Abstract
Libby Tata Arcel
University of Kopenhagen
Coping with the trauma of the Asia Minor Catastrophe: the transformation of the traumatic experiences of the first generation of a Greek family from Pergamon to the third generation descendants
An analysis of traumatic experiences and survival mechanisms in three generations of a Greek refugee family, expelled in 1914 and again in 1922 from Ottoman Asia Minor. In this paper in depth interviews with 3d generation descendants, grandchildren in the refugee family, aged between 33 to 48 will be presented. All grandchildren position themselves in relation to the traumatic stories narrated directly to them by their ancestor, reflect through the dialog with the interviewer on how it has influenced their lives and construct through their narrative memory how the "traumatic" has been transformed into survival "lessons", ethical guidelines and resiliency in their self-identity. Their perceptions of contemporary Turks do not escape the societal myths, but as children of the global society, they are all revising these perceptions continuously.
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