In refugee literature, the first memories and interpretations of the collective injuries are tested, as prose writers from Asia Minor are witnessing this period of disgrace for Hellenism. They record, also comment and describe in the most convincing way their impressions of what they have heard and what they have lived.
The persons referred below are a few of the millions who came from Asia Minor to Greece. These wrote about their lives as refugees and the people who lived the Asia Minor catastrophe, also.
Elias Benezis was born in Kydonies of Asia Minor in 1904. His real name was Elias Mellos. In 1922 his family quit definitively Asia Minor but he did not prevented the ship .He was captured and sent with another 3.000 prisoners to labour battalions. In 1923 was released and after Asia Minor catastrophe he and his family selted down to Athens.His most famous book is <<Number 31328>>.The story starts in Aivali (Ayvalık), and takes us through the first days of the Turkish occupation.
The way to amele taburu is slowly but steadily painted in pale and crimson, in the red bloodstained steps of bare wounded feet walking on hot summer sand. The life of the captives, as seen through the eyes of one who lived through these horrific experiences numbs the spirit of the reader too. The few bright sparks of humanity in a wasteland of inhumanity are treasured, as people are treated as if worthless: struck to death with hammers, lethally wounded and left to die alone, raped and then killed. All hope and all light is lost, despite the occasional effort by the prisoners to help each other—sincere at first, then worn down and half-hearted, until at last utter indifference.
Giorgos Theotokas was born in Constantinople .His parents were from Chios Island. In 1929, he released his first book which was characterized as <<manifesto>>of the '30s.
Dido Sotiriou was born in Aydin of Asia Minor.
In 1919 her family selted down to Smyrna. After Asia Minor catastrophe she came as refugee in Pireaus and later she selted down with her family in Athens .<<The bloody soils>> is one of the best known novels of her. This book has been translated in many languages ,some of them are English, Bulgarian, French, German and more. Until 2008 this book had more than 400.000 copies.In the book is described the life of manolis axiotis who served in the ottoman labour battalions(1914-1918) later he became soldier of the Greek army and then he lived the Asia Minor catastrophe.
