A long-concealed chapter of modern Greek history is brought to light through the meticulous research of Belgian Hellenist and author Gonda Van Steen. Her book, Wanted: Children from Greece — Adoptions in Cold War America, unveils a poignant story: in the turbulent years following the Greek Civil War, approximately 4,000 children were quietly sent abroad for adoption, predominantly to the United States. This covert operation answered the growing demand among affluent Americans for white, healthy infants. Orchestrated by private lawyers, charitable foundations, and the Greek-American organization AHEPA, the process unfolded with scant governmental oversight. In postwar Greece, these adoptions became both an economic refuge and a Cold War strategy, a quiet bulwark against the spread of communism.
In this special broadcast, we welcome Gonda Van Steen, distinguished scholar and holder of the Koraes Chair at the Center for Hellenic Studies, King’s College London. Alongside her is Mary Cardaras, acclaimed journalist, professor, and author, who recounts a deeply personal journey: while researching her book Ripped at the Root — the remarkable story of Dena Poulias, a child taken from Greece as an infant — Mary discovered that she too was one of the thousands of Greek children adopted into American families after the war.
For years, Mary Cardaras has championed the cause of restoring Greek citizenship to these adoptees through the Nostos for Greek Adoptees campaign. A milestone was reached in April 2025, when a new ministerial decree finally opened the door for adult adoptees to reclaim their Greek nationality, exemplifying how historical inquiry can mend profound human wounds.
The conversation unfolds primarily in Greek, with moments in English.
Produced and presented by Marilena Katsimi
Broadcast: Saturday May 24, 2025, 13:00-14:00 Athens time
