλούμε τη Δήμαρχο Καβάλας να αναθεωρήσει την απόφασή της.

Πρωτοβουλία Πολιτών

Read also:

• Abravanel, the blog: Greek mayor rejects Holocaust Memorial; Star of David persecuted again
• Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece: CANCELLATION OF THE UNVEILING CEREMONY OF THE HOLOCAUST MONUMENT IN KAVALA
• AJC Shocked by Demand to Remove Star of David from Holocaust Monument in Kavala, Greece
• The Algemeiner: Jewish Groups Deplore Greek Demand to Remove Star of David From Holocaust Memorial
• The Times of Israel: Greek town wants Star of David off Holocaust memorial
• The Times of Israel: Une étoile de David indésirable en Grèce ?

Update, 17.05.:

Pavlos Zafiropoulos reports on thetoc.gr:

[…] Mr Lychounas [deputy mayor of culture in Kavala] himself, in an article written about the incident in the Kathimerini newspaper, indicates that there was something perhaps deeper behind the disgraceful episode. After describing the many delays in actually succeeding in getting the memorial ready (it was actually first approved by the municipality in 2004 but was plagued with foot-dragging and interminable delays), Lychounas writes that:

“The preparations with all relevant organs continued with the goal of a celebration of memory, but also of the future, until the cries of horror were heard: “The symbols of Lucifer (Star of David), indifference over our dead (make a memorial for the Greeks killed of Asia Minor), a global Zionist conspiracy, freemasonry, the new order of things which seeks to destroy the nation and hysteria over supposed protests” were the arguments…The bitter truth is that there remains a segment of the Greek population which has powerful anti-Semitic feelings based on ignorance and prejudice and the education system does not do enough to eliminate the phenomenon.”

Update, 18.05.:

The Times of Israel report:

Faced with blistering criticism over objecting to the presence of the Star of David on a monument dedicated to Holocaust victims, the mayor of Kavala in northern Greece told protesters Sunday that the dedication ceremony, originally set for this Sunday, will take place “very soon.”

Mayor Dimitra Tsanaka confirmed that councilors from her list had objected to the size and placement of the Star of David on a commemorative stone, although she denied she shared the opinion or wanted the star removed, as the Central Board of Jewish Communities has alleged.

Update, 19.05.:

According to the transcription provided by the Greek journalist Sofia Christoforidou, the Kavala Mayor, Dimitra Tsanaka, blamed in her speech last Sunday the Greek Jews and especially the vice-president of the Jewish Central Board Mr. Magrizos, for the cancellation of the unveiling ceremony of the Holocaust Memorial. The Mayor also admitted she canceled the event to protect the civil peace, after threats she received. After falling to continuous contradictions, she offered to retract her initial statement and accept the monument – possible date June, 7th.

“The uniqueness of Kavala is the protagonists were honest and managed to give us a clear view of greek antisemitism: the very existence of Jewish symbols is not to be tolerated on religious grounds, the Jews still conspire against us through Israel, we Christians have suffered just as much, the Holocaust did not happen here, it is not unique and does not concern us. The Orthodox Church still exerts a huge influence over greek politicians and unfortunately religious antisemitism remains a major part of her culture. And unfortunately we still need to be told by others that racism and antisemitism is not accepted by the rest of the world.”

Read more on abravanel.wordpress.com