1922: Asia Minor refugees to the East Aegean islands and the local communities

The aim of this article is to quantitatively capture the scale of the refugee flows of 1922 and their impact from a demographic and socioeconomic perspective on the islands of the Eastern Aegean. It also explores the attitudes of the local populations on these islands towards the refugees, as well as the policies implemented by the state authorities. The answers to these questions will enable the identification of stable and recurring conditions that are consistently present in the early phases of large refugee/migration flows, while accounting for relevant differences compared to the past. These elements can be used to interpret, predict, and appropriately address the problems facing contemporary societies, especially in Greece and the regions of the Eastern Aegean islands, which in recent years have again become key entry points for numerous refugees and migrants.

The analysis of archival material as well as demographic data and indicators from this period reveals that the large refugee flows after the Asia Minor Catastrophe initially created feelings of threat and fear among the local populations. However, communication, information, and interaction between the locals and the refugees and migrants helped alleviate these initial emotions and supported the permeability of social boundaries between groups, as well as the promotion of the developmental prospects of the local communities. The size and high density of these flows within a short period of time appear to be a significant factor in shaping the attitudes of the local host communities and in the effective handling of the issue by the state. At the same time, state policies capitalized on the refugee flows to achieve national homogeneity and to create a population capable of meeting the defensive and military needs of the region, due to recent wars, as well as for ideological reasons.