The “Unguarded Passage” series brings to light the rescue of the Jews of Karditsa by the residents of the village Mastrogannis (Amarandos), in the Agrafa mountains, during the German occupation. This untold story will unfold in a two-part radio documentary airing on Friday, January 24, and Friday, January 31, from 1:00 to 2:00 PM (Athens time).
For nearly a year, the villagers of Mastrogannis risked their lives to hide most members of Karditsa’s Jewish community in their homes. Their extraordinary efforts saved at least 82 Jews from Karditsa and a few others from Volos and Larissa, preventing them from being deported to the death camps of Eastern Europe during the implementation of the “Final Solution.”
Remarkably, all members of Karditsa’s Jewish community survived—an unparalleled case in mainland Greece, comparable only to the “Miracle of Zakynthos,” where the island’s Jewish community was also saved.
In this documentary, Victor Venouziou, a 97-year-old emblematic figure of Greek Jewry, shares his memories of the Jewish community’s journey to the Agrafa mountains, their life alongside the people of Mastrogannis, and the acts of solidarity that defined this chapter of history.
Research, documentation, and presentation: Thomas Sideris