Maurice Venezia (25 February 1921 – 2 September 2013), later Morris Venezia, was an Italian-Greek Jewish survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp. A member of the special squads, Sonderkommando, he was one of the few remaining eyewitnesses to the gas chambers at the time of his death.
Venezia was descended from Sephardi Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492 (with the Alhambra Decree) and traveled throughout Europe before settling in Greek Macedonia, under the Ottoman Empire. While residing in the Republic of Venice, the Venezia family acquired the last name Venezia (Venice) and Italian citizenship.
In Thessaloniki Morris's family - with scarce economic means - was part of the community of Italian Jews; the children attended the Italian school in Thessaloniki (a school aligned to the Italian prevailing Fascist doctrine). His father, Isacco Venezia, a barber, had left as a young man to join the Italian armed forces as a volunteer during World War I. Thanks to this, when his father died, Morris could go and study in Italy for free, at a high school (Istituto tecnico) in Milan, through the intervention of the Italian Consulate in Thessaloniki;[2][3] Morris's family (his mother Doudoun (Angel), his younger brother Shlomo, and younger sisters Rachel, Marika and Martha) could live in Thessaloniki with the support of their relatives.
When the Racial Laws against the Jews were introduced in 1938, Morris was expelled from Italy, without finishing his studies, and returned to Greece. In 1940, after the Italian declaration of war, the subsequent invasion of Greece and the bombardment of Thessaloniki (November 3, 1940),[4] by the Italian armed forces, the Greek police began arresting people of Italian nationality. Many Italians were captured, including Maurice, and imprisoned in a building in the center of the city; afterwards, they were transferred around Athens and were released on arrival of the Italian Army.[2][3]
When the German troops arrived and occupied Northern Greece, the Italian Consulate in Thessaloniki organized a voluntary transfer of the Italians either to Sicily or to Athens. The Morris family remained in Athens as refugees.[5] This was to prove a dire choice.
After 8 September 1943, as Italy signed an armistice with the Allies, Athens came under full German power.[6]
Morris and Shlomo joined the Greek partisans,[1] while remaining in Athens. As the months passed, the control of the Nazis on the Greek Jews became more and more pressing, with deportations and with the introduction of a weekly sign-in obligation at the Jewish Community: in March 1944, as they were signing, they were arrested and detained in an Athens prison (Haidari).[6] Shortly after, they were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp.
Sonderkommando
The brothers Maurice and Shlomo, with their cousins Dario and Jakob Gabbai and their families, arrived in Auschwitz on 11 April 1944.[7]
Maurice and Shlomo were chosen by the SS to enter the Sonderkommando, because they had declared to be barbers and were young and vigorous; they were assigned to different buildings, and subsequently worked together in the camp.[2]
In the Sonderkommando units the Jews were forced to work in the gas chambers and in the crematories of the camp. Not only they had to move the bodies from the gas chambers to the crematories; they had the horrible duty to undress, shave and search the dead bodies for gold teeth and hidden riches, thereafter spoliating them of what they were to find and amassing it for the nazis. They had to do it sorting the dead and piling them out in the open. This was to be done because even hair was considered by the nazis re-usable goods, not to mention eye glasses or artificial limbs and, of course, clothing.
Morris features throughout "Auschwitz - The Final Witness", a 2001 NY Festival winning film made by Sky for Channel 5 which reunited him with his two Sonderkommando cousins as they revisited the death camp together for the first time in over 50 years.
He died in September 2013 in Palm Springs, California at the age of 92.[8]
^(in Italian)Headquarters of the Armed Forces, 'War Bulletin' no. 149
^Shlomo Venezia, 1.9 - Da Salonicco ad Atene, Interview (2000), on "Memoro. La banca della memoria"
^ abShlomo Venezia, 2.9 - La deportazione, Interview (2000), on "Memoro. La banca della memoria"
^(German)Gerhard Botz, Nicoletta Bertagnoli, Schweigen und Reden einer Generation: Erinnerungsgespräche mit Op-fern, Tätern und Mitläufern des Nationalsozialismus, Mandelbaum, 2005, p. 48
(in Italian)Marcello Pezzetti, Il libro della Shoah italiana: i racconti di chi è sopravvissuto, Einaudi, Torino, 2009, 363
External links
Carol Stulberg, Interview: Morris Venezia, October 27, 1996, Inglewood (California)
Berverly Beyette, Bearing Witness, on “Los Angeles Times”, October 20, 1999
(in French)Biographies. Auschwitz Sondekommando, on sonderkommando.info
January 04, 2023
morris, venezia, maurice, venezia, february, 1921, september, 2013, later, italian, greek, jewish, survivor, auschwitz, concentration, camp, member, special, squads, sonderkommando, remaining, eyewitnesses, chambers, time, death, bornmaurice, venezia, 1921, fe. Maurice Venezia 25 February 1921 2 September 2013 later Morris Venezia was an Italian Greek Jewish survivor of the Auschwitz concentration camp A member of the special squads Sonderkommando he was one of the few remaining eyewitnesses to the gas chambers at the time of his death Morris VeneziaBornMaurice Venezia 1921 02 25 25 February 1921Thessaloniki Salonica GreeceDiedSeptember 2 2013 2013 09 02 aged 92 Palm Springs California U S He was the brother of Shlomo Venezia After the end of World War II he lived in California 1 Contents 1 Biography 2 Sonderkommando 3 See also 4 References 5 Bibliography 6 External linksBiography EditVenezia was descended from Sephardi Jews who were expelled from Spain in 1492 with the Alhambra Decree and traveled throughout Europe before settling in Greek Macedonia under the Ottoman Empire While residing in the Republic of Venice the Venezia family acquired the last name Venezia Venice and Italian citizenship In Thessaloniki Morris s family with scarce economic means was part of the community of Italian Jews the children attended the Italian school in Thessaloniki a school aligned to the Italian prevailing Fascist doctrine His father Isacco Venezia a barber had left as a young man to join the Italian armed forces as a volunteer during World War I Thanks to this when his father died Morris could go and study in Italy for free at a high school Istituto tecnico in Milan through the intervention of the Italian Consulate in Thessaloniki 2 3 Morris s family his mother Doudoun Angel his younger brother Shlomo and younger sisters Rachel Marika and Martha could live in Thessaloniki with the support of their relatives When the Racial Laws against the Jews were introduced in 1938 Morris was expelled from Italy without finishing his studies and returned to Greece In 1940 after the Italian declaration of war the subsequent invasion of Greece and the bombardment of Thessaloniki November 3 1940 4 by the Italian armed forces the Greek police began arresting people of Italian nationality Many Italians were captured including Maurice and imprisoned in a building in the center of the city afterwards they were transferred around Athens and were released on arrival of the Italian Army 2 3 When the German troops arrived and occupied Northern Greece the Italian Consulate in Thessaloniki organized a voluntary transfer of the Italians either to Sicily or to Athens The Morris family remained in Athens as refugees 5 This was to prove a dire choice After 8 September 1943 as Italy signed an armistice with the Allies Athens came under full German power 6 Morris and Shlomo joined the Greek partisans 1 while remaining in Athens As the months passed the control of the Nazis on the Greek Jews became more and more pressing with deportations and with the introduction of a weekly sign in obligation at the Jewish Community in March 1944 as they were signing they were arrested and detained in an Athens prison Haidari 6 Shortly after they were deported to Auschwitz concentration camp Sonderkommando EditThe brothers Maurice and Shlomo with their cousins Dario and Jakob Gabbai and their families arrived in Auschwitz on 11 April 1944 7 Maurice and Shlomo were chosen by the SS to enter the Sonderkommando because they had declared to be barbers and were young and vigorous they were assigned to different buildings and subsequently worked together in the camp 2 In the Sonderkommando units the Jews were forced to work in the gas chambers and in the crematories of the camp Not only they had to move the bodies from the gas chambers to the crematories they had the horrible duty to undress shave and search the dead bodies for gold teeth and hidden riches thereafter spoliating them of what they were to find and amassing it for the nazis They had to do it sorting the dead and piling them out in the open This was to be done because even hair was considered by the nazis re usable goods not to mention eye glasses or artificial limbs and of course clothing Morris features throughout Auschwitz The Final Witness a 2001 NY Festival winning film made by Sky for Channel 5 which reunited him with his two Sonderkommando cousins as they revisited the death camp together for the first time in over 50 years He died in September 2013 in Palm Springs California at the age of 92 8 See also EditShlomo Venezia Dario Gabbai Sonderkommando History of the Jews in ThessalonikiReferences Edit a b No Human Can Understand The Sonderkommando and Revolt in Auschwitz Biographical Profiles a b c Shlomo Venezia Sonderkommando Auschwitz Penguin Books 2007 a b Carol Stulberg Interview Morris Venezia October 27 1996 Inglewood California in Italian Headquarters of the Armed Forces War Bulletin no 149 Shlomo Venezia 1 9 Da Salonicco ad Atene Interview 2000 on Memoro La banca della memoria a b Shlomo Venezia 2 9 La deportazione Interview 2000 on Memoro La banca della memoria German Gerhard Botz Nicoletta Bertagnoli Schweigen und Reden einer Generation Erinnerungsgesprache mit Op fern Tatern und Mitlaufern des Nationalsozialismus Mandelbaum 2005 p 48 Morris Venezia LifeStoryBibliography EditShlomo Venezia Sonderkommando Auschwitz Penguin Books 2007 Auschwitz The Nazis and the Final Solution BBC Books 2005 ISBN 978 0 563 52296 6 in Italian Marcello Pezzetti Il libro della Shoah italiana i racconti di chi e sopravvissuto Einaudi Torino 2009 363External links EditCarol Stulberg Interview Morris Venezia October 27 1996 Inglewood California Berverly Beyette Bearing Witness on Los Angeles Times October 20 1999 in French Biographies Auschwitz Sondekommando on sonderkommando info Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Morris Venezia amp oldid 1112196396, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
