‘If We Hadn’t Left … We Would Have All Died’: Escaping Famine on the Greek Island of Chios, 1941–44

Abstract

Abstract The decision-making processes of historical famine-induced migration movements have rarely been examined in detail. This article discusses such a movement from the Greek island of Chios and into Turkey in the early 1940s using first-hand accounts of famine survivors collected in the period 1999–2009. This article outlines the unfolding famine situation, describes the point at which individuals made the decision to leave or to stay and examines how that decision was implemented. The decision-making involved an elaborate process where pros and cons were assessed, where the wishes of individual family members were taken into consideration and where the long-term wellbeing of the family unit was the most important factor in any decision made. Difficult decisions, some of which may today appear irrational, were made. The article argues that individuals, even in crises situations, demonstrate agency and plan their actions and future, albeit within the constraints of a given situation.