Korean War Legacy Project

Aristofanis Androulakis

Bio

Aristofanis Androulakis was a Greek Forces Sergeant in the Korean War. He shares how he was a bus driver before joining the war. During the war, he explains that he helped with the transportation of weapons. He shares his pride in what he did during the war near what is known as the Iron Triangle. He discusses the hardships he saw during his service. He shares his views on how Korea has changed all these years later. He shares photos from the war including himself as a soldier.

Video Clips

Greek Pride

Aristofanis Androulakis discusses how proud he is of the Greeks who fought in Korea. He explains his memory of a hill battle where he fought. He also shares the loss of comrades during the war.

Tags: Front lines,Pride

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From Ruins

Aristofanis Androulakis discusses how all he saw in Korea in the 1950s were ruins and destruction. He shares how he felt proud when he returned to Korea in 2007. He shared how it was so different and he couldn't believe it was the same place.

Tags: Seoul,Impressions of Korea,Modern Korea,Physical destruction,Pride

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Helping the Children

Aristofanis Androulakis discusses the tragedies of war. He shares how he tried to help children as much as he could. He explains how many struggled for food and would beg. He explains that helping the children is what makes him most proud.

Tags: Food,Poverty,Pride,South Koreans

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Photos from the War

Aristofanis Androulakis shares a photo of him and captain. He then shares a photo of a church they created to have services during the war. He shows a photo of a Greek cemetery in Korea. He also shares an image of the grave of a man he knew who asked him to deliver a message to his sister when he returned to Greece.

Tags: Front lines,Letters,Personal Loss

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Video Transcript

0:00:00 [Beginning of Recorded Material]

Interviewer: It is my great honor and pleasure to have you; please introduce yourself; name and birthday.

Translator: Να μας πεις το όνομά σου και πότε γεννήθηκες.

[Tell us your name and when you were born]

Aristofanis Androulakis (AA): Ανδρουλάκης Αριστοφάνης. Γεννήθηκα στις 5 Σεπτεμβρίου του 1929.

[Androulakis Aristofanis. I was born on the 5th September 1929]

Translator: His name is Aristofanis Androulakis and he was born on 5th September 1929.

Interviewer: ’29? So, how old are you?

0:00:30

Translator: Πόσων χρονών είσαι τώρα;

[How old are you now?]

ΑΑ: Να λογαριάσετε τα χρόνια, πόσο είμαι; [laughs] Το ’29, το ’30…

[Calculate the years… ’29, ‘30]

Translator: Ογδόντα εννιά. Eighty nine

Interviewer: Ah! You look very young and with the hat you look so cute.

Translator: Φαίνεσαι πολύ νεότερος και με το καπέλο φαίνεσαι πολύ ωραίος.

[You look much younger and, with this hat, you look very handsome]

ΑΑ: Ευχαριστώ πολύ

Translator: Thank you very much

Interviewer: So, tell me about that hat. Take it off and show it to the camera.

0:01:00

Translator: Βγάλε το καπέλο και δείξ’το και πες τι είναι αυτό το καπέλο.

[Remove the hat and show it, and say what this hat is]

ΑΑ: Αυτό το καπέλο ήταν όταν ήμουν στον πόλεμο της Κορέας. Όλοι οι Έλληνες στρατιώτες είχαμε αυτά.

Translator: This is a hat of the Korean War and all the greek soldiers had the same hat.

AA: Το ελληνικό σήμα…του Έλληνα στρατιώτη ήταν αυτό.

[The greek badge…of the Greek soldier, was this]

Translator: And this is the badge of the Greek military from that period

0:01:30

AA: Η ελληνική σημαία, το ελληνικό σήμα

[The greek flag…the greek badge]

Translator: The greek flag…

ΑΑ: Η ελληνική σημαία πες είναι αυτή

[Say that this is the greek flag]

Translator: The greek flag and the sign of the king of that period.

AA: …και το στρατιωτικό σήμα

[…and the military badge]

Interviewer: So, is that really τhat he used during the war in 1950?

Translator: Είναι το ίδιο το καπέλο που χρησιμοποιούσες στον πόλεμο;

[Is it the same hat you used during the war?]

ΑΑ: Το ίδιο, το ίδιο, από το 1952-53 το’χω

[The same, the same, I’ve had it since 1952-53]

Translator: That’s exactly the same he had during the war

Interviewer: Oh, so you kept it very well

Translator: Το διατηρούσες πολύ ωραία!

[You maintained it very nice]

ΑΑ: Το διατηρώ, το είχα μέσα σε…αυτό και…αυτό

[I maintain it, I had it inside…this and…this]

0:02:00

Interviewer: Can you put it on?

AA: Επίσης και το μαντήλι, το μαντήλι

[The scarf, as well. The scarf]

Translator: Να το ξαναβάλεις, να το φορέσεις. Δείξ’του και το μαντήλι. Άνοιξε το

[Put it on again, wear it. Show him the scarf, too. Open it]

This is also during the war.

Interviewer: Ohhh!

Translator: This is the sign, the greek sign

ΑΑ: Το βάζαμε εδώ, έτσι

[We placed it here, like this]

Translator: This is the greek flag and the sign of the United Nations

ΑΑ: Έτσι το βάζαμε

[That’s how we put it on]

Interviewer: Yes, beautiful

0:02:30

Interviewer: Wow! OK! Just like that, just leave it like that. So, tell me about your life in the Kriti island, before you went to Korea. What did you do in your childhood? Tell me about those…

Translator: Πες μας για τη ζωή σου πριν πας στο στρατό, εδώ στην Κρήτη.

[tell us about your life before joining the army, here in Crete]

ΑΑ: Ε, πριν πάω στο στρατο εδώ ήμουνα…εργαζόμουνα στο χωριό…

[Eh…before joining the army I was here…working in the village…]

0:03:00

ΑΑ: Στα αγροτικά, κτήματα…μετά πήγα στρατιώτης, ήμουνα…όχι, μετά στα λεωφορεία εργαζόμουνα και μετά που πήγα στο στρατό ήμουν οδηγός μηχανικός στα αυτοκίνητα.

[In agriculture…fields…then I became a soldier, I was…no, afterwards I worked in the buses and, when I joined the army, I was a driver mechanic in the cars]

Translator: As a child, he was working here in the fields, as a child, and then later he became a driver, driving a bus.

AA: Και στην Κορέα ήμουν στον τρίτο Λόχο, του Σκαλτσά, με ένα τζιπ…

[and in Korea I was in the third company, of Skaltsas, with a jeep…]

0:03:30

ΑΑ: …με το βαγόνι πίσω και κουβάλαγα τα πυρομαχικά στην προωθημένη διμοιρία.

[…with the wagon in the back, and I carried the ammunition to the advancing platoon]

Translator: And during the war in Korea, afterwards…

AA: Με το τζιπ, με το βαγόνι, γιατί τα αμάξια ήταν μεγάλα.

[With the jeep, the wagon, because the cars were big]

Translator: And, during the war, in Korea afterwards he had a jeep and he carried all the necessary things for the war on the hills, where they had to fight.

Interviewer: When did you join the military?

Translator: Πότε πήγες στο στρατό;

ΑΑ: Στο στρατό…το ’52; ‘52…ναι.

[In the army…’52? ’52…yes.]

0:04:00

Translator: 1952 he joined the military

Interviewer: 1952. So, already Korean War broke out in 1950. Right?

AA: Στην Κορέα ήμουν μέχρι που έληξε ο πόλεμος.

[I was in Korea till the war was over]

Translator: He went in Korea in the end of 1952 and all 1953.

Interviewer: What was his Unit?…

AA: Οι δύο τελευταίοι που σκοτωθήκανε, που είμαστε αγκαλιά έτσι, ήταν ένας υπολοχαγός ο Μαρκουδάκης ο Γιάννης από την Ρούκα Χανίων και ο Σφακάκης ο Γιώτης από το…..Είμαστε αγκαλιά έτσι…

[The two last ones that were killed, we hug each other like this, was a 1st lieutenant, Giannis Markoudakis from Rouka Chania and Giotis Sfakakis from… We hug each other like this…]

0:04:30

Translator: He took part in many fights, but the most important fight that he took part was in Harry’s Hill; they know it as Harry’s Hill and there were many Greeks, and some of them died there…and there was also, he said the story, there was an officer, coming from Crete, from Chania, who was killed there and there was also a soldier coming from Heraklion, from a village…

0:05:00

Translator…and he has some photos to show you together with him, and he died on 17th July 1953.

AA: Πες του ότι μια φορά με ρωτήσανε στην Πρεσβεία στην Αθήνα «Τι έχεις να πεις για τα κορεατικά βουνά;», και τους λέω, τους είπα ότι «τα κορεάτικα βουνά, το Νόρι και το Χάρι, οι Έλληνες τα κράτησαν και το’χουμε καμάρι». Και πήρα χειροκροτήματα που δεν μπορείς να φανταστείς.

[Tell him that once, they asked me in the Embassy of Athens: “What do you have to say about the Korean mountains?” and I told them {rhymes} “The Korean mountains, Nori and Hari, were hold by the Greeks, and we are proud of it”. And I got applause that you cannot imagine!]

0:05:30

Translator: He says that once they asked him what he has to say about Korea and he said, like a song, the Korean mountains, Noris and Haris, that’s where they fought, the Greeks kept them and that is why they feel very proud, but he said it like a song.

AA: Οι Έλληνες τα κράτησαν και το’χαμε καμάρι.

[They were hold by the Greeks, and we are proud of it]

Interviewer: Ask him to sing. Does he remember?

0:06:00

Translator: Θυμάσαι κανένα τραγούδι από κείνη την εποχή, να πεις ετσι, είτε από την Κορέα, είτε από τον στρατό, και λοιπά..;

[Do you remember any songs from that era, to sing it, either from Korea, or from the army, etc?]

ΑΑ: Ε, τι τωρα, τα στρατιωτικά τραγούδια που λέγαμε, στο στρατό; Τι να θυμάμαι; Τον πόλεμο αν θυμάμαι, ή αυτό;

[Eh…now what? The military songs we used to sing in the army? What should I remember? The war or this?]

Translator: He does not remember…

AA: Την πρώτη γραμμή…Τα τραγούδια θα λέγαμε;

[Front line… Would we sing?]

Translator: He says he had to fight and not to sing.

[Laughs]

Interviewer: So ask him…

0:06:30

Interviewer:…give me the details of those severe battles. Can he give me some story?

Translator: Θυμάσαι καθόλου λεπτομέρειες να μας πεις, από τον πόλεμο; Κάποια γεγονότα συγκεκριμένα;

[Do you remember any details at all from the war? Any specific facts?]

ΑΑ: Ε, να σας πω, όταν σκοτωθήκανε οι δυο που ήμαστε αγκαλιά, καθόμασταν και κουβεντιάζαμε, όπως κουβεντιάζουμε εμείς τώρα, κουβεντιάζαμε και με αυτούς, με τον Μαραγκιουδάκη τον Γιάννη τον Υπολοχαγό και τον Σφακάκη τον Γιώργη από το Σίβα Μεσαράς…Και λέμε…

[I’ll tell you, when the two that we embraced got killed, we stood there and talked. As we talk now, we talked with them, 1st lieutenant Giannis Markoudakis and Giorgis Sfakakis from Siva Messara…And we said…]

Translator: Να πω την ιστορία με το σημείωμα που έδωσε ο Σφακάκης;

[Should I tell the story with the note Sfakakis gave?]

0:07:00

Translator: Με το σημείωμα; Ο Σφακάκης δεν έδωσε το σημείωμα να παντρευτεί την…

[With the note? Wasn’t it Sfakakis who gave the note to marry the…]

ΑΑ: Ναι, ναι, ναι… Ο Σφακάκης έγραψε ένα σημείωμα. Ο Πατεράκης ήταν συγχωριανοί, αλλά ο Πατεράκης ήταν στο Λόχο Διοικήσεως, και γράφει λοιπόν ο Σφακάκης ένα σημείωμα, να το δώσει του Γιώργη, του Πατεράκη. Και λέει «Γιώργο, τα πράγματα δεν πάνε καλά, και δεν αποκλείεται να σκοτωθώ, μόνο αν σκοτωθώ και πας κάτω, και πας στην Κρήτη, και πας στο χωριό, να παντρευτείς την αδερφή μου». Αυτό το πράγμα…Και σκοτώθηκε στις 17 Ιουλίου 1953.

[Yes, yes, yes… Sfakakis wrote a note. Paterakis, who was in the command company, was from the same village as Sfakakis. So, Sfakakis wrote a note for Paterakis, which said: “Giorgi, things are not going very well, and it is possible to be killed. If I get killed and you go down to Crete, to my village, marry my sister”. This thing…And he got killed on the 17th July 1953]

0:07:30

ΑΑ: Ήμαστε μαζί

[We were together]

Translator: …and they were together. They have some photos together. And there was another soldier, also coming from his village…

AA: Να, αυτός, αυτός…

[Here…this one, this one…]

Interviewer: Take it out, take it out, take it out. Ask him to take it out.

Translator: Κράτα την την φωτογραφία αυτήν. Αυτήν την φωτογραφία κράτα την.

[Hold this photo. This photo, hold it]

They are together here and he said that…

0:08:00

AA: Αυτός σκοτώθηκε, 17 Ιουλίου 1953

[He got killed, 17th July 1953]

Translator: On the left is Aristofanis, on the right…

AA: Εγώ είμαι αυτός.

[That’s me]

Translator: On the right is Sfakakis. Giorgos Sfakakis?

AA: Ναι

[Yes]

Translator: Giorgos Sfakakis. And Sfakakis said that another soldier, coming also from Crete, from his village…

AA: Πες του εγώ είμαι ο άλλος

[Tell him that I am the other one]

Translator: “Please take this paper” he wrote a letter, a small letter, and he said “Please, take this small letter…”

0:08:30

Translator:… and when you go back at home, please give this message to my sister.

Interviewer: One message

Translator: One message, written, written message

Interviewer: Does he have?

Translator: No, no, no, he does not have

AA: Εγώ είμαι αυτός πες.

[Tell him, that’s me]

Translator: Ναι, ναι, ναι… And he said that “I feel that next days I will die, so please take this small letter to my sister, when you go back home”…

0:09:00

Translator:…because they came from the same village. And, it really happened, after 2-3 days, that was 17th July 1953, he died. He was killed. He felt it before. And, the other one, Giorgos Paterakis, Giorgos Paterakis…

AA: Γιώργος Πατεράκης, ναι.

[Giorgos Paterakis, yes]

Translator: He was the other soldier, who took the message, and when he came back to his village, he came to meet his sister…

0:09:30

Translator: …and he said: “I have this letter from your brother, please take it”. He did not know what was written inside, it was closed, in an envelope.

AA: Αυτός ήταν πολυβολητής

[He was a gunner]

Translator: …he opens the letter and he wrote to the sister: “Please, the one who will bring you this letter, I want that you get married with him”. And they got married!

Interviewer: [Laughs]

Translator: They got married and…

00:10:00

Translator:…when we had a meeting some years ago with the Korean ambassador here…

AA: Ο τάφος του…ο τελευταίος ο σταυρός, ο τάφος του…τελευταίος

[His grave…the last cross…his grave…last]

Translator: …and when we had a meeting with the Korean ambassador, this couple came. Now he dies.

AA: Εγώ είμαι αυτός που πήγα και τον αποχαιρέτησα στον τάφο του, σκοτωμένος

[I was the one who went and and saluted him at his grave, after he died]

Translator: This is the grave of that soldier , this is the soldier on the right, Sfakakis, and that’s his grave.

AA: Εγώ

[Me]

Translator: And on the left is Aristofanis, on his grave.

00:10:30

ΑΑ: Πήγα και τον χαιρέτησα στον τάφο…

[I went and saluted him at his grave]

Translator: And finally, this couple was…he was also a veteran of course…they came in a meeting with the Ambassador of Korea…

AA: …Στον τάφο

[…at his grave]

Translator: …and now he has died.

Interviewer: It’s amazing story and you have all this experience, and you didn’t know anything about Korea. What do you think about the whole thing happening now?

00:11:00

Translator: Έχοντας τώρα υπ’όψιν τις εμπειρίες σου όλες αυτές από την Κορέα, αυτά τα οποία έχεις ζήσει…

[Having in mind all these experiences from Korea, all these that you have lived…]

ΑΑ: Δεν τα ξεχνώ ποτέ!

[I never forget them!]

Translator:…ναι. Ποια είναι η άποψή σου για την Κορέα τώρα; The Korea today. Ποια είναι η άποψή σου για την Κορέα σήμερα;

[…yes. What is your opinion about Korea now?]

ΑΑ: Η Κορέα σήμερα έχει μεγάλη πρόοδο. Πάρα πολύ καλή.

[Korea has nowadays a great progress. Very very good.]

Translator: Great progress, because he has been in Korea lately, some years ago. We went together.

ΑΑ: Εγώ ξαναπήγα

[I revisited it]

00:11:30

Interviewer: When did he go back to Korea?

Translator: Ποιο έτος ξαναπήγες στην Κορέα;

[Which year did you visit Korea again?]]

ΑΑ: Ε, ποιο έτος ξαναπήγα;

[Eh, which year I went again?]

Translator: Το 2007

ΑΑ: Το 2007

Translator: 2007

Interviewer: 2007. So, tell me, tell us, tell the young children here in Greece and Korea, the Korea that you saw in 1952 and the Korea you saw in 2007. What are the differences?

00:12:00

Translator: Πες μας η Κορέα που ήξερες από τον πόλεμο…

[Tell us about Korea you knew before the war]

ΑΑ: Πολύ προοδευτική

[Very progressive.]

Translator: …και η Κορέα που είδες το 2007, τι διαφορά είχε.

[…and Korea that you saw in 2007, what were the differences?]

ΑΑ: Πολύ προοδευτική. Αυτή η φωτογραφία είναι που με παρασημοφορεί ο Πρόεδρος Δημοκρατίας της Κορέας. Να τα πούμε μετά.

[Very progressive. This is the photo that shows my decoration by the President of the republic of Korea. We’ll talk about this later.]

Translator: Τι διαφορά είδες από την εποχή του πολέμου μέχρι το 2007 που ξαναπήγες;

[What differences did you see from the end of the war till 2007 that you visited again?]

ΑΑ: Πρώτα πρώτα όταν ήταν πόλεμος δεν έβλεπες τίποτε άλλο , μόνο ερείπια, όλο ερείπια. Τώρα έχει μεγάλη πρόοδο η Κορέα, μεγάλη πρόοδο. Δεν περίμενα ότι θα έβλεπα μια τέτοια χώρα.

[First of all, when it was war, you could only see ruins, nothing else. Now Korea has great progress. I didn’t expect to see a country like this]

00:12:30

Translator: During the war, you could see only ruins and when I came in 2007 I saw another Korea, which has nothing to do with the Korea I knew from the war.

Interviewer: Tell me…

AA: Ερχόταν τα παιδιά…

[The children were coming…]

Interviewer: Tell me the details, what did you see in 2007, what did you see and what do you think about it?

Translator: Τι ακριβώς είδες το 2007 που σε εντυπωσιασε και σου έμεινε;

[What exactly were you amazed by, in 2007?]

00:13:00

ΑΑ: Όλα μου μείνανε, όλα. Είδα μια τεράστια πρόοδο, και λέω, πού είναι μωρέ η Κορέα, και πού είναι η Ελλάδα τώρα; Που είναι η Κορέα, που ήταν τότε ένα ερείπιο;

[Everything was amazing, everything. I saw a great progress and I wandered; Where does Korea and where does Greece stand now? Where is Korea, that was then just ruins?]

Translator: Everything he saw it was completely different, he was very enthusiastic to see the progress, the technology, even the buildings. Everything was completely different, and he compared, and he said: “Where is the Korea I knew?”

00:13:30

Interviewer: So, are you proud?

Translator: Είσαι υπερήφανος που είδες μία τέτοια Κορέα;

[Are you proud that you saw a Korea like this?]

ΑΑ: Πολύ, πολύ…και υπερήφανος που πήγα και στον πόλεμο.

[Very proud, and proud that I participated in the war]

Translator: And he’s very proud that he took part in the war.

AA: Πες του ήμουνα εθελοντής, πες. Δεν ήμουν…δεν με πήραν… Ήμουν εθελοντής, ήμασταν πολλοί εθελοντές που πήγαμε στην Κορέα.

[Tell him that I was a volunteer. They didn’t order me to go. I was a volunteer, there were lots of us in Korea]

Translator: …he went with his own will to fight.

00:14:00

Interviewer: Do you know that Korea is now the 11th largest economy in the world? And most strong democracy in Asia?

Translator: Ξέρεις ότι αυτή την στιγμή η Κορεάτικη οικονομία είναι η 11η πιο δυναμική οικονομία του κόσμου και η δημοκρατία της Κορέας η πιο σταθερή στην Ασία;

[Do you know that the Korean economy is now the 11th strongest economy in the world? And Korea has the most stable democracy in Asia?]

ΑΑ: Το ξέρω, το έχω ακούσει, το έχω ξανακούσει.

[I know, I’ve heard, I heard it before]

00:14:30

Translator: I know it, I have heard about

Interviewer: So, what do you want to say to the children, the young generation in Greece about your fight for Korean nation?

Translator: Τι έχεις να πεις για τα νέα παιδιά στην Ελλάδα εδώ, τους νέους γενικά, για το ότι πήγες, τι μήνυμα δηλαδή θελεις να δώσεις  για το ότι πήγες και πολέμησες και για την Κορέα ελληνικά;

[What message would you like to give to the greek young people, regarding the fact that you went and fought in Korea?]

ΑΑ: Κοίταξε να δεις…είμαι υπερήφανος που πήγα

[Look…I am proud to have been there]

00:15:00

Translator: I am proud I took part in the war, and this is what I have to tell the children.

ΑΑ: Πήγα εθελοντής πες, δεν με πήγανε. Γιατί οι περισσότεροι Έλληνες που πήγαμε, ήμαστε εθελοντές. Δεν μας πήγαν έτσι. Εδηλώνανε στο Τάγμα, ποιοι θέλουν να πάνε…Εγώ, εγώ! Εγώ!

[Say that I volunteered, I wasn’t forced. Most Greek were volunteers. They said in the Battalion who want to go. Me! Me! Me!]

Translator: The most Greeks we went like volunteers there, with our own will.

Αλλά στα παιδιά, τι έχεις να πεις; Στα παιδιά.

[What would you say to the children?]

ΑΑ: Στα παιδιά ποια; Τα κορεάτικα;

[Which children? The Koreans?

00:15:30

Translator: Τα Ελληνόπουλα. Για τις εντυπώσεις σου για την Κορέα, και για τον Πόλεμο της Κορέας, για όλα αυτά.

[The Greeks. For your impression from Korea, the Korean war, all this]

ΑΑ: Ε, ίντα να πω; Έχω ότι…ζήσαμε μια χώρα τότε που τα παιδιά ήταν στο δρόμο, δεν είχανε ψωμί να φάνε, δεν είχαν τίποτα και ήρθαν και μας κάναν έτσι. Είχαμε παιδιά, πηγαίναμε ψωμί, ψωμί και φαγητό, ψωμί προπαντώς, ψωμί, σε σπίτια, σε τέντες που μένανε τα παιδιά.

[Say what? We lived in a country where children were in the streets, they had no bread to eat, they had nothing and they came and begged. We had children, we provided them with bread, bread and food, especially bread, at homes and tents, where children lived]

Translator: He has to say…

AA: Και έχω και φωτογραφίες, θαρρώ πως έχω.

[I also have photos, I think I have]

Translator:…he is very proud that he took part in the war, and…

00:16:00

Translator:…he has to say that, during the war there were children that did not have to eat and they went where they were like soldiers and they begged for something to eat. And for this, he helped the children as much as he could, and for this he feels very proud.

Interviewer: Mmm…that’s very good.

AA: Είχα φωτογραφίες, αλλά δεν τις κρατούσα. Να ξέρω να τις κρατώ.

[I had photos, but didn’t keep them. From now on I will keep them]

Interviewer: So, now can he put up… the photos up to here and then ask him to explain?

00:16:30

Translator: Τις πιο σπουδαίες φωτογραφίες… Τι είναι η φωτογραφία αυτή;

[The most important photos. What is this photo?]

ΑΑ: Αυτός είναι…

[This is…]

Translator: Δείχνε το, δείχνε το εδώ μπροστά.

[Show it, show it here]

ΑΑ: Αυτό είναι μια ταμπέλα μεγάλη. Την έχουμε κάνει οι Έλληνες στον καταυλισμό τον δικό μας, κι είμαι εγώ φωτογραφία στη μια και λέει «στρατόπεδο Μαραγκουδάκη». Βάλαμε «Στρατόπεδο Μαραγκουδάκη», διότι αυτός σκοτώθηκε εκεί, ο υπολοχαγός. Και βάλαμε ότι εδώ είναι στρατόπεδο του Μαραγκουδάκη.

[This is a big label. We made it in our camp; it’s me in the photo and it says “Stratopedo Maragkoudaki”. We named it “Stratopedo Maragkoudaki”, because this lieutenant was killed there]

00:17:00

Translator: …coming from Chania, from Crete, who was killed there. He was a captain, and they took his name in this camp and it’s called ‘Stratopedo Maragkoudakis’, that was his name…

AA: Για να τον ετιμήσουμε…

Translator: As an honor to him.

AA: Ήμασταν μαζί που σκοτώθηκε

[We were with him when he got killed]

Interviewer: Who took this picture?

Translator: On the left is him, Aristofanis is there…

00:17:30

Translator: …and another soldier took the photo.

Interviewer: Another soldier…OK. Next picture!

Translator: Την επόμενη φωτογραφία, αυτήν εδώ. Αυτήν εδώ.

[Next photo, this one, this one]

Interviewer: Now, tell me…

Translator: Λοιπόν, εξήγησε τώρα, τι είναι.

[So, explain now, what it is]

ΑΑ: Είναι μία παράγκα, έτσι… με τέντα, με αυτό, και την είχαμε κάνει εκκλησία, και είχαμε βάλει όλα τα εκκλησιαστικά σκεύη εκεί, και λειτουργούσε ο παπάς κάθε Κυριακή. Και είναι εδώ την ώρα που λειτουργεί ο παπάς, που σηκώνει τα Άγια.

[It is a shack with a tent, that we transformed into church. We placed all the church objects there and the priest worshiped every Sunday. This is at the time of the worship.]

Translator: This is a church they made with some woods and some tents they had there…

00:18:00

Translator…and like this they could have every Sunday the ceremony of the church

AA: Worship

Interviewer: OK, good

AA: Και ερχότανε και…

[And he came and…]

Translator: Ναι, το’παμε αυτό ότι γινότανε η λειτουργία.

[Yes, we said that there was a worship]

ΑΑ: Κι εδώ είναι μια φωτογραφία την ώρα που πήγαμε τους νεκρούς και βγάλαμε τους λάκκους να τους θάψουμε.

[And this is a photo from the time we went to bury the dead people]

Translator: This is from the cemetery, where they had the greek soldiers there…

00:18:30

Translator: That’s from the greek part.

Interviewer: It’s in Greece now?

Translator: No, no, that was  in Korea

AA: Στην Κορέα, στα ελληνικό νεκροταφείο, στα νεκροταφεία που ήταν εκεί όλα.

[In Korea, the greek cemetery, everything was in the cemetery]

Translator: That was the greek cemetery in Korea

Interviewer:  In Korea? Ahhh, OK!

ΑΑ: Εδώ είναι ο τελευταίος τάφος που σκοτώθηκε, ο Σφακάκης ο Γιώργης, κι όταν έφυγα εγώ από την Κορέα να’ρθουμε  εδώ…

[And this is the last grave, where George Sfakakis was killed. When I left Korea to come here…]

00:19:00

ΑΑ: …πήγαμε από το νεκροταφείο, και αποχαιρετίσαμε τους νεκρούς. Κι είναι ο τελευταίος τάφος, ο Σφακάκης Γιώργης από το Σίβα Μεσαράς.

[…we went to the cemetery, to salute the dead. And this is the last grave, Giorgis Sfakakis, from Siva Mesara.]

Translator: This is Sfakakis Giorgos, the one who was killed, and he sent a message to his sister.

Interviewer: So, they married, right? Ask him

Translator: Μετά παντρεύτηκε ο Γιώργος ο Πατεράκης, που έφερε το σημείωμα, με την αδερφή του Σφακάκη;

[Did Giorgos Paterakis, who had the note, got married to Sfakakis’ sister?]

ΑΑ: Ναι, ναι, ναι…

Interviewer: Did you attend the wedding ceremony?

00:19:30

Translator: If he took part?

Interviewer: Ask him, did you attend the wedding ceremony, when they married, the sister and the soldier? Ask him if he attended the wedding.

Translator: If he took part. Στο γάμο του, όταν έγινε μετά, του Πατεράκη, με την αδερφή του Σφακάκη, εσύ πήγες στο γάμο;

[Did you attend the wedding ceremony of Paterakis with Sfakakis’ sister?]

ΑΑ: Ναι, επήγα

[Yes, I was there]

Translator: He took part, he went, yes.

Interviewer: So, when he saw that wedding, what did he think about it? How did he feel about it?

00:20:00

Translator: Όταν πήγες στον γάμο του, πώς αισθανόσουνα;

[How did you feel when you attended the wedding?]

ΑΑ: Αισθανόμουν έτσι, λυπημένος, που έλειπε ο Σφακάκης

[I was feeling sad, because Sfakakis was missing]

Translator: He was very sorry, because the brother was not there.

AA: Εδώ είναι όταν φύγαμε από την Κορέα, πήγαμε και αποχαιρετήσαμε τους σκοτωμένους στο νεκροταφείο. Και είναι ο τελευταίος ο τάφος…

[This is when we left Korea; we went to salute the deceased in the cemetery. And it’s the last grave…]

Translator: When they were going to leave from Korea, they went to the greek cemetery, to say goodbye…

00:20:30

Translator: Δείχνε το

[Show it]

ΑΑ: Είναι αυτός ο μεσαίος, είναι ο συγχωριανός του,  ο Πατεράκης ο Γιώργης. Αυτός είναι ο Πατεράκης ο Γιώργος, ο συγχωριανός που πήρε την αδερφή του μετά.

[This one in the middle is his friend from the village, Giorgis Paterakis, who got married to his sister]

Translator: The one in the middle is Paterakis Giorgos, the one who get married with the sister of the other one.

Interviewer: Hmmm…. The next

Translator: Την επόμενη φωτογραφία

[Next photo]

ΑΑ: Εδώ είναι ο Πρόεδρος της Δημοκρατίας την ώρα που με παρασημοφορεί εμένα.

[This is the President of the Republic, who decorates me]

00:21:00

Translator: Είπαμε ότι πρέπει να είναι πρέσβυς αυτός…

[We said that this must be the ambassador]

ΑΑ: Α, ναι, πρέσβυς, πρέσβυς, ναι, ο πρέσβυς

[Oh, yes, the ambassador.]

Translator: Άσε, αυτό είναι μεταγενέστερο, βρες από το στρατό

[Leave this, it’s recent, find from the army]

ΑΑ: Απ’το στρατό

[From the army]

Translator: Αυτά τα δείξαμε, εντάξει.

[We showed these, OK]

ΑΑ: Τα δείξαμε αυτά εδώ; Τούτο εδώ το έδειξα; Όχι. Αυτές έδειξα.

[Did we show these? Did I show that? No, I showed these ones]

Translator:: Ναι

[Yes]

ΑΑ: Αυτές είναι που πήγαμε να αποχαιρετήσουμε τους νεκρούς, στο νεκροταφείο.

[These are from the cemetery, where we went to salute the deceased]

Translator: That’s also from the greek cemetery.

00:21:30

ΑΑ: Την έβαλα εκεί. Ίδια κι αυτή να πάει εκεί… Ναι, θα τη δεις. Να’το

[I put it there. This should go there too. Yes, you’ll see it. Here it is.]

Translator: Τι είναι αυτό;

[What is this?]

AA: Αυτό το κοριτσάκι, είχανε σκοτωθεί όλοι, πατεράδες του, μάνα του, και το είχαμε εμείς, και του δίναμε ψωμί να φάει στο…αυτό.

[The father and the mother of this little girl were killed, so we had her and we gave her bread to eat…]

Translator: This child…the parents were killed in the war.

Interviewer: Who? Parents?

Translator: The parents of this child were killed and that child came in the greek camp…

00:22:00

AA: Είχε μείνει ορφανό από γονείς.

[She was an orphan]

Translator: …to get some food to eat.

Interviewer: Hold on. And what happened to the child? Does he know?

Translator: Τι έγινε αυτό το παιδάκι; Ξέρεις;

[What happened to this child? Do you know?]

ΑΑ: Ε, τι έγινε; Φύγαμε μετά, τι έγινε δεν ξέρω.

[What happened? We left afterwards, I don’t know what happened]

Translator: He does not know, because he left and he does not know.

Interviewer: ΟΚ

Translator: Κι αυτό το ίδιο είναι, ασ’το. Κάτι άλλο

[That’s the same. Leave it. Something else]

ΑΑ: Αυτή είναι που πήγαμε στους σκοτωμένους

[That’s when we went to the deceased]

Translator: Κι αυτό το ίδιο, ασ’το. Πιο πέρα.

[That’s the same, leave it. Go on]

00:22:30

AA: Αυτές είναι ο παπάς, που είχαμε κάνει την εκκλησία, μια σκηνή, και λειτουργεί ο παπάς.

[These are with the priest; the church with the tent we made and the priest is worshiping]

Translator: That’s also from the church they made there, with the priest.

Interviewer: Thank you

AA: Κι αυτή πάλι είναι η ίδια, η εκκλησία

[And this is the same church]

Translator: The same church…

00:23:00

AA: Και αυτή είναι εκεί πάλι που είμαστε συγκεντρωμένοι όλοι μαζί και άλλα κράτη.

[Here we are gathered together with other nations]

Translator: They are altogether there.

Interviewer: Oh, show that to me, in the middle, chest.

Translator: Στο κέντρο, έτσι να φαίνεται καθαρά

[In the center, to show it clearly]

AA: Τούτη εδώ;

[This one?]

Translator: Βάλ’την μπροστά σου, μπροστά σου, να φαίνεται καλά.

[Put it in front, in front of you, to show it clearly]

Interviewer: Hold down. Where was it?

Translator: Πού ήταν αυτό εδώ;

[Where was this?]

00:23:30

ΑΑ: Ε, στο μέτωπο επάνω.

[Eh, in the frontline]

Translator: Where they had to fight! Now exactly where…

Interviewer: OK, next.

AA: Πού θα’τανε;… [Where would it be?…]

Translator: Το επόμενο

[Next one]

ΑΑ: Αυτή είναι… είχαμε μετά που ξαναπήγαμε πάλι…δεν μπορώ να θυμηθώ

[This is…then that we went again…I cannot remember…]

Translator: Ελα, αυτή είναι μεταγενέστερη, δεν ενδιαφέρει. Τις πολεμικές θα δείχνεις.

[Come on, this is more recent, it is not interesting. Show only the wartime ones]

ΑΑ: Πολεμική είναι αυτή, εγώ πάλι εκει.

[This is wartime, me again there]

Interviewer: Who’s that? You lied to me. Tell him, tell him

00:24:00

Translator: [Laughs]

Interviewer: tell him? Is it really you?

Translator: Εξήγησε, είσαι εσύ αυτός;

[Explain, is that you?]

ΑΑ: Εγώ είμαι, ναι

[That’s me, yes]

Translator: Yes, that’s me

Interviewer: Come on! No. Όχι, Όχι!

AA: Όχι; Δεν είμαι εγώ;

[No? Isn’t it me?]

Interviewer: Show it to me!

Translator: Δείχνε το, δείχνε το, σταθερό. Πιο κάτω.

[Show it, show it, stable! Further down.]

Interviewer: Look at him! Look at him! Now you are, and before, beautiful young Greek man! Bravo!

00:24:30

Translator: 70 years later [laughs] Εντάξει  [OK]