Chapter 284 The Jews of Thessalonica

Due to intentional or unintentional restraint by local Greek banks, led by the three major banks, Jewish capital has always been squeezed out in the Greek banking industry.

After all, the Greeks themselves are also a nation that is very good at business. Secondly, before the independence of modern Greece, the Greeks were also living in various parts of the world, which is somewhat similar to the Jews.

Secondly, Constantine did not want Jews to be able to thrive in the Greek financial industry, so he also supported this attitude of the three major banks.

Jews have a huge influence in the European financial industry, and even the banking industry is inseparable from their historical origins.

European financial centers, whether Amsterdam or London, provided a stage for Jewish capital.

There are inextricably linked relationships between various Jewish banks, weaving into an all-encompassing network of relationships that connects the entire Western world.

Probably influenced by the Jewish conspiracy theories of later generations, such as the idea that Jews control the entire world by relying on money, Constantine was instinctively disgusted and wary of this financial network.

Even in New York, the financial center of the New World, Jewish capital was still the absolute protagonist.

Finance is a very sensitive and important industry, involving almost every aspect of social production and involving a wide range of things. Constantine did not trust the Jews.

Jews have been immersed in the banking industry for five to six hundred years. Once Greece completely relaxes its banking restrictions to them, I am afraid that Greek banks will be at a disadvantage in the competition with Jewish banks, which will allow Jewish banks to grow bigger.

Although Robert made these requests to improve the status of the Jews when he was asking for help from the Greek government, although it was beyond Constantine's expectations, it did not surprise him.

"Mr. Robert, if these requirements of yours are not met, will Rothschild Bank refuse to help the Greek government issue bonds?" Prime Minister Venizelos asked seriously.

Robert's three suggestions are actually completely impossible for Greece to accept at present, because they conflict with Greece's core interests.

Just like in the field of education, after so many years of development, although there are some Albanians in Albania, probably inspired and supported by the Italians, although they lose money every year and the students are of little use after learning, there are still dozens of them. Albanian language school currently operating.

According to a report from the Intelligence Office of the General Staff Headquarters, these Albanian-language schools receive financial assistance of more than 100,000 liras from Italy every year.

Without the support of these external funds, learning Albanian would be of little use. Whether living or working in Greece, various social and economic organizations and official agencies only require Greek and do not care about the so-called Albanian language at all, even if It is Albanian spelled with Greek letters.

Although the Greek government has repeatedly wanted to take action to cut off these Italian foreign funds that are obviously ill-intentioned, it is just that these funds are acted in the name of Albaya expatriates living in southern Italy and supporting the cultural undertakings of their own nation. To be wary of the Italian government's protests, they took no direct action and just kept the Intelligence Department's personnel under a close watch.

If the Greek government now allows Jews to open schools in their own national language, will it have a model effect on other ethnic groups in Greece?

And then demand the same rights?

As for allowing the Jews to purchase land like the Greeks, there are examples of this.

In 1831, due to financial difficulties, the Austrian government turned to the Rothschild family for help.

Solomon Rothschild took the opportunity to write to Prime Minister Metternich and made a request.

He wrote: "The request I now venture to make on behalf of myself and my brothers is that we should have the right to purchase real estate and other substantial property within the Austrian Empire. I am well aware that this request is contrary to the provisions of the law. However, I hope for mercy Your Highness is wise enough to show mercy even outside the law, and I have a feeling that if Your Highness is willing at all, your efforts to mediate will succeed in persuading this most benevolent and enlightened monarch (referring to the King of Austria).

Even though the Jewish banker was wealthy but not angry, the request was rejected by the Austrian authorities and he was still not allowed to own real estate.

Opening up the purchase of land to Jews, allowing them to purchase real estate at will, would also cause problems.

As we all know, Jews are a very united nation. Once the Greek government lifts the restrictions on Jews purchasing land, it is conceivable that the Jews will immediately purchase a large amount of land around Salonika and hand it over to Jewish management, thus forming a A larger Jewish ghetto.

From then on, these lands belonged exclusively to the Jews.

And now there are more than 300,000 Jews living in Salonika. Any Greek who comes to this famous Greek city in history will feel strange - the streets are full of Jews wearing Fitz hats, but they rarely see them. To the Jews.

This feeling is more like being in a foreign country.

Instead, the Jews were more like the owners there.

This issue has sparked widespread debate in Greece since the end of the First Balkan War.

The officers and soldiers of the Macedonian Legion in Greece complained to the outside world more than once that Macedonia was not so much a Greek city as a Jewish city, where Greeks were a minority.

After all, Greece fought two Balkan wars for this city, with tens of thousands of casualties (during the two wars, Greek public opinion was to recapture the Greek city of Thessaloniki). Now that such a huge price has been paid, and the city is full of Jews, this absurd situation obviously makes the mainstream public opinion in Greece very dissatisfied.

In addition, the political stance of the Jews in Thessaloniki is also unacceptable to the Greek people and they have a grudge.

These Jews are close to the Ottoman government!

Especially during the two wars, many Jews were found to have disclosed Greece's military deployment to the outside world.

From the perspective of the Jews, this may be easy to understand.

The Ottoman government authorities initially allowed Jews to migrate to Thessaloniki on a large scale, which had the political intention of diluting the local Greeks.

In order to win over the Jews, the Ottoman authorities made a lot of promises to them, and the Jews who were marginalized in Europe naturally accepted it with pleasure.

In fact, the Jews completed this task very well.

If the Greek government now also allows Jews to buy and sell land freely in Thessaloniki, the living space will be greatly improved, and I am afraid that the number of Jews in Thessaloniki will increase.

In a few years, the number of Jews there will increase from more than 300,000 to one million.

The Greek people cannot accept this, and the Greek government is also unwilling to see the number of Jews in Thessaloniki further expand.