[ALBSA-Info] Ha'aretz

[Agron Alibali]

Ha'aretz English Edition

17:06 24/10/2002 Last update - 17:07 24/10/2002 


After 50 years, Greece Jewish community reburies WWII hero 

http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=223296&contrassID
=1&subContrassID=8&sbSubContrassID=0&listSrc=Y

By The Associated Press 


THESSALONIKI - Greece's small Jewish community Thursday reburied a World
War II army hero after a 50-year campaign by his family to have his remains
returned from Albania. 

More than half the city's Jewish community - numbering about 1,100 people -
attended the funeral service for Colonel Mordechai Frizis, who died in
December 1940 while fighting Italian troops in southern Albania. 

"I can't describe the emotions, the satisfaction and the final vindication
for my father," his son, 70-year-old Jacob Frizis, said after the ceremony. 

The funeral was held at an uneasy time for Greece's small Jewish community,
caused by a strong showing in local elections last week by an
ultra-nationalist politician accused of harboring virulent anti-Semitic
views. 

"This is so important for our history because Greeks know about the
Holocaust, but not about the contribution of Greece's Jews in the wars of
our country," said David Saltiel, president of Thessaloniki's Jewish
community. 

A military honor guard played taps and soldiers fired rifle volleys in the
air as Frizis' flag-draped casket was buried in the city's new Jewish
cemetery. The original Jewish cemetery was destroyed by Nazi occupiers
during World War II and a university was later built on the site. 

Nearly 90 percent of Greece's 80,000-strong Jewish community perished in
Nazi death camps, mostly in Poland, and less than 5,000 remain. Jewish life
in Greece can be traced back 2,300 years and Thessaloniki was once known as
the "Pearl of Israel." 

Frizis' family and other Thessaloniki Jews expressed hope the ceremony
would help defuse fears of growing anti-Semitism in Greece. Numerous acts
of vandalism have been carried out against Jewish cemeteries and the
country's sole Holocaust memorial. 

The community was also shocked by the strong showing of the right-wing
Giorgos Karatzaferis, who garnered 13.6 percent support for regional
governor of greater Athens. 

The Simon Wiesenthal Center earlier this month asked the Greek government
to close down a television station controlled by Karatzaferis because of
its anti-Semitic views. 

"I want to say to all those who speak against Jews, and especially the Jews
of Greece, such as Karatzaferis, that this is proof that the Jews of Greece
are proud of their Jewishness and their Greekness," Frizis' grandson,
Mordechai Frizis, said. 

His grandfather was credited with Greece's first victory on the Albanian
front, a win that helped turned the tide after Italy invaded in 1940
through Albania. In a horrific winter battle, outnumbered Greek troops
pushed the Italian army back to Vlora, more than 100 kilometers to the north. 

After his death, his son Jacob campaigned for 50 years to have his remains
located and returned. Frustrated by his lack of success, he sent 2,000
letters last January to Greek politicians, opinion makers and the media. 

The army launched an investigation and Frizis' remains were found under an
acorn tree in southern Albania. 

"Why for so many years did the Greek state remain indifferent? Is it
because a climate of anti-Semitism remains" asked Mordechai Frizis, a
30-year-old rabbinical student.


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