John Chlorakos
Interviewer(s):
Angelo Laskaris
Project:
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
King City, ON
LANGUAGE:
Greek
DATE:
February 16, 2022

Interview Summary:

Ioannis Chlorakos shares his family's history, from their origins in Chios in the 19th century to their settlement in Petrina, Laconia and later in Canada. He describes the hardships they faced during  Second World War and the Greek Civil War, as well as their adjustment to their new life in Canada. He also recounts how he was able to immigrate to Canada; working as a type of contract-servitude under Charles Brown (Apostolakos) at his Mushroom Farm to pay for his trip to Canada. Chlorakos later opens his own Mushroom farm. His narrative captures the challenges and opportunities they faced as immigrants to Canada.

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Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
February 16, 2022
King City, ON
Interviewee(s)
John Chlorakos
Interviewer(s)
Angelo Laskaris
Languages
Greek
Reference ID
40sREF014
Project
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
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Categories
Working Life
Historical Events
Migration
Tags
Greek Civil War
Military Service
Ocean Liner
Post-WW2 Migration
WW2
Decades Referenced
1930s
1940s
1950s
1960s
1970s
Locations Referenced
Petrina, Gytheio, Mani, Monodentri, Athens, Chios, Halifax, Montreal, Toronto, King City
Occupation(s)
Mushroom Farmer and Supplier
Parents Occupation(s)
Names Referenced
Charles Brown

[00:00:49] Discusses ancestry from the Island of Chios

[00:05:09] Father's involvement in the Balkan Wars

[00:08:10] A torpedo hitting an Italian warship at Gytheio

[00:15:40] Relationship with an Italian soldier on the ship

[00:17:12] Return from Gytheio to Petrina and EAM

[00:21:32] Conflict with EAM and two Generals at Taygetos Mt.

[00:21:51] Germans arrive in Petrina

[00:24:28] Germans light Petrina on fire & capture 30 people

[00:26:41] Resistance with EAM: German casualties & retribution at St. Nikolaos

[00:32:33] Chlorakos and two sisters held hostage by Germans

[00:38:18] German retaliation against children of Petrina

[00:41:35] Massacre at Monodendri, Sparta

[00:44:00] Germans return to Petrina; Hiding in a cave

[00:48:02] Germans kill a couple on their way to Petrina

[00:54:32] Security Battalions fighting with EAM

[00:57:20] EAM fighters take over Chlorakos cottage house

[00:57:41] Incident at Levetsova, Krokees

[01:08:03] Security Battalions' atrocities

[01:15:34] Germans retreat from Gytheio

[01:18:54] Brother involved in the Battle of Grammos

[01:22:09] Civil War in the Peloponese

[01:32:32] Experience in the army during the 1950s

[01:43:44] Migration to Canada and Charlie Brown

[01:56:49] Chlorakos travels to Canada accompanied by Brown

[02:08:26] Arrival at Toronto and working on Browns' farm

[02:24:11] Leaves the farm for other jobs

[02:30:06] Starts his own mushroom business

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