ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the theoretical framework of the research, the main questions, methodology, a description of the archival sources and a brief bibliographical survey. I then provide a brief historical overview, from the last decades of Ottoman Thessaloniki to the eve of the Second World War. I describe events and developments which left an imprint on the period of study. Then I present the main events of the period of the German occupation, which are the central points that are developed in the book. Finally, I define the main actors I examine, such as the elites, the bystanders and the bureaucrats.
