North Macedonia

The Jewish community in what is now North Macedonia dates back to Roman times, with a significant presence established by Sephardic Jews fleeing the Spanish Inquisition in the 15th century. By the early 20th century the Jewish population peaked at 11.000, but World War I forced many to emigrate. Most of the Jewish population was concentrated in the towns of Bitola, Skopje, and Štip, contributing to trade, culture, and society. Before World War II, around 7,800 Jews lived in the region.

During World War II, North Macedonia was occupied by Bulgaria, an ally of Nazi Germany. In March 1943, nearly the entire Jewish population—7,144 people—was arrested, deported to the Treblinka extermination camp, and murdered. This marked one of the darkest chapters in the region’s history, with only a handful of Jews surviving in hiding or by joining the partisan resistance.

After the Holocaust, the Jewish community was almost entirely wiped out. Only around 150 survivors remained in North Macedonia, many of whom later emigrated to Israel. Today, the Jewish community in North Macedonia is centered in Skopje, numbering around 200 members. Efforts to honor and remember the lost generations continue, including the Holocaust Memorial Center for the Jews of Macedonia, established in 2011.

As for Centropa’s interviews: we have been lucky to work with Rachel Chanin - an American who speaks excellent Serbian and who is married to Yitzhak Asiel, Serbia's chief rabbi. Aside from Rachel's extensive social welfare and cultural activities, she conducted interviews for us in North Macedonia.

You can find more information about the Holocaust in North Macedonia here:

https://encyclopedia.ushmm.org/content/en/article/the-holocaust-in-macedonia-deportation-of-monastir-jewry