Collection of Forms from the Registry of the Jewish Community in Thessaloniki after the 1917 Great Fire – ...

Collection of Forms from the Registry of the Jewish Community in Thessaloniki after the 1917 Great Fire – Statements of Name and Place of Residence – 1924
Eleven forms from the registry of the Jewish community in Thessaloniki, reconstructed after the great fire in 1917, stating names and places of residence alongside photographs. Thessaloniki, 1924. Ladino.
Eleven printed leaves, each bearing four forms declaring that the persons indicated indeed belong to the Jewish community of Thessaloniki: "We the undersigned declare that […] are natives of Thessaloniki". Each form bears a small portrait picture of those listed on it and is signed by witnesses, members of the local Jewish community. Except for the heading, the entire text is printed in the Rashi typeface. The forms are numbered 784 to 825.
In early 20th century, the Jewish community of Thessaloniki was one of the largest and most thriving Jewish communities in the Balkan. The Jewish community constituted nearly half of the population of the city. Jewish life in the city was spiritually and materially rich, and so firmly established that it was known as "Jerusalem of the Balkan". The community had dozens of synagogues, Jewish and Hebrew schools, Jewish publishing houses, Jewish newspapers in a number of languages and even a modern, well-equipped Jewish hospital; the Jews of Thessaloniki practiced a variety professions – there were intellectuals, merchants, industrialists, craftsmen, fishermen and dockworkers. During those years, a large Zionist movement and a Jewish labor movement were active in the town, indicative of a lively, multi-class, diverse society.
In 1917, a fire ravaged the city, which constituted a veritable turning point in the history of the community. World war I was still raging, and thousands refugees were staying in the town; a spark from a kitchen fire ignited a refugee's house, quickly spreading through the clustered buildings of ancient Thessaloniki. The fire burned for thirty-two hours, destroying almost one-third of the city. The Jewish community in particular suffered a heavy blow. Out of 70,000 people that were left homeless, 52,000 were Jews. The archive of the Jewish community, which recorded generations of Jewish history in the city was also lost in the fire. In order to be eligible for damages, the victims of the fire were required to prove residency, and so the Jewish community began newly registering Jewish residents. These forms, originating in the reconstructed registry of the Jewish community, indicate that the persons listed were indeed residents of the city.
[11] leaves, 33 cm. Good to good-fair condition. Stains. Blemishes and small tears. Long tears to several leaves. Tape repairs.