I am a writer trying to get information about Albanian's who escaped communist Albania by swimming over to Corfu. I need to know what it was like to do the swim---where they swam from in Albania-- and where they swim to in Corfu. I want to know what happened once they arrived: were they taken in my other Albanian's? Did they camp out in the woods? Did they find work? How did they survive?
Any leads or any help anyone can offer will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks,
TribecaNina
Message posted by dirkgg on 06 December 2011 at 5:20pm - IP Logged
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There are 2 brothers in Kassiopi who are well known to those who holiday there on a regular basis who match your criteria.
One in particular has a house and family in the village, works in the building industry and does Greek dancing.
More than that I'm not prepared to say, but there are enough clues there for you to track them down
Obviously I don't know if they would be comfortable having their names mentioned on an open forum, but anyone in the village will be able to pass on the information to them, so they could contact you if they wished.
Message posted by Bob and Wendy (Uncle Bob) on 06 December 2011 at 5:52pm - IP Logged
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Bob and Wendy
One early morning in San Stephanos (NE) a couple of young lads dressed in just their underpants, were found by the owner of one of the tavernas huddled in his doorway, although it was summer, they were shivering with cold.
He took them inside, heated up some chicken and chips left from the night before, gave it to the boys, insisting that they had nothing to pay, but after a couple of mouthfulls they could eat no more, they were just not used to such rich food.
The owner reported their presence to the police and promised to look after them and a job for the time being, so that they weren't sent back to Albania.
It transpired that they had crossed the channel at its narrowest point, using a tractor inner tube, one of the boys couldn't swim anyway. This particular boy had deserted from the forces and was scared that he would be executed if sent back.
This lad spent the next couple of years working for various employers around the village, the other made his way to Italy, not to be heard of again.
Around this time we often, late at night,encountered groups of men in what we referred to as "Demob Suits" wet upto the knees,(from wading ashore) carrying a plastic carrier bag containing their worldly goods, making their way along the side of the coast road, looking for a track into the island that they would know of by word of mouth.
The first Albanian boy to work in our village was called Labis (they all took Greek names)(he has now returned to Albania),at one time he was badly beaten for his savings by other Albanians who he called Mafia, of course he couldn't get medical help so some of the old ladys from the village cared for him until he was better.
When we would sometimes have help in our garden from Albanian lads, they would never come into the house for fear of being caught, many's the time a strange car has driven into our area, and all you would see of the boys would be their tools clunking to the ground and the tree branches shaking where their cloths had been whipped away in their haste to become invisible. I swear they could recognise every local vehicle by its individual sound.
We now have about three Albanian workers in our village who are now legal, they live in an old house which they look after, go back home to their families regularly, and most importantly help out the older residents with the jobs they now find impossible to do.
Bob
Message posted by janmanessi on 06 December 2011 at 7:25pm - IP Logged
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