Beneath the rugged landscape of Serifos, hidden behind the rusting remnants of its abandoned mines, lies a powerful story of exploitation, resilience, and human dignity—largely unknown to the average visitor.
This story is brought to light through the work of journalist Alexandra Christakaki and her book “In the Heart of Serifos: Testimonies of the Last Living Mine Workers”. In it, she documents deeply personal accounts from the final surviving miners of the island—shedding light on a chapter of Greek history that has long remained buried in silence.
These testimonies recount memories of loss and struggle: children robbed of their childhoods, families uprooted from ancestral land, and laborers toiling in dangerous, near-medieval conditions—realities that persisted until the mining company’s eventual bankruptcy in 1963.
A focal point of the narrative is the bloody strike of 1916—an event that would go on to become a milestone in the history of the Greek labor movement.
During the broadcast, we’ll listen to original audio recordings of the miners’ voices, captured by the author herself, as well as selected tracks from Christos Thivaios’ haunting album “Iron Island”, inspired by the legacy of these forgotten lives.
Produced and presented by Marilena Katsimi
Broadcast: Saturday 5 July 2025, 13:00-14:00 Athens time
