AT 15 March 1943 first train to destination Auschwitz went to Thessaloniki.

Eighty years later 25th Thessaloniki Documentary Film Festival pays tribute to the city’s Jewish community, which was destroyed during World War II.

“Adio querida: from Thessaloniki to Auschwitz – 80 years”, what will be the name of the tribute to the 25th FNTH, which will take place in March 2023, takes its name from “Adio querida (or adio kerida)”, a traditional Sephardic love song written in Ladino, it talks about separation, love, death. In the area of ​​the urban legend of the Jewish community, it is said that “Farewell, beloved” Jews sang just before entering the trains that were supposed to take them to Nazi concentration camps.

Highlighting painful testimonies and shocking documents, his films are dedicated tos “Adio querida: From Thessaloniki to Auschwitz – 80 years” shed light on one of the darkest pages of world history. Unhealed universal trauma acts as a reminder and warning for the future.

The most shocking record of the horrors of the Holocaust “Shoah” (1985) from Claude Lanzmann, which has been voted by many film theorists as the best documentary of all time, will be screened as part of the tribute. This is a mind-blowing 566-minute journey, which will be shown in the full version. Lanzmann worked non-stop for 11 years, interviewing prison guards, witnesses, and Nazis, and delved deeply into the historical, anthropological, and cultural impact of the Holocaust. A true cinematic achievement, The Shoah ensures that the Holocaust is never consigned to historical oblivion or excuses for ignorance.

On a special evening, the power of music and the magic of cinematic imagery will converge on the Olympic stage. “Golem” (1920) is an allegory of the tragic fate that will soon befall the Jews, and is one of the first films to deal with the problems of anti-Semitism. Producer Paul Wegener and Carl Beze From the dawn of German Expressionism, this rare cult horror film paved the way for such classics as Nosferatu and Metropolis. The film draws inspiration from medieval Jewish legend and today, in addition to its historical value, it is recognized as a cult science fiction gem. Beloved director and musician Yannis Veslemes composed original music especially for the event that will accompany the live screening of the film.

Sensational documentary “Heroes of Thessaloniki” (2021) from Tom Barkay focuses on the horrors of everyday life in the concentration camps. Six Thessalonian Jewish Holocaust survivors, most of whom live in Israel, describe in blood-curdling detail the torture, methods of extermination, disease, starvation, experiments they were subjected to. This is one of the rare occasions when we feel so deeply the cruelty of Nazism and the scale of the crime.

in “Thessaloniki, the city of silence / Thessaloniki, the city of silence” (2006) Born in Thessaloniki Maurice Amarazi it pays homage to the city’s glorious multicultural past, the so-called “Balkan Jerusalem”, which has come into conflict with the narrative of a single national identity that has prevailed since the end of the Balkan Wars. Combining images of a modern city with testimonies from Holocaust survivors, this nostalgic revival attempts to lift the veil of official silence on the tragic fate of Thessaloniki’s Jewish community.

In a heartbreaking documentary “Kiss the Children” (2011) from Basil Lawle Five elderly Greek Jews speak to camera about the horrific experiences they experienced in occupied Greece during World War II. Through the words and stories of people who have experienced horror on themselves, we also become participants in a tragedy that will never cease to excite all of humanity.

Documentary “Out of History” (2012) from Fofos Terzidou it traces both the rich history of the populous and prosperous Jewish community of Thessaloniki and the less prominent path of the Jewish community of Katerini. Through testimonies, evidence and historical analysis, the film addresses the ever-present problem of official historical memory, exploring the destructive stereotypes that continue to this day to breed prejudice and hush up the most inhumane crimes.

The full tribute program will be announced soon.