Thomas Skourtis
Interviewer(s):
Angelo Laskaris
Project:
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
INTERVIEW LOCATION:
Toronto, ON
LANGUAGE:
Greek
DATE:
January 23, 2022

Interview Summary:

Thomas Skourtis shares his story from his childhood in Corinth during the Occupation. He describes life in the village, the German and Italian air raids, the actions of the resistance guerrillas, as well as the difficulties and deprivations that he and his family faced. Despite the difficult circumstances, Skourtis managed to survive these tribulations and emigrate to Canada, where he created a new life. His narrative captures the suffering and stress experienced by the Greek people during the 1940s.

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Interview Details
Categories and Themes
Content
Media
Date and Location
January 23, 2022
Toronto, ON
Interviewee(s)
Thomas Skourtis
Interviewer(s)
Angelo Laskaris
Languages
Greek
Reference ID
40SREF015
Project
Childhood Narratives of Greek Canadians from the 1940s
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Categories
Historical Events
Migration
Tags
Greek Civil War
WW2
Decades Referenced
1920s
1930s
1940s
Locations Referenced
Ammochori (Florina)
Occupation(s)
Parents Occupation(s)
Names Referenced
Avgerinos (EAM)

[00:03:40] His family’s occupation and life in Klenia

[00:04:22] WW2, the British retreat, & the German arrival

[00:09:12] EVAM (local resistance group)

[00:15:10] The incorporation of EVAM into EAM

[00:25:25] Partisan fighting in Agios Vasilios village

[00:31:19] His father's interactions with guerrillas

[00:34:30] Encounter with two guerillas named "Reaper" and "Wolf"

[00:38:55] Italian soldiers in Klenia and the locals

[00:40:30] Involvement in Metaxa's youth organization & EPON

[00:44:13] Italian soldiers remained in Klenia after the war

[00:52:21] His migration to Canada

[00:55:24] Describing Klenia and his friends

[00:56:50] Relations between German soldiers and the locals

[00:59:18] Food scarcity, moving to Athens due to famine

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