Chrysostomos Dimitrios

Chrysostomos, Dimitrios (Metroplitan) Karrer (Carrer), Loukas Yiorgios On September 9, 1943, following the Italian surrender to the Allies, the Germans landed on the island of Zakynthos also known as Zante. Soon after, the island’s military commander demanded from Mayor Loukas Karrer the list of the Jews of the island, including addresses and other details, such as professions and economic status. The commander threatened that if the mayor failed to return the next day with the lists, he would pay with his life. Karrer consulted with the local bishop of the Greek Orthodox Church, Dimitrios Chrysostomos, who was just as eager to save the Jews. Upon the Metropolitan’s advice, the mayor burned the lists of the Jews. When Karrer received the 24-hour ultimatum from the Germans, he immediately summoned all his officials to the town hall. He reported to them all that had happened and ordered them to inform all the Jews on the island that they should head out of town and disperse so that it would be difficult to trace them. Karrer warned his officials not to give any information to the Germans regarding the Jews. He declared that he was taking full responsibility regarding the future. In the meantime, all the Jews went into hiding in the mountains. Local Greeks as well as members of the underground helped them. Thus the 275 Jews of Zakynthos were saved. There is a report that at a meeting with the German commander, Chrysostomos, who was fluent in German, told him that due to the war and the bombing, most of the Jews had already left the island. Nevertheless, the lists were requested again and again. Finally, Chrysostomos gave the German a letter stating that the Jewish community had only two members – Karrer and himself. Karrer’s actions put him in jeopardy of severe punishment by the Germans. Therefore, he decided to leave, too, and he escaped by boat to one of the islands. He stayed in hiding until the Germans departed on September 12, 1944. After the war, theJewish community expressed their appreciation and gratitude to Chrysostomos and Karrer for their noble deeds. On March 14, 1978, Yad Vashem recognized Loukas Yiorgios Karrer and Metropolitan Dimitrios Chrysostomos as Righteous Among the Nations.