 The synagogue 's eight valuable Torah scrolls were saved due to an intervention by Leonardo Grivičić , an entrepreneur and industrialist who lived next door from Mile <unk> , a minister in the Ustaša government . He was also close to <unk> Ante Pavelić and the Third Reich 's ambassador to Croatia , Edmund <unk> @-@ <unk> . Although Grivičić did not have a significant political role in the Independent State of Croatia , he was considered trustworthy . On October 9 , 1941 , he learned about the regime 's plan to start the demolition of the synagogue on the following morning . By that evening , Grivičić secretly relayed the information to the synagogue 's chief cantor , <unk> , and during the night , the Torah scrolls were moved to safety . 
