Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory Pdf

FREE CHILDREN OF THE GREEK CIVIL WAR: REFUGEES AND THE POLITICS OF MEMORY PDF

During and after the Greek Civil War of —, members and or supporters of the defeated Communist forces fled Greece as political refugees. These included tens of thousands of child refugees who had been forcefully evacuated by the KKE. After the invading Axis powers were defeated, fighting promptly broke out between the Democratic Army of Greece DSE and the Greek Government which had returned from exile. Many people chose to return their allegiances as to what they regarded as the rightful government of Greece. Soon the Greek Civil War had broken out between the two opposing sides. The DSE recruited heavily amongst the community of Macedonia. It has been estimated that byfrom 40 to 60 per cent of the rank and file of the DSE was composed of Slav Macedonians, Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory [4] or from 11,—14, of the KKE's fighting force. By the spring of the communist forces controlled much of the Greek rural areas but had yet to achieve significant support in the cities. Thousands of people had been executed by firing squads on claims that they had committed atrocities against the Greek state. After the defeat of DSE in Peloponnese a new wave of terror spread across areas controlled by the Government of Athens. The Provisional Government, with its headquarters on Mount Vitse, soon decided to evacuate all children from the ages of 2 to 14 from all areas controlled by the Provisional Government, most Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory these children were from Macedonian families. By the areas controlled by the Provisional Government had been reduced to rural Greek Macedonia and Epirus. Soon many injured partisans and elderly people along with the child refugees had been evacuated to People's Republic of Albania. After the Yugoslavian Government decided to close the Yugoslav-Greek border, this in turn led many pro-Tito forces in the National Liberation Front to flee to Yugoslavia. In the ensuing aftermath, the National Army began to consolidate its control in areas previously controlled by the Provisional Government. Many villages were destroyed in the fighting and the displaced villagers often fled the country through Albania and onto Yugoslavia. By the beginning ofincreased American aid for the National Army, the Tito-Stalin splitrecruiting problems for DSE, as well as major defeats in the islands and in Peloponnese, helped destabilize the position of the DSE. Many people fled due to the collapse of the DSE, it has also been claimed that many Slav Macedonians fled to avoid possible persecution by the advancing National Army. The KKE claims that the total number of political refugees was 55, [15] an estimated 28,—32, children were evacuated during the Greek Civil War. In the same period 1, had been burnt down and 1, had been looted and 13, people had been resettled by force. On March 4,"Radio Free Greece" announced that all children under the age of 15 would be evacuated from areas under control of the Provisional Government. The older women were instructed to take the children across the border to Yugoslavia and Albania, while the younger women took to the hills with the partisans. Widows of dead partisans soon became surrogate mothers for the children and assisted them in their journey to the Eastern Bloc. Many people also had their children evacuated. By scores of children had already died from malnutrition, disease and injuries. The partisan carers often young women and men had to help and support the children as they fled the Civil War. Thousands of Macedonian, Greek, and Aromanian children were evacuated from the areas under communist control. Many of these children were spread throughout the Eastern Bloc by there were 5, children in Romania, 4, in Czechoslovakia, 3, in Poland, 2, in Hungary and had been evacuated to Bulgaria. The official Greek position was that these children had been forcibly taken from their parents by the Communists to be brought up under a socialist system. By early the situation for the communists had become dire. The Greek-Yugoslav border was closed and daily groups of refugees were fleeing across the Albanian border. From here they would disperse into the rest of the Eastern Bloc. Many of the partisans did not survive the ensuing journey with many perishing. They were stirred on by the hope of fighting for the Greek Communist Party and the Democratic Army of Greece from other parts of the World. Many others were refugees whose homes and businesses had been destroyed by the civil war fighting. Others still were expelled by the Government forces for their collaboration with the Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory Ohrana during the war. Thousands fled across the border before the Greek government was able to re-established control in former Communist held territory. Thousands of refugees began to flee across the Eastern Bloc. Thousands more left for Australia, the United States and Canada. It was common for mothers to lose contact with their children and never to see them again. In the legal act L-2 was issued. This meant that all people who had fought against the Greek government during the Greek Civil War and had left Greece would have their citizenship confiscated and were banned from returning to the country. On January 20, the legal act M was issued which allowed the Greek government to confiscate the property of those who were stripped of their citizenship. Many Slav Macedonians had sided with the KKE which in had expressed its intent to "fight for the national self-determination of the repressed Slav Macedonians ethnic group " [30] and after the KKE passed a resolution at its Fifth Plenum on 31 January in which "after the KKE victory, the Slav-Macedonians would find their national restoration within a united Greek state". Over 10, children went to 87 schools, Macedonian language newspapers were printed and theaters opened. As the Governmental forces approached these Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory were either shut down or destroyed. After the Provisional Government in announced that all children were to leave the DSE controlled areas Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory Greece many Slav-Macedonians left the war zone. Some sources estimate that tens of thousands of Slav-Macedonians left Greece in the ensuing period. After the Communist defeat the majority of communists fled to Albania before making their way to the rest of the Eastern Bloc. The majority of the remaining partisans in the Democratic Army of Greece had been evacuated to Tashkent in the Soviet Unionwhile others were sent to PolandHungary and Romania. A commune of ex-communist partisans had been established in village of Buljkes in VojvodinaYugoslavia. Special preparations were made for the defeated army and accommodation and supplies were readied. Many of the refugee children were placed in Evacuation camps across Europe. They often ended up in places from Poland, Bulgaria and the Soviet Union. The largest group was to end up in Yugoslavia. Here special evacuation camps and Red Cross field hospitals were set up for the children. Most were placed in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. Over 2, homes were prepared for the children in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. Across the Eastern Bloc the refugees were often educated in three and often four languages; Greek, the newly codified Macedonian language, the host countries' language and Russian. Half of all the refugees from the Greek Civil War were sent to Yugoslavia. Many of the Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory refugees entered Yugoslavia directly while later refugees had to pass through Albania after the border was closed. The majority of the refugees were settled in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia while many were settled in the Socialist Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory Province of Vojvodinawhere Slav-Macedonians still constitute a minority today. The Yugoslav branch of the Red Cross was able to settle 11, children across Yugoslavia. Throughout Yugoslavia room was made in specially designed homes by the Red Cross for the refugees. The ten children's homes held approximately 2, children. The remaining 9, were placed with families in the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. This was for obvious reasons such as the short distance between the borders of Greece and Yugoslavia. Soon the flow of Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory reversed and many ethnic Macedonians from Yugoslavia entered Greece with the hope of aiding the National Liberation Front. These were joined by thousands more refugees, partisans and expellees until the border with Yugoslavia was closed. From then on refugees had to enter the country via Albania. The majority of these refugee children were Slav-Macedonian speakers, who remain in the Republic of Macedonia to this day. The refugees from Greek Macedonia were primarily settled in deserted villages and areas across the Republic of Macedonia. A large proportion went to the Tetovo and Gostivar areas. Large enclaves of refugees and their descendants can be found in the suburbs of Topansko Pole and Avtokomanda in Skopje. They joined mainstream Macedonian society, with most being highly educated. Most have never returned to Greece. Some estimates put the number of refugees and their descendants at over 50, people. Vojvodina became the host to one of the largest refugee populations across the Eastern Bloc. In Vojvodina a special ex-German camp was set up for the refugees, Buljkes. Although many were Greeks, it is known that a large proportion of the "Greeks" were in fact Slav Macedonians. The group included refugees, mainly partisans. By June another group of 2, refugees had been transferred to Vojvodina. In the spring of a group of refugees from Greek Macedonia numbering around people had left the camp. It was here that the Greek newspaper Foni tou Boulkeswas published alongside children's books and the paper of the Communist Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory of Greece. A primary school was established and the commune began to print its own currency. Eventually the camp was shut down and the villagers were transferred. By the total population of Buljkes had reached 4, people. Of the remaining Slav-Macedonians in Vojvodina at this time many left for the Czechoslovakia or were resettled in the People's Republic of Macedonia. Wherever the evacuees found themselves across the Eastern bloc, special provisions were made for them. Across the Eastern Bloc the ethnic Macedonian refugees were taught the newly codified Macedonian language and the host country's language; many often learned Russian. Most notably from the clusters of refugees in Tashkent and Alma Ata. In the Greek government enabled an Amnesty Law, this caused many "Greeks by genus" to return to Greece in the subsequent period. An estimated 11, Partisans were evacuated to the Soviet Union of which 8, were males and 3, were females. Many of the ethnic Greek partisans remained in the Soviet Union, while most of the ethnic Macedonian partisans would migrate to Yugoslav Macedonia in the s and s. After the amnesty law of many Greeks returned to Greece, particularly Greek Macedonia. Another large group of refugees, numbering at least 12, [37] found their way to the Lower Silesia area in Poland. This group included both Greeks and Slav Macedonians. Facilities in Poland were well staffed and modern with assistance from the Red Cross. Many Greeks decided to return to Greece after the Amnesty Law allowed their return, whereas a large proportion of Slav Macedonians ended up leaving Poland, for the Socialist Republic of Macedonia. Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory - Chicago Scholarship

The war began as a result of a conflict over the power of the monarchy and the rights of Parliament. Though the Royalists won early victories, the Parliamentarians ultimately triumphed. Known as the Commonwealth of England, this state later became the Protectorate under the leadership of Oliver Cromwell — Though Charles II — was invited to take the throne inParliament's victory established the precedent that the monarch could not rule without the consent of Parliament and placed the nation on the path towards a formal parliamentary monarchy. Assembling an ill-trained force of around 20, men, Charles marched north in the spring of Reaching Berwick on the Scottish border, he encamped and soon entered into negotiations with the Scots. The resulting Treaty of Berwick, signed on June 19,temporarily defused the situation. Chronically short on funds, and concerned that Scotland was intriguing with France, Charles was compelled to call a Parliament in Known as the Short Parliament, he dissolved it in less than a month after its leaders criticized his policies. Renewing hostilities with Scotland, Charles' forces were defeated by the Scots, who captured Durham and Northumberland. With the situation in the north critical and still needing money, Charles recalled Parliament that fall. The situation worsened when Parliament had the Earl of Strafford —a close advisor of the king, executed for treason. Failing, he withdrew to Oxford. Through the summer ofCharles and Parliament continued to negotiate while all levels of society began to align in support of either side. While rural communities typically favored the king, the Royal Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory and many cities aligned themselves with Parliament. On August 22, Charles raised his banner at Nottingham and commenced building an army. These efforts were matched by Parliament who was assembling a force under the leadership of Robert Devereux, 3rd Earl of Essex — Unable to come to any resolution, the two sides clashed at the Battle of Edgehill in October. The next year saw Royalist forces secure much of Yorkshire as well as win a string of Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory in western England. Dubbed the "Solemn League and Covenant," the alliance between Parliament and Scotland saw a Scottish Covenanter army under the 1st Earl of Leven — enter northern England to reinforce Parliamentarian forces. A key figure in the triumph was cavalryman Oliver Cromwell. Having gained the upper hand, the Parliamentarians formed the professional New Model Army in and passed the "Self-denying Ordinance" which prohibited its military commanders from holding a seat in Parliament. Riding north, he surrendered to the Scots at Southwell who later turned him over to Parliament. With Charles defeated, the victorious parties sought to establish a new government. In each case, they felt that the king's participation was critical. Playing the various groups against one another, Charles signed an agreement with the Scots, known as the Engagement, by which they would invade England on his behalf in exchange for the establishment of Presbyterianism in that realm. Angered by Charles' betrayal, the army marched on Parliament and purged those who still favored an association with the king. The remaining members, known as the Rump Parliament, ordered Charles tried for treason. Found guilty, Charles was beheaded on January 30, In the wake of the king's execution, Cromwell sailed for Ireland to eliminate resistance there which had been directed by the Duke of Ormonde — With the assistance of Admiral Robert Blake —Cromwell landed and Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory bloody victories at Drogheda and Wexford that fall. Defeated, Charles II escaped to France where he remained in exile. With the final defeat of Royalist forces inpower passed to the republican government of the Commonwealth of England. This remained in place untilwhen Cromwell assumed power as Lord Protector. Effectively ruling as a dictator until his death inhe was replaced by his son Richard — Lacking the support of the army, Richard Cromwell's rule was brief and the Commonwealth returned in with the re-installation of the Rump Parliament. The following year, with the government in shambles, General George Monck —who had been serving as Governor of Scotland, invited Charles II to return and take power. Sources and Further Reading. Share Flipboard Email. Kennedy Hickman. Military and Naval History Expert. Kennedy Hickman is a historian, museum director, and curator who specializes in military and naval history. He has appeared on The History Channel as a featured expert. Facebook Facebook. Updated January 14, ThoughtCo uses cookies to provide you with a great user experience. By using ThoughtCo, you accept our. Refugees of the Greek Civil War - Wikipedia

At the height of the Greek Civil War inthirty-eight thousand children were evacuated from their homes in the mountains of northern Greece. A point of contention during the Cold War, this controversial episode continues to fuel tensions between Greeks and Macedonians Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory within Greek society itself. The authors present here a comprehensive study of the two evacuation programs and the lives of the chil The authors present here a comprehensive study of the two evacuation programs and the lives of the children they forever transformed. The authors also give voice to seven refugee children who poignantly recount their childhood experiences and heroic efforts to construct new lives in diaspora communities throughout the world. A corrective to previous historical accounts, the book is also a searching examination of the enduring effects of displacement on the lives of refugee children. Forgot password? Don't have an account? All Rights Reserved. OSO version 0. University Press Scholarship Online. Sign in. Not registered? Sign up. Publications Pages Publications Pages. Recently viewed 0 Save Search. Users without a subscription are not able to see the full content. Danforth and Riki Van Boeschoten Abstract At the height of the Greek Civil War inthirty-eight thousand children were evacuated from their homes in the mountains of northern Greece. More At the height of the Greek Civil War inthirty-eight thousand children were evacuated from their homes in the mountains of northern Greece. Authors Affiliations are at time of print publication. Loring M. Print Save Cite Share This. Show Summary Details. Subscriber Login Email Address. Password Please enter your Password. Library Card Please enter your library card number. View: no detail some detail full detail. One Framing the Subject. Three The Paidopoleis of Children of the Greek Civil War: Refugees and the Politics of Memory Frederica. Four Refugee Children in Eastern Europe. Five Children of the Paidopoleis. Part Three Ethnographies. Six Refugees, Displacement, and the Impossible Return. Seven Communities of Memory, Narratives of Experience. End Matter References Index. All rights reserved. Powered by: Safari Books Online.