The Refugee Sports Clubs in Greece as Carriers of Asia Minor Memory (1922–40)

Abstract After the exodus from their homelands and the population exchange between Turkey and Greece, Greek Orthodox refugees from Asia Minor formed hundreds of associations in Greece’s refugee settlements. These associations served the purposes of recovery and cultural expression, with many among them also functioning as carriers and promoters of the memory of their members’ places of origin. Among these associations were hundreds of sports clubs that young refugees joined. The mnemonic practices that members of these sports clubs pursued included the repeated use of texts, images, and rituals which referred mainly to the geography and history of Asia Minor. Based on the archives of refugee sports clubs from all over Greece, this article analyzes these mnemonic practices and places them in the general context of collective refugee memory.