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Cold War Greece Greek Civil War evacuation and refugees
Greek Civil War: Communist Evacuations and Removals--The Paidomazoma (1948-49)
Figure 1.--Here some of the Civil War refugee children are being reparriated in 1954. Some of the children look to have been born abroad to adult refugees. The American press caption read, "Greek youngsters indoctrinated by the Reds: Happiness is reflected in the faces of these Greek youngsters as they returned to Greece at Igoumenitas in February, 1954, from Hungary. Plight of Greek officials is thst these youngsters and others like them who were taken behind the Iron Curtainor born there have been completelhy indoctrinated by the Communists." The caption rather reflects Cold War rhetoric, but it was written in the aftermath of the Korean War. That said, the reason that the KKE removed children rather than adults was that the children could be more easily indoctrinsted and used to renew the Civil War at a later time. Notice that the children have been taught military salutes. We are not sure of the circumstances of the rapatriation of this group of children. A factor with the return of some of refugees to Greece was by this time the economic success of the West was beginning to make itself felt.
Children became a major issue in the post-War era, primarily because of the forced removal of children by the Communists in the areas that they controlled. The Communist deny that the children were foricbly removed, but it is clear that this indeed occurred. What we are not sure of is who gave the orders, Moscow or the KKE. There were substantial numbers of political refugees resulting from the Greek Civil War. These were Communists or sympathisers of the defeated communist insurgency who fled the country (1949). The defeat of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE) was followed by the evacuation of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) to Tashkent. In the aftermath, thousands of people fled or were evacuated fron northern Greece. Some estimates are substantially higher. There are varying estimates, but probanly more than 0.1 million Greeks left or were removed from the country. This included large numbers of children. The precise number is unknown, but may have exceeded one-third of the total. Some of the children were the relatives of the Communist insurgents. Many others simply lived in Communist controlled villages and were taken over the border as the Greek National Army advanced.
Refugees
There were substantial numbers of political refugees resulting from the Greek Civil War. These were Communists or sympathisers of the defeated communist insurgency who feared reprisals after their insurgency failed. They fled the country with the ceasfire (1949). The defeat of the Democratic Army of Greece (DSE) was followed by the evacuation of the Communist Party of Greece (KKE) to Tashkent. In the aftermath, thousands of people fled or were evacuated fron northern Greece. Some estimates are substantially higher. There are varying estimates, but probanly more than 0.1 million Greeks left or were removed from the country.
The Children
The removals and refugees included large numbers of children. The precise number is unknown, but may have exceeded one-third of the total number of people evacuated. That would be something like 30,000-35,000 chikdren. [Woodhouse, 259.] Some of the children were the relatives of the Communist insurgents. These children were probably taken by their parents with them when they fled the country. But many children were fircubly removed by parents who were not Communist supporters abd without thrir approval. Many children who lived in Communist controlled villages and were taken over the border as the Greek National Army advanced. This seems to have been most especially pronounced in Macedonian villages where the people distrusted the Greek Army.
Evacuation Effort: The Paidomazoma
The evacuation of children without their parents was an organized effort undertaken by the KKE Provisional Government. They issued a directive,for evacuations of all children (ages 4 to 14 years old) (March 7, 1948). The stated purpose was protection from the fighting other problems linked to the war. This was patently false as the evacuation was conducted at the end of the War abd not during it. Government sources charge that the were simply abducted so they coulkd be indoctrinated as Communist Janissaries. [Clogg, p. 141.] Janissaries of course is term that has a special resonance with Greek and other Balkan Christaina.
The KKE began gathered children for evacuation. They claimed that this was done at the request of 'popular organizations and parents'. [Barentzen, pp. 135-36.] A U.N. investigation subsequently found that despite denials, some children were forcubly removed. [Barentzen, pp. 135-36.] Most of the children by the KEE were taken over the border into Albania and Yugoslavia. From there camps were set up throught the East Bloc (Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland, Romania, and Yugoslavia).
Schools
Schools were established and the children were taught in Greek and or Macedonian, the host country language, and Russian.
Adoptions
Some of the children were adopted by host country families.
Additional Births
In addition to the children evacuated, additional children were born to the adult refugees.
Western Countries
Some families were able to reach the West (Europe, Canada, and the United States).
Repatriations
Some of the children were eventually repatriated to Greece. Many of the children eventually returned to Greece. Some after only a few years, many years later as adults. Their stories and personal views are highly varied. [Mitsopoulou and Servou]
Post-War Discussions
The Communist removal of children from the areas they cintrolled to Soviet Bloc countries emerged as the most emoptionally charged issue in the years following the War. This was especially bthe case as large numbers of children were removed without their parent's consent and often knowledge. Left wing sources have tried to equate Queen Frederika's Camps with the Communist removals. There was, however, a major difference. The children in Queen Frederika's Camps were mostly orphans whjo had lost their parents or had parent's (often widowed mothers) who could not care for them. The Communist removals included many children who not only had parents, but parents who did not want the children removed. The discussion of the Evacuation was colored by the fact that during the 1970s, the children now grown began returning to Greece.
Sources
Barentzen, Lars. The'Paidomazoma' and the Queen's Camps.
Clogg, Richard, A Concise History of Greece (Cambridge University Press, 1992).
Mitsopoulou, Thanasi. "We brought up as Greeks," Θανάση Μητσόπουλου "Μείναμε Έλληνες.
Servou, Dimitris. The Paidomazoma and who is afraid of Truth (2001).
Woodhoiuse uses a figure of 30,000 children. Woodhouse, C.M. Modern Greece (Faber and Faber, 1991).
