Kostas - My Story is a personal memoir that details the experience of Kostas Ganias and his family during the Pethomazoma, “gathering of the children,” that took place during the Greek Civil War.
When World War II ended in 1945, Civil War erupted in Greece, lasting until 1949. During these years, Communist forces entered parts of Greece and forced evacuations. On November 27, 1947, Communist forces entered the three mountain villages of Lia, Vavouri, and Tsamantas. They took Kostas, his siblings, mother, and fellow villagers to Beloyiannis, Hungary, hoping to brainwash them into believers of their Communist ideology.
They wished for these families to return to Greece and wave the Red Flag. Thankfully, that never happened. Kostas shares "My family and I survived a brutal time and many people we knew and loved were killed. I made it my mission to record the details of our ordeal so the Pethomazoma would be remembered for future generations."
MAP OF VAVOURI - 1950
TO THE READER
HISTORY OF THE VILLAGE OF VAVOURI
MY STORY
THE VILLAGE OF VAVOURI TODAY
THE VILLAGE OF BELOYANNIS: THEN AND NOW
PEOPLE WHO SHAPED BELOYANNIS VILLAGE
PEOPLE WHO GAVE THEIR LIVES
ACHIEVEMENTS OF CHILDREN WHO RETURNED FROM THE PETHOMAZOMA
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
PHOTOGRAPHS
POETIC WRITINGS ON BACK OF PICTURES
DOCUMENTS
ABOUT THE AUTHOR