Paidomazoma: What Happened
In 1948 and 1949, during the Greek Civil War, thousands of children from villages in northern Greece were taken to communist countries in Eastern Europe. The removal is known in Greece as the paidomazoma, a term that recalls the Ottoman child levy, the devshirme. The Communist Party of Greece and the Democratic Army organized the removal of children from areas under their control, mainly in Macedonia and Epirus, to countries such as Yugoslavia, Albania, Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary, Czechoslovakia and Poland. The communists said they were protecting the children from the fighting and bombing. The Greek government and its supporters said the children were taken by force to be raised as communists, and it described the removals as abduction. Some parents agreed, often under pressure, while others did not. Estimates of the number of children range from around 25,000 to 28,000. At the same time, Queen Frederica organized children's towns in Greece for children from war zones. Many of the children taken abroad were not able to return for decades, and some never came back.
Frequently Asked Questions
What was the Paidomazoma?
The Paidomazoma was the removal of thousands of children from northern Greece to communist countries in Eastern Europe during the Greek Civil War, in 1948 and 1949.
Who took the children in the Paidomazoma?
The Communist Party of Greece and the Democratic Army organized the removal of children from areas under their control, mainly in Macedonia and Epirus.
Why were the children taken?
The communists said they were protecting children from the war. The government described it as abduction to raise them as communists. Some parents agreed, often under pressure, while others did not.
How many children were taken?
Estimates of the number of children taken abroad range from around 25,000 to 28,000, though the exact figure is still disputed by historians.
Did the children return to Greece?
Many of the children could not return to Greece for decades, as political barriers kept them abroad. Some never came back and built their lives in Eastern Europe.
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