Constantinos Drakos
Interviewer(s):
Angelo Laskaris
Project:
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
Toronto, ON
LANGUAGE:
Greek
DATE:
November 11, 2022

Interview Summary:

Konstantinos Drakos shares his story from his childhood to the years of Occupation and Civil War. He describes the poverty and deprivation his family experienced, as well as the difficulties he faced when his mother fell ill with tuberculosis. He also refers to his experience as a service member in the Greek Gendarmerie and the battles that took place during the Greek Civil War, specifically in Zacharo, where the communist guerrillas tried to take over the area. Despite the difficult circumstances, Drakos managed to overcome the challenges and immigrate to Canada, where he created a new life for himself and his family. His narrative is a moving testimony to the difficulties faced by Greeks during this period and the resilience they showed to survive.

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Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
November 11, 2022
Toronto, ON
Interviewee(s)
Constantinos Drakos
Interviewer(s)
Angelo Laskaris
Languages
Greek
Reference ID
40SREF019
Project
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
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Categories
Historical Events
Migration
Tags
Greek Civil War
WW2
Decades Referenced
1940s
1950s
Locations Referenced
Montréal, Toronto, Klesoura (Messinia), Patras, Zacharo, Sparti
Occupation(s)
Police Officer
Parents Occupation(s)
Farmers
Names Referenced

[00:00:53] His life before the Second World War

[00:03:20] Joining the Hellenic Gendarmerie

[00:07:01] Migration to Canada; raising his family

[00:09:50] Family’s occupations; relationship with his stepmother

[00:16:11] The unified people of Klesoura during the war

[00:18:15] Declaration of war; escaping a German soldier

[00:23:25] Scarcity of food during the German occupation

[00:25:55] His mother’s tuberculosis; moving with his grandfather

[00:30:50] The two battles of Zacharo against the guerrillas

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