Efstathea Zaravinos and Panagiota Madronis
Interviewer(s):
Angelo Laskaris
Project:
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
King City, ON
LANGUAGE:
Greek
DATE:
February 11, 2023

Interview Summary:

This interview describes the difficult experiences of two sisters, Efstathia Zaravinos and Panagiota Madronis, during the Second World War and the Greek Civil War. The two women share their memories of the battles between the Germans and the Greek partisans, the scenes of violence and destruction they experienced, as well as the loss of loved ones. They also describe the difficult living conditions during these turbulent times, with the lack of basic goods and the deprivations they suffered. Despite the tragic experiences, the two women manage to survive and continue their lives, becoming examples of human endurance and mental strength.

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Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
February 11, 2023
King City, ON
Interviewee(s)
Efstathea Zaravinos and Panagiota Madronis
Interviewer(s)
Angelo Laskaris
Languages
Greek
Reference ID
40SREF030
Project
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
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Categories
Culture and Tradition
Working Life
Historical Events
Migration
Rites
Tags
Domestics
Gender
Greek Civil War
Ocean Liner
Marriage
Post-WW2 Migration
WW2
Decades Referenced
1940s
1950s
1960s
Locations Referenced
Alonistena, Piana¸ Davdia, Chrysovitsi, Dimitsana, Tripoli, Toronto
Occupation(s)
Domestic Worker
Parents Occupation(s)
Names Referenced
Georgios Charos (Father)

[00:00:19] The German army's arrival; fleeing Davdia

[00:07:37] The German occupation and the famine

[00:12:56] Her life and family before the war

[00:25:19] The declaration of war; memories from school years

[00:32:40] Their father's role in monitoring German movements

[00:41:38] The Germans in her house and the conflicts

[00:48:00] Women in the Democratic Army; Dimitsina battle

[00:59:00] Efstathea's move to Canada as a domestic worker

[01:06:04] Her trip to Greece and marrying her husband

[01:09:05] Panagiota’s migration to Canada due to her sister

[01:10:26] How Efstathea first met her husband

[01:13:27] Her trip to Canada; moving her parents

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