Last year marked the eightieth anniversary of Greece’s entry into the Second World War. While the ongoing pandemic tampered commemorations of this anniversary, its memory and legacy are very much alive today. The 1940s was one of the deadliest decades in the history of the Greek state because of the Nazi German and Fascist Italian and Bulgarian occupation. As is well known, the occupation caused hunger that decimated hundreds of thousands, led to civilians’ deaths and destruction of whole villages, but also faced strong resistance by the Greek people. The Civil War that followed liberation in 1944, also resulted to thousands of deaths in the battlefields, and caused deep traumas in Greek society. Many of those who emigrated to Canada following these events witnessed first-hand the destruction of their homes and livelihoods, the tragic and needless death of loved ones, and the lack of opportunities that ensued following the destruction.
