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Τhe crisis of raisins
The raisins' crisis
After the war of independence (1830), the vines in Greece were cultivated with raisins. During the second half of the 19th century the Corinthian currant was the number one exported product and it was for the Greek economy what coffee is to Brazil. However, the collapse of the trade of raisins dealt an irreparable blow to the local economy and society. More than 350.000 people emigrated between 1890 and 1915 mostly to
the USA. -
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Immigrants to the USA in 1900-1912
Immigration continued with increasing pace during 1900-1912. In 1902 the Greek immigrants in the US amounted to 20,000 (SKRIP newspaper, sheet of March 29, 1902), while the 1911- 1912 migrated about 1,000 people per week. The last element is resulting from a publication to an Athenian newspaper: "Only the last dayss of last week left for America from various parts of Greece about 1500, another 1500 left yesterday with the two Greek ocean liners, “Athens'” and “Macedonia" (March 19,1912). -
Violent August: The 1918 Anti-Greek Riots in Toronto
Violent August: The 1918 Anti-Greek Riots in Toronto - Documentary Film The Greek immigration to Canada was peaked in the late 1960s. In August 1918 the socioeconomic conditions during the First WW led to an explosion of racist violence, focused on Greek immigrants of Toronto. 10,000 veterans of the First WW, for four days were demonstrating with 40,000 residents of Toronto, against Greek immigrants destroying shops and exerting violence in any Greek. -
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Immigration wave in the period 1925-1929
In the early 20th century until 1924, the USA was major migrant destination of Greeks. Based on data of the National Statistical Service of Greece from 1891 to 1924 emigrated to the USA 406.862 persons, while in other countries (Canada, Brazil, Australia, South Africa etc) from 1901 to 1924 the number of immigrants reached 24,704. During the next five years (1925 - 1929) looked for a better life abroad 46 288 immigrants. -
Immigration to Western Europe
After 1955, labor migration to Western Europe - first to Belgium and then (since1959) to West Germany - was constantly growing. The Greek government during the decade 1955 - 1965 saw the migration of farmers and workers as a means of addressing the economic problems plaguing the country. -
20 kilos and 20 dollars
IIn March 16, 1964 thousands of Istanbul Greeks, who, most of them, had never been to Greece, were being deported and they were only allowed to take 20 kilos of baggage and 20 dollars with them. Fifty thousand exiles, who were accused of being too Greek in Turkey and too Turkish in Greece, would soon abandon their home and citizenship, never to return. The real property of the deported Greeks was pledged by the Turkish government as property that was abandoned by the statutory owners.
