• Norwood Forum

Invisible Capital: How the Refugees of 1923 Transformed the Social, Cultural and Religious Life of Athens

5pm, hybrid event
More information can be found here on how to view - and participate - from the UK: 
Invisible Capital: How the Refugees of 1923 Transformed the Social, Cultural and Religious Life of Athens | American School of Classical Studies at Athens (ascsa.edu.gr)

It has often been observed that from 1923 onwards, the arrival in Greece of at least 1.2m newcomers from Anatolia and eastern Thrace changed, enriched and in certain ways, divided Greek society, both urban and rural.  Both the demography and the economics of northern Greece were transformed by an intensive programme of land distribution and resettlement. By 1928, the population of the Athens basin had nearly doubled, since the start of the decade, to 802,000. Through a mixture of state provision and spontaneous building activity, the capital saw the emergence of new neighbourhoods where refugees were concentrated. In more “respectable” parts of this urban area, these new districts were considered dangerous and subversive. This sharp differentiation came to a head during the Nazi occupation and civil war, when the refugee quarters became strongholds of the political left. But there is another side to this story. Despite the pronounced inequality and stratification of greater Athens as it emerged after the refugees’ arrival, there was also a gradual process of social convergence, ensuring that the world of the refugees would decisively affect both the high and popular culture of the Greek mainstream over the remainder of the 20th century. 

West Norwood Cemetery will be posting links to relevant events and activities that are being organised by others. With our Greek Enclosure, this fascinating hybrid event is being presented by the Gennadius Library, American School of Classical Studies, Athens and the speaker is Bruce Clark, The Economist.

event date: 

Tuesday, October 18, 2022