Spyros (Stan) Draenos (Interview 1)
Interviewer(s):
Athanasios (Sakis) Gekas
Vasilis (Bill) Molos
Project:
Greek Canadian Stories
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
Toronto, ON
LANGUAGE:
English
DATE:
October 19, 2023

Interview Summary:

Spyros (Stan) Draenos was born in the United States of America and arrived in Toronto in 1968 to pursue a PhD at York University. He became a key figure in the Panhellenic Liberation Movement (PAK), founded by Andreas Papandreou to oppose the Greek military Junta. Draenos was deeply involved in anti-junta activism both in Canada and abroad, organizing protests, producing newsletters, and participating in international efforts to raise awareness. He describes his close relationship with Papandreou’s political activities, the collapse of the dictatorship in 1974, and the founding of PASOK.

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Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
October 19, 2023
Toronto, ON
Interviewee(s)
Spyros (Stan) Draenos (Interview 1)
Interviewer(s)
Athanasios (Sakis) Gekas
Vasilis (Bill) Molos
Languages
English
Reference ID
GICREF010A
Project
Greek Canadian Stories
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Categories
Canadian Society
Working Life
Historical Events
Homeland Activism
Tags
Anti Junta Movement
Greek Community
Junta
Decades Referenced
1960s
1970s
Locations Referenced
Burlington Iowa, California, Toronto, Ottawa, Athens
Occupation(s)
Political Scientist
Parents Occupation(s)
Names Referenced
Andreas Papandreou, Periklis Oikonomidis, Chris Bartzokas, Mitchell Sharp, Margaret Papandreou,

[00:00:30] His educational background and arrival in Toronto

[00:03:00] York University in 1968

[00:06:37] Relationships with other Greeks

[00:09:58] Andreas Papandreou and involvement with PAK

[00:22:49] PAK after 1971

[00:26:17] Papandreou renouncing NATO  

[00:31:05] Tensions with other groups and the PAK newsletter

[00:37:00] Differences between PAK and other organizations

[00:39:55] Papandreou’s personality

[00:42:58] Council of Europe meetings  

[00:55:04] PAK planning acts of sabotage

[01:01:10] Law School occupation and the Polytechnic Uprising

[01:04:33] PAK under surveillance and the hunger strike

[01:09:31] Sentiments of Toronto Greeks regarding the Junta

[01:13:00] His arrest in the USA and the Polytechnic events

[01:19:27] Assessing anti-junta activism

[01:21:59] Papandreou’s movements in summer 1974

[01:26:56] His trip to Greece

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