Of Pagona Lapsati
The Jewish Museum has been operating since 2001. The aim of its creation was to preserve the memory of the Jews of Thessaloniki and to collect relics that testify to their long-standing presence in the city. On the occasion of the opening of the new wing, which took place last week, Evangelos Hekimoglou, curator of the Museum, talks to us about the new phase the museum is entering after its expansion, about its reconnection with the old Jewish neighborhood, but also its importance to Jews throughout the world.
What is the relationship of the Jewish Museum with the area where it is located?
The museum is housed in the "Jedid Khan" shopping arcade on Agios Minas Street, which is the northern end of the Top Hane Jewish Quarter. Over the past 120 years, the area has seen many changes of commercial use, housing everything from fish shops, printing houses, newspaper and bank offices to garment factories and merchants with a perennial Jewish presence. After the 1980s, businesses moved to other parts of the city and the place declined. The museum, in combination with the operation of the bookstore of the Educational Foundation of the National Bank, as well as the recent pedestrianization of Agios Minas, contributed catalytically to the neighborhood regaining life.
How was the conversion of the gallery buildings into a museum, for the purposes of the new wing, without losing their historicity?
The buildings of the gallery were built between 1880 and 1910. The architectural approach to the reformation of the aging building infrastructure was done respectfully by the architectural office KARD Architects in collaboration with Dr. Ilias Messina. Externally the two buildings – the original and the new wing – were unified with two panels added to the facade, while internally the worn elements were replaced with new ones, but using the same materials. Construction features that were not necessary for the museum, but echo the uses and history of the portico, such as the store shutters, were also preserved. Of course, the final configuration serves the current use of the space, as a shopping arcade is one thing and a museum is another.
What will the visitor see in the museum, after its recent expansion?
A new wing was created, adding one room to each level – four in total. The first is the new museum shop, while the second focuses on the Jewish architectural activity of the interwar period. The remaining two concern the period 1912-1945, the most essential in the history that the museum undertakes, as it covers the period of the gradual decay and final destruction of the Jewish community, as well as the efforts to reconstitute it. The narrative is completed by the folklore collection and the section on the destroyed cemetery and synagogues. In addition, a space with modern audio-visual media has been created in the basement, which is suitable for lectures, educational activities and other activities.
The old Jewish cemetery, to which you refer, was destroyed by order of a Greek commander. What kind of reactions have you received about it from your fellow citizens?
The circumstances under which it was decided and especially the circumstances under which the looting and razing of the Jewish cemetery took place have not been clarified. It is a responsibility that is shared among a number of people, both German and Greek. In any case, what happened was against both the general Greek legislation on abandoned cemeteries and the cemetery-specific law of August 4th. However, we must not forget that the final allocation of the space to the University of Thessaloniki was made by a free Greek government in 1946, which followed the legal preparations of the occupying Ralli government. It is important that for the vast majority of Thessalonians the issue is unknown or non-existent, as is the history of the Occupation in Thessaloniki in general.
The visit gives the traveler a good taste of life in the Sephardic community. Are there political implications in the museum narrative?
The museum's historical exhibitions are political in nature. Anti-Semitism had a name and an adjective, and often not what we think unless we approach the sources. It is political behavior determined by specific social conditions, which must be demonstrated. This character is even visible in the periodical exhibitions, such as the one entitled "Brides without a smile", which hosts photographs of weddings that took place after the Holocaust.
How does the museum connect the pre-war Jewish community of Thessaloniki with today's Israelis?
Jewish communities have many differences from each other. Thessaloniki was an Ottoman city, in which for four centuries the Jews constituted a dominant population community. For this reason, the museum with its exhibitions and online programs is of great interest to all Jews, but also to anyone who wants to learn more about the Ottoman past of Thessaloniki.
Are there any differences and what are the differences between the Jewish Museum and the other Jewish museums?
Thessaloniki was the only city in Europe with a Jewish population majority. In contrast to the richness of the historical presence, the main limiting condition of the Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki is that it is called upon to save the memory of a community which the German conquerors of Greece completely destroyed. The 4% that were rescued returned to find neighborhoods demolished, synagogues blown up, libraries, relics, shops and houses looted.
In recent years, the number of Israelis visiting Thessaloniki has increased significantly. Why is this happening;
The main reason is that Turkey is no longer a desirable destination for Israelis. The void is occupied by Thessaloniki, where tens – if not hundreds – of thousands of Jews from all over the world come from. It must be taken into account that, from 1913 to 1940, almost half of the Jewish population emigrated from Thessaloniki, settling in Israel, France, and also in American countries. For all those who carried on the Sephardic tradition, Thessaloniki is the birthplace. Certainly the relevant policy of the Municipality of Thessaloniki played a role in this direction, and even more so the transnational approach between Greece and Israel.
Can the EMS become a tourist attraction and who does it concern?
The significant increase in individual visitors – in contrast to groups – shows that the EMS is indeed attracting the interest of tourists. After all, for a Jew, no matter where he comes from, the museum is the reason to visit Thessaloniki. That is why we take care of the rotation of the exhibits as well as the realization of a research project, so that new things are constantly presented. However, the sections of the EMTH are not exclusively of Jewish interest. The Jewish community did not live alone in the city and in many places the relations with the other communities are mentioned. In terms of traffic, the Israelis come during their vacation periods, the Greeks mainly in the winter months, while the other tourists come in all seasons. About 15% of the museum's visitors are students.
Jewish Museum of Thessaloniki, 11 Agios Minas, tel. 2310-250406, jmth.gr. Open every day except Saturday.