The Great Greek Famine of World War Two

Oct 29, 2025

24:52

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Hello my curious archaeogastronomers!

This week's subject is a little bit darker than normal.

My reason for doing an episode is that this time of the year, specifically near 28th of October, is that is when traditionally in Greece the commemoration and celebration of liberation from Nazis occupation is celebrated. I wanted to examine the role of the famine in the modern Greek psyche a little.

World War 2 was brutal for the Greek people; Greece as country suffered under the triple occupation of Nazi Germany, Fascist Italy and Bulgaria.

Roughly 10% of the pre war population perished. A civil war that lasted 4 years ensued after liberation in 1944. Greece lay in ruins. Whoever could, in the 50's immigrated in USA, Australia and Germany to find a better luck.

The after effects of the devastation and the great famine of WW2 were felt till recently. The grandmas talk about it, it has passed in the language and in the way people saw food in the subsequent decades.

Listen to BBC's Witness History short episode:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/play/w3ct3c59