German issued Greek currency, 100 billion Drachmai note
Extent and Medium
overall: Height: 2.375 inches (6.033 cm) | Width: 4.750 inches (12.065 cm)
Creator(s)
- Trapeza te?s Hellados (Issuer)
Archival History
The currency was donated to the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum in 2003 by Joel Forman..
Acquisition
United States Holocaust Memorial Museum Collection, Gift of Joel Forman
Scope and Content
German-issued Greek National currency valued at 100 billion 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. Featured on this note are the king and queen of the Olympian gods, Zeus and Hera; the Cretan Bull, which was captured by Heracles; and Deidamia of Scyros who was Achilles’ wife, and mother of his son, Neoptolemus. On October 28, 1940, Italy invaded Greece, but they were repelled by the Greek forces. On April 6, 1941, Germany invaded Greece to support Italy and forced the Grecians 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 Grecians died from lack of food during the German occupation.
Conditions Governing Access
No restrictions on access
Conditions Governing Reproduction
No restrictions on use
Physical Characteristics and Technical Requirements
Greek currency printed on lightweight, off-white rectangular paper. The face has a large, centered, light red, rectangular printed area with a black border, in addition to a pattern of interlacing lines and the denomination in each corner. On the left is a bust of Deidamia of Scyros. She is in right profile with the top of a tunic over her shoulder and a sakkos covering her hair, which is in a bun. The image is inside an oblong frame with a scrollwork line along the inside edge. To the right are several lines of black Greek text. The denomination is in the center and has a vector flourish inside each number. Above the text, stamped in black ink, is the serial number. The text is overlaid on an ornate pink border with spirographic white lines. The background of the printed area is comprised of small, geometric shapes with the denomination repeating throughout. The reverse is printed entirely in light red has a rectangular, centered, latticework background with a border comprised of grapevines on the left and right sides, undulating lines in the top and bottom and the denomination in each corner. The center has several lines of Greek text and the denomination with vector flourishes in the center. The text is overlaid on a quatrefoil background with spirographic white lines throughout. Flanking the center are two coins, the left has two faces, likely Zeus and Hera, in right profile. The right coin has an image of a butting bull, possibly the Cretan Bull, within an oak wreath.
face, center, stamped, black ink : ΚΖ 270697
Subjects
- Zeus (Greek deity)
- Deidamia (Greek mythology)
- Greece--History--Occupation, 1941-1944.
- Banks and banking.
- Cretan bull (Greek mythology)
- Hera (Greek deity)
- Greece--Economic conditions--1918-1974.
- Greece.
- Paper money--Greece--History.
Genre
- Exchange Media
- Object
- Money.