Interviews of Survivors of WWII from Kalamaria, Greece (Historical Archive for Greek Refugees / IAPE)

RESEARCH PAPER REMEMBERING THE PAST – BUILDING THE FUTURE Interviews of survivors of WWII from Kalamaria, Greece (Historical Archive for Greek Refugees / IAPE) This research paper will focus on the life stories - narratives as accounted for by the two lengthiest interviews included in the audio illustrating the video with the photos from the archives of the Historical Archive for Greek Refugees of the Municipality of Kalamaria (IAPE). All material (both audio and images) belongs to IAPE and is the result of our excellent collaboration with the Historical Archive and more specifically with the historians Eleni Ioannidou and Maria Kazantzidou, in the context of the project “Remembering the Past- Building the Future” as presented in the Thessaloniki event (19-24.03.2016). Both of the interviews present invaluable insight in the impact that World War II had on everyday life of people while interviewees also emphasize on their families’ migrant background of hardship and constant struggle, as well as their active involvement in the Resistance Movement against the Nazi regime. The first survivor is Nikolaos Kouhtin. He was born in Kalamaria in January 6, 1929. His mother’s name was Mina Varahidou and she was born in Vatoum, Russia; she immigrated to Kalamaria, Thessaloniki (Greece) in 1922. His father’s name was Loukas. He was a Russian citizen born in Mariupol, Crimea, who came to Greece as a soldier in 1915 to fight in the Macedonian front during WWI. Nikolaos’ parents were married in 1924. His father never managed to travel back to his homeland since he died in Greece. Nikolaos has two siblings. His family used to live in one of the hovels (drawings of the shanty town we can see in the first photo of the video) that were built in 1929 for refugees coming from Minor Asia during the population exchange between Greece and Turkey (1922-23). Later on, they bought a house in what is today called Karaoli Dimitriou str., which, as most of the streets, had no name at that time apart from, occasionally, a random letter or number. The financial state of the Kouhtins was quite good until 1932-33, but was severely deteriorated in the next years, especially during Second World War and German Occupation. The day that war between Greece and Italy Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V. Page 1 Remembering the Past – Building the Future broke out, a conflict that marked Greece’s involvement in WWII, Nikolaos recalls that he was walking to his school. As soon as he heard the air raid sirens he ran quickly back home, and from that day on all schools were closed. Many of his relatives joined the army and some of them were injured during military combats. Nikolaos also describes his memories of the makeshift shelters people built in different spots in Kalamaria in order to protect themselves from bomb attacks. There were no organized bunkers or shelters in Kalamaria at all. Only very rich people had more adequate shelters they had built themselves usually in their basements. He is then asked by the interviewer to recall all military camps nearby the region of Kalamaria. Nikolaos clearly remembers that one of the largest camps used to be the area of the former military camp Kodra, where allied cavalry was usually located. Thessaloniki was conquered by Hitler’s Nazi troops in April 9th 1941, following Mussolini’s failed attempts to defeat the Greek army. What Nikolaos remembers of the Germans’ invasion in the city, is that the sky was suddenly full of German airplanes, an image that made a strong impression on the locals since they rarely saw an airplane at that time. Later on, military vehicles appeared in the city streets carrying around German officers and soldiers. When he is asked about lootings that allegedly happened prior to the invasion, he explains that when Greek authorities left the city people entered warehouses in order to take things that could cover their families’ needs of food, furniture and so on. He describes Germans’ attitude to Greeks, an attitude which was changing over time as the Resistance movement started growing and the German army became more violent and fierce. He goes on talking in detail about everyday life during the Occupation, the way that people struggled to survive and he also mentions arrests and executions carried out by the German authorities. Some of these arrests and executions were due to alleged stealing but most of them were meant to suppress acts of resistance. The first winter under Nazi Occupation was the hardest time the interviewee can recall, as most people suffered of hunger and diseases –while many of them actually starved to death. Many children escaped starvation because they were offered food in common meals delivered by various organizations. Nikolaos’ testimony about the Jewish history is also invaluable, as he explains how the extremely large Jewish population of Thessaloniki was taken by the Germans to what was then called “Apolymantirio”, an infamous location by the sea at Krini in Kalamaria, which was used as a place for disinfection. The same place was also used for Greek refugees two decades ago, Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V. Page 2 Remembering the Past – Building the Future when they had crossed the Aegean Sea from Minor Asia to settle in the Greek territory. They were washed there with hot water, and all of their clothes were also put in sterilizers. As a result, many of those refugees had died of serious lung diseases (pneumonia). Nikolaos stresses out that the Jews who suffered the most were the poorest ones. Concerning Greeks’ reactions to Jews’ suffering, the interviewee claims many people tried to help them hiding them in their houses, but others stole their properties instead. He speaks about Greeks collaborating with the German authorities and the way that the rest of the population isolated their families and avoided all contact, both because of fear and as an expression of contempt. Nikolaos himself was heavily discriminated since his father was Russian and he was often called a “Bolshevik”. In the rest of the edited part of his interview, Nikolaos mostly speaks at length about the Resistance Movement in Kalamaria, fighters and young people who were involved and the ways it was organized by the Communist Party in what was later called the “Greek People’s Liberation Army, ELAS”. This organization liberated the city in October 30th, 1944, a historical event we can witness in several of the photos included in the featured video (most of these photos belong to the Collection of the Panhellenic Association of Greek Resistance Fighters, PEAEA). Their activities were strictly secret and numerous citizens of Kalamaria and Thessaloniki participated, risking their life. Nikolaos was also an active member of Resistance although he was very young at that time (15 years old). His house was inspected by the German authorities but they could not find anything, even though some locals had collaborated with them offering information. His family was also active in the Resistance, they even kept weapons in their basement. Nikolaos recounts all kinds of resistance acts, from writing slogans against the Nazi army on the walls to handing out proclamations. Finally, he refers to the German blockade of Kalamaria, which took place in August 13th, 1944; Nazi soldiers together with their local collaborators set up checkpoints to all main entrances of the region of Kalamaria in search of Resistance fighters. It was impossible to cross the checkpoints unless authorities confirmed one’s identity. The interviewee claims all houses were broken into by Germans and their Greek collaborators that day, including Nikolaos’ place which was nevertheless invaded by Greeks alone. Finally, the tragic result of the blockade was the execution of 11 citizens of Kalamaria who were found guilty of “subversive” action. The historical parade of the Greek People’s Liberation Army in 1944 (Liberation of Thessaloniki) Jugend- & Kulturprojekt e.V. Page 3 Remembering the Past – Building the Future after the departure of the German army, is also described by Nikolaos who witnessed the parade himself. The second interviewee is Eugenia Mourla-Mentekidi, born in Kalamaria in 1927. Her parents were immigrants; her mother was from Trabzon (Turkey) and her father from Russia. When the war broke out, Evgenia was still a school girl. She recalls that day because her teacher took all students to the school basement in order to keep them safe. Eugenia’s father had a grocery store in the center of Kalamaria. She remembers that the largest shelter was under the former primary school, a building which is now used as the Town Hall of Kalamaria (we see the building in the photo from Maria Evdoksiadou’s Collection). Eugenia also recounts the Germans’ invasion and describes her memories in detail. She claims most of them settled in the center of Kalamaria, in the square that is now situated in front of the Town Hall, which was commandeered by the German authorities. The interviewee was also very passionate with the Resistance Movement since the very first moments of the Occupation. The earliest memory she has is that she dropped off her dress’ pockets little Greek flags with the words “Freedom or Death” written on them. In spite of the spread of the Resistance, local collaborators used to follow people they considered “suspect” and they also harassed her father in his store. Her family was intimidated by the Germans and many times took shelter in the terrace of their house. When asked about her contacts with the Jewish population of the city, she remembers that Jewish girls were the most well-off and well-educated and they often offered gifts to the poorest Greek families.

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