No restrictions on access
The collection was donated to the United Sates Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 by Joel Forman.
No restrictions on use
German-issued Greek National currency valued at 100,000 Drachmai. The Greek currency, called Drachma, can be traced back to the 6th century BC. The currency was discontinued after the Roman conquest of Greece, and reissued after Greece gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. Many of the Greek notes featured figures and images from Greek Mythology and history. Featured on this note is a Tetradrachm, an ancient coin with an image of an owl and the face of Athena, goddess of wisdom and courage. The reverse shows the Temple of Aphaea (Aphaia or Afea) on the island of Aigina. On April 6, 1941, Germany invaded Greece to support Italy and forced the Greeks to surrender by the end of the month. Germany, Italy, and Bulgaria collectively occupied Greece until Italy’s surrender to the Allies in September 1943. Then Germany occupied all of Greece, and forced the Greek government to pay for the occupation by printing more paper money with higher denominations. The excess Drachmai caused hyperinflation, and the price for goods and services rose dramatically. During the occupation, the price of corn was 9 million Drachmai per pound. The essentially worthless paper bills gave way to bartering of supplies such as olive oil, cigarettes, and wheat. Due to the invasion and the harsh economic policies, hundreds of thousands of Greeks died from lack of food during the German occupation.
German issued Greek currency, 100,000 Drachmai note
overall: Height: 3.125 inches (7.938 cm) | Width: 5.500 inches (13.97 cm)
Greek currency printed on lightweight, off white, rectangular paper. In the center, in black, is the numeric denomination and several lines of Greek text overlaid on a green and black scrollwork background. Flanking the center are images of a Tetradrachm, an ancient Greek coin. The face features a right profile image of the head of Athena, and the reverse is the Owl of Athena. The serial number is stamped in red in the upper right hand corner. The background is green overlaid with red scrollwork lines. The outer border has floral designs on the left and right and ornate, decorative patterns on the top and bottom. The reverse features a centered image of the columned ruins of the Temple of Aphaia. The image is flanked by the numeric denomination in black, which is overlaid on a sinuous design of layered oval shapes inside an ornate, black border with spirographic lines. The background has green scrollwork design. An ornate, black border with sinuous white interior lines surrounds the image and denominations. Above the image is a banner with black Greek text inside, and below the image is a line of black text. face, top right, stamped, red ink : 694742 ΕΩ