Alfred Lüth
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Alfred Lüth | |
|---|---|
| Disappeared | 1944 Zakynthos |
| Cause of death | possibly summarily executed |
| Allegiance | Nazi Germany |
| Rank | Captain |
| Known for | Possibly helping save the Jews of Zakynthos |
Alfred Lüth (?-1944), also known as Lit or von Lüth, was a captain in the Wehrmacht who served as the governor of the Greek island of Zakynthos during World War II. He is particularly known for being the German governor during the rescue of the Jews of Zakynthos.
For reasons still not fully understood, he may have played a role in collaboration with Bishop Chrysostomos Dimitriou and Mayor Loukas Karrer in saving the entire Jewish population of Zakynthos. Shortly before the withdrawal of German troops from the island, he was replaced by another governor, arrested, possibly for saving the Jews, and subsequently vanished from sources, potentially executed summarily.
According to some sources, Alfred Lüth is believed to be Austrian, but the Austrian archives do not provide confirmation of this.[1]
The Germans took control of Zakynthos after the surrender of Italy in September 1943, and Lüth was appointed as the military governor at that time.[2] He held the rank of captain in the Wehrmacht.[3][4] Arriving on the island from Athens on September 9, 1943,[3] under the command of the LXVIII Army Corps and General of the Fliers Hellmuth Felmy.[5] This army corps is known for its mass participation in the Holocaust, especially during their occupation of Greece.[6]
While serving as governor, he had new stamps created featuring King Victor Emmanuel III of Italy.[7] It is suggested that his regiment was sent to the island as a form of punishment, possibly straining his relations with the Nazi command from the outset.[8]
Alfred Lüth is primarily known for his actions during the rescue of the Jews of Zakynthos.[9] In this episode, after threatening the civilian authorities of the island, Bishop Chrysostomos Dimitriou, and Mayor Loukas Karrer with execution if they did not provide him with the list of Jews on the island,[10] he reportedly refrained from carrying out the threat in the face of their categorical refusal.[9][11] Lüth is said to have received at least one diamond from Chrysostomos Dimitriou to prevent the deportation of Jews.[9] His behavior is particularly challenging to analyze, as he was willing to force Karrer at gunpoint to reveal the names and addresses of the Jews on the island, but at other times, he allegedly told the leader of the Jewish community on the island, Yaakov Mordo, that "as long as I live, the Jews of Zakynthos will not be taken".[9] He played a crucial role in avoiding the deportation to Auschwitz for over 200 Jews by delaying deportation orders,[1][5][6][12][13] allowing them to hide in the mountains.[4] Alfred Lüth also employed various rhetorical strategies with Nazi authorities to prevent deportation,[5][6][13][14] asserting that deporting Jews would lead to an uprising by the Greek population, mayors would cease to obey, and the bishop would call for rebellion.[5]
A few days before the end of the occupation and the withdrawal of the Nazi troops, a new governor was appointed to replace Lüth.[9] For reasons difficult to understand, possibly linked to the fact that he may have saved Jews, although not certain, he was arrested by this new governor.[9] Alfred Lüth then disappears from sources, and it is conceivable that he was summarily executed at that time.[9]
