March 1943, Jews being deported from Macedonia to the Treblinka Death Camp

In April 1941, Macedonia was annexed to Bulgaria, and Macedonia’s Jews were subjected to discriminatory Bulgarian legislation.  In September 1942, the Jews were forced to identify their homes and places of business, and all Jews aged ten and over were made to wear a Star of David on their left breast. 

Already in late 1941, negotiations between the Germans and the Bulgarians had begun regarding the deportation of the Bulgarian Jews to the death camps.  On February 1943, Bulgaria signed an agreement with Germany to deport 20,000 Jews from its territories, including all the Jews of Macedonia and northern Thrace, and Jews from Bulgaria itself. 

On 11 March 1943, in a well-planned operation, 7,341 Macedonian Jews were caught and imprisoned in a provisional transit camp established in the government tobacco warehouses in Skopje. Over three days, 22, 25 and 29 March 1943, 7,144 of these Jews were deported to the Treblinka death camp.  Only 200 Macedonian Jews survived the war.

Yad Vashem Photo Archives 1567/41