Obj. ID: 44835
  Memorials  Holocaust memorial in Kavala, Greece, 2015

The memorial in Kavaka is very similar to one erected in Drama in 1999. Both memorials were built by engineer Victor S. Venouziou and architect Maria Zourna. The monument in Kavala is much more modest. 

The creation and dedication process of the relatively modest memorial monument in Kavala was the most contentious in Greece, due to the decision of the majority of the City Council of Kavala to cancel the dedication ceremony scheduled for May 17th, because of the opposition to the inclusion of a Magen David symbol on the monument.

The Central Board of Jewish Communities of Greece (KIS) emphatically rejected the mayor’s request to remove the Magen David from the memorial with a strong statement:

“The Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece and the Greek Jewry at large explicitly reject this demand as unacceptable, unethical and insulting and consider the Mayor’s decision a clear attack against the religious feeling of the Greek Jews, citizens of this country, as well as a brutal insult to the holy memory of the victims of the Holocaust, manifested for the first time in the post-War history of our country and of Europe alike. With the Star of David on their clothes, the Jews of Kavala, as well as those of the other Greek cities, and the six million Jews of Europe were selected, deported and exterminated in Treblinka, in Auschwitz and in the other Nazi death camps.”

After national and international protests, including from the Greek Secretary General of Religious Affairs, the municipality relented, and the monument was unveiled on June 7, 2015

As reported by the KIS: 

“The events of June 7, began with the visit of the participants to the Jewish Cemetery of the town where the Rabbi of the Jewish Community Thessaloniki Israel Aharon made the memorial service.  Thereafter the unveiling of the Holocaust Monument followed with the speeches made by of the Deputy Minister of Rural Development Panagiotis Sgouridis, the Regional Governor of Kavala Theodoros Markopoulos, the Mayor of Kavala Dimitra Tsanaka, the President of the Central Board of Jewish Communities in Greece Moses Constantinis, the Ambassador of the State Israel Irit Ben Aba, the President of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki David Saltiel, the President of the Administrative Committee of the Jewish Community of Kavala Ezras Bakolas and the donor of the monument Victor Venouziou. The keynote speaker historian Vassilis Ritzaleos spoke about the history of the Jewish Community of Kavala.

The inauguration events concluded with the Choir of the Jewish Community of Thessaloniki and a wreath laying ceremony. The ceremony was attended by the Secretary General for Religious Affairs at the Ministry of Culture, Education and Religious Affairs, the Consuls of USA and Germany, the Vice Mayor of Kavala, the Presidents of the Greek Jewish Communities, members of Greek Jewish Organizations, many citizens of Kavala, as well as by four sisters, with origins from Kavala who live in Israel, who visited for second time the town in order to participate at the event.”

Vandalism

The monument was vandalized shortly after its dedication, when in November 2015, it was covered with light blue paint. Following the Municipality’s prompt actions, it was cleaned immediately.

The monument was vandalized again, and more seriously, in March 2017, when vandals used hammers to smash the marble coating on the memorial. Again, the municipality repaired the monument.

“Every act of vandalism on a monument opens a new wound in regards to the history and culture of Kavala, a community that has always been open, always tolerant and respectful of other cultures and religions,” the municipal authority said in an announcement.