Back Εβραϊκό Νεκροταφείο Θεσσαλονίκης Greek Cementerio judío de Salónica Spanish Cimetière juif de Salonique French בית העלמין היהודי העתיק בסלוניקי HE Betahayim de Selanik LAD Joodse begraafplaats (Thessaloniki) Dutch
 British officer looking at gravestones from the desecrated Jewish cemetery used to construct German defences, 1944 | |
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| Location | Thessaloniki, Greece |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 40°37′48″N 22°57′29″E / 40.63000°N 22.95806°E |
| Type | Catacombs |
| History | |
| Founded | 15th century |
The Jewish cemetery of Salonica was established in the late fifteenth century by Sephardic Jews fleeing the expulsion of Jews from Spain,[1] covered around 350,000 square metres (3,800,000 sq ft)[2][3] and contained almost 500,000 burials.[3][4] The cemetery's expropriation was envisioned in the urban redevelopment plan following the 1917 Great Fire of Thessaloniki, but strongly opposed by the Jewish community as disturbing the graves violated Jewish law. The cemetery was ultimately destroyed in December 1942 by the municipality of Thessaloniki as part of the Holocaust in Greece during the Axis occupation of Greece. The headstones were used as building materials around the city, including for Greek Orthodox churches, while the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki was built on the grounds. The Jewish community never received compensation for the expropriation of the land, valued at 1.5 billion drachmas in 1943.
- ^ "When the Nazis Desecrated the Jewish Cemetery of Salonika". The Librarians. 9 November 2017. Retrieved 16 April 2021.
- ^ Mazower 2004, p. 424.
- ^ a b Kornetis 2018, p. 240.
- ^ Saltiel 2014, p. 1.