https://simplecast.com Born Greek - Made American On March 30, 1952 four men were executed in Athens, Greece. They were accused of being communists and committing acts of espionage and treason. Three years later, the daughters of one of these men were put on a plane and sent to America. They were adopted by a wealthy Greek American couple in Massachusetts. Their adoption was the first of a long line of adoptions between Greece and the US that has been kept a secret for years. It is a story that takes us back to the Cold War years and to a relationship of dominance and submission between the US and Greece. But it’s also a personal story, about facing one’s past — decades after being forced to forget. Can a broken family come together again? 2023 Melon Media en Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:21:07 +0000 Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:21:18 +0000 https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com Born Greek - Made American https://image.simplecastcdn.com/images/dd126352-94d7-4ac1-bc8f-42f772cec268/cb4463cc-ce8b-481e-82fe-47069eaa2749/3000x3000/finalcover-centered.jpg?aid=rss_feed https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com serial On March 30, 1952 four men were executed in Athens, Greece. They were accused of being communists and committing acts of espionage and treason. Three years later, the daughters of one of these men were put on a plane and sent to America. They were adopted by a wealthy Greek American couple in Massachusetts. Their adoption was the first of a long line of adoptions between Greece and the US that has been kept a secret for years. It is a story that takes us back to the Cold War years and to a relationship of dominance and submission between the US and Greece. But it’s also a personal story, about facing one’s past — decades after being forced to forget. Can a broken family come together again? Melon Media false https://feeds.simplecast.com/Y8cYyWP9 adoption, children, greece, international, orphanage, scandal, usa Melon Media info@melonmedia.gr 730542ad-747a-4f2c-8a72-81c6fac7aad8 Mary’s story Mary describes herself as a sort of “person X”. Born in Greece, she was adopted in 1955 by an American couple in the Midwest. She has never met her birth mother and knows very little about her father. 

In this episode, Katerina Bakogianni tries to find out about Mary’s birth mother and answer some of the questions Mary has been struggling with for years. 

Born Greek is a Melon Media production.

]]> Mon, 28 Apr 2025 14:21:07 +0000 info@melonmedia.gr (Melon Media) https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com/episodes/marys-story-qjHp_4HC Mary describes herself as a sort of “person X”. Born in Greece, she was adopted in 1955 by an American couple in the Midwest. She has never met her birth mother and knows very little about her father. 

In this episode, Katerina Bakogianni tries to find out about Mary’s birth mother and answer some of the questions Mary has been struggling with for years. 

Born Greek is a Melon Media production.

]]> Mary’s story Melon Media 00:27:12 Mary describes herself as a sort of “person X”. Born in Greece, she was adopted in 1955 by an American couple in the Midwest. She has never met her birth mother and knows very little about her father. In this episode, Katerina Bakogianni tries to find out about Mary’s birth mother and answer some of the questions Mary has been struggling with for years. Born Greek is a Melon Media production. Mary describes herself as a sort of “person X”. Born in Greece, she was adopted in 1955 by an American couple in the Midwest. She has never met her birth mother and knows very little about her father. In this episode, Katerina Bakogianni tries to find out about Mary’s birth mother and answer some of the questions Mary has been struggling with for years. Born Greek is a Melon Media production. false bonus 1 254ceeb7-ad75-4bc7-8b64-d72f32b688fb 2. Effie: A life in waiting Effie has been searching for her sisters, Joan and Kathryn, her whole life. The three of them were forcefully separated by the police after the execution of their father. A CIA agent confirms that the U.S. played a heavy hand in the persecution of Greek communists in the 1950s. Joan and Kathryn were part of an international adoption scandal that sent thousands of Greek babies to America.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> Thu, 5 Oct 2023 02:00:00 +0000 info@melonmedia.gr (Melon Media) https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com/episodes/effie-a-life-in-waiting-3oZUKAcI Effie has been searching for her sisters, Joan and Kathryn, her whole life. The three of them were forcefully separated by the police after the execution of their father. A CIA agent confirms that the U.S. played a heavy hand in the persecution of Greek communists in the 1950s. Joan and Kathryn were part of an international adoption scandal that sent thousands of Greek babies to America.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> 2. Effie: A life in waiting Melon Media 00:30:28 Effie has been searching for her sisters, Joan and Kathryn, her whole life. The three of them were forcefully separated by the police after the execution of their father. A CIA agent confirms that the U.S. played a heavy hand in the persecution of Greek communists in the 1950s. Joan and Kathryn were part of an international adoption scandal that sent thousands of Greek babies to America. Effie has been searching for her sisters, Joan and Kathryn, her whole life. The three of them were forcefully separated by the police after the execution of their father. A CIA agent confirms that the U.S. played a heavy hand in the persecution of Greek communists in the 1950s. Joan and Kathryn were part of an international adoption scandal that sent thousands of Greek babies to America. false full 2 1 6fdd766c-7ea1-4e04-87bb-bf8b1f0ddb7a 3. The two Joans Through a bizarre coincidence Katerina meets two of Joan’s best childhood friends and learns about her first years in the States. She and her sister Kathryn adopted by a very wealthy Greek-American couple in Massachusetts. Joan never spoke about her dark past to anybody. David thinks that may be the reason for her mental breakdown years later.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> Thu, 5 Oct 2023 02:00:00 +0000 info@melonmedia.gr (Melon Media) https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com/episodes/the-two-joans-S_W2vQGR Through a bizarre coincidence Katerina meets two of Joan’s best childhood friends and learns about her first years in the States. She and her sister Kathryn adopted by a very wealthy Greek-American couple in Massachusetts. Joan never spoke about her dark past to anybody. David thinks that may be the reason for her mental breakdown years later.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> 3. The two Joans Melon Media 00:32:59 Through a bizarre coincidence Katerina meets two of Joan’s best childhood friends and learns about her first years in the States. She and her sister Kathryn adopted by a very wealthy Greek-American couple in Massachusetts. Joan never spoke about her dark past to anybody. David thinks that may be the reason for her mental breakdown years later. Through a bizarre coincidence Katerina meets two of Joan’s best childhood friends and learns about her first years in the States. She and her sister Kathryn adopted by a very wealthy Greek-American couple in Massachusetts. Joan never spoke about her dark past to anybody. David thinks that may be the reason for her mental breakdown years later. massachusetts, adoption false full 3 1 6c787b91-d7ec-463d-81f1-7bcb00635c2f 1. David: A shocking revelation Joan and her sister Kathryn were adopted from Greece in 1955 under strange circumstances. Years later, Joan’s son David discovers an unbelievable secret. His grandfather was a high profile communist who was executed by the Greek state. And there is also a third sister in Greece.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> Thu, 5 Oct 2023 02:00:00 +0000 info@melonmedia.gr (Melon Media) https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com/episodes/david-a-shocking-revelation-EZ_U2Jzm Joan and her sister Kathryn were adopted from Greece in 1955 under strange circumstances. Years later, Joan’s son David discovers an unbelievable secret. His grandfather was a high profile communist who was executed by the Greek state. And there is also a third sister in Greece.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> 1. David: A shocking revelation Melon Media 00:29:32 Joan and her sister Kathryn were adopted from Greece in 1955 under strange circumstances. Years later, Joan’s son David discovers an unbelievable secret. His grandfather was a high profile communist who was executed by the Greek state. And there is also a third sister in Greece. Joan and her sister Kathryn were adopted from Greece in 1955 under strange circumstances. Years later, Joan’s son David discovers an unbelievable secret. His grandfather was a high profile communist who was executed by the Greek state. And there is also a third sister in Greece. david, sister, secret, communism, adoption false full 1 1 c4363cf5-8886-4f98-981e-4140511c780a 5. Saying a name out loud David decides the time has come. He travels to Greece and arranges for Joan to speak with Effie. He visits the execution site and pays tribute to his grandfather. The family is reunited.

Visit David's website:  

David Whelan → page (davidvalentinewhelan.com)

Visit Ομιλος Μνημης Αττικος Τυμβος: 2010 (attikostimvos.blogspot.com) 

to find out more about those executed in Greece during the years 1941-1952

Special thanks to Xanthe Patmanidou-Papanastasiou, President of the Attic Tomb, for letting us use archival sound recordings in this episode. 

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> Thu, 5 Oct 2023 02:00:00 +0000 info@melonmedia.gr (Melon Media) https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com/episodes/saying-a-name-out-loud-a_4Qeb1G David decides the time has come. He travels to Greece and arranges for Joan to speak with Effie. He visits the execution site and pays tribute to his grandfather. The family is reunited.

Visit David's website:  

David Whelan → page (davidvalentinewhelan.com)

Visit Ομιλος Μνημης Αττικος Τυμβος: 2010 (attikostimvos.blogspot.com) 

to find out more about those executed in Greece during the years 1941-1952

Special thanks to Xanthe Patmanidou-Papanastasiou, President of the Attic Tomb, for letting us use archival sound recordings in this episode. 

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> 5. Saying a name out loud Melon Media 00:34:49 David decides the time has come. He travels to Greece and arranges for Joan to speak with Effie. He visits the execution site and pays tribute to his grandfather. The family is reunited. David decides the time has come. He travels to Greece and arranges for Joan to speak with Effie. He visits the execution site and pays tribute to his grandfather. The family is reunited. false full 5 1 e9c458f9-2ea6-498b-9312-b800276bac19 4. Kathryn: Together, at last In 1980, a journalist tracks down Joan and Kathryn's adoption papers. Effie tries to contact Joan by phone, but Joan tells her she will not be allowed to speak to her again. Years go by. And then it is Kathryn who decides to search for a family in Greece. She travels to Athens and meets with Effie. Joan is still kept in the dark. Her husband David Sr says she wanted nothing to do with her past.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> Thu, 5 Oct 2023 02:00:00 +0000 info@melonmedia.gr (Melon Media) https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com/episodes/kathryn-together-at-last-73DgOfDq In 1980, a journalist tracks down Joan and Kathryn's adoption papers. Effie tries to contact Joan by phone, but Joan tells her she will not be allowed to speak to her again. Years go by. And then it is Kathryn who decides to search for a family in Greece. She travels to Athens and meets with Effie. Joan is still kept in the dark. Her husband David Sr says she wanted nothing to do with her past.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> 4. Kathryn: Together, at last Melon Media 00:39:34 In 1980, a journalist tracks down Joan and Kathryn's adoption papers. Effie tries to contact Joan by phone, but Joan tells her she will not be allowed to speak to her again. Years go by. And then it is Kathryn who decides to search for a family in Greece. She travels to Athens and meets with Effie. Joan is still kept in the dark. Her husband David Sr says she wanted nothing to do with her past. In 1980, a journalist tracks down Joan and Kathryn's adoption papers. Effie tries to contact Joan by phone, but Joan tells her she will not be allowed to speak to her again. Years go by. And then it is Kathryn who decides to search for a family in Greece. She travels to Athens and meets with Effie. Joan is still kept in the dark. Her husband David Sr says she wanted nothing to do with her past. false full 4 1 6946296f-8e8d-467b-9bfe-c7ceedcbe84c Trailer Joan and Kathryn were adopted from Greece in 1955 under strange circumstances. 

Years later, Joan’s son David discovers an unbelievable secret. His grandfather was a high profile communist who was executed by the Greek state. And there is also another sister, who still lives in Greece. Her name is Effie and she has been looking for Joan and Kathryn her whole life since the three of them were forcefully separated by the police.  

Joan and Kathryn were part of an international adoption scandal that sent thousands of Greek babies to America during the Cold War years.

Join journalist Katerina Bakogianni as she tries to unravel what exactly happened. 

In the process she will speak to family members in Greece and the U.S., childhood friends, professors of history and a former CIA agent. She will also take a long look at the complex relationship of dominance and submission  between Greece and America.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> Tue, 19 Sep 2023 09:50:57 +0000 info@melonmedia.gr (Melon Media) https://born-greek-c63115eb.simplecast.com/episodes/trailer-97aOnnA_ Joan and Kathryn were adopted from Greece in 1955 under strange circumstances. 

Years later, Joan’s son David discovers an unbelievable secret. His grandfather was a high profile communist who was executed by the Greek state. And there is also another sister, who still lives in Greece. Her name is Effie and she has been looking for Joan and Kathryn her whole life since the three of them were forcefully separated by the police.  

Joan and Kathryn were part of an international adoption scandal that sent thousands of Greek babies to America during the Cold War years.

Join journalist Katerina Bakogianni as she tries to unravel what exactly happened. 

In the process she will speak to family members in Greece and the U.S., childhood friends, professors of history and a former CIA agent. She will also take a long look at the complex relationship of dominance and submission  between Greece and America.

Cover design by MADHOT.

Born Greek - Made American is a co-production of Melon Media and iMEdD. 

Follow Melon Media on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Twitter, and TikTok.

]]> Trailer Melon Media 00:02:32 On March 30, 1952 four men were executed in Athens, Greece. They were accused of being communists and committing acts of espionage and treason. Three years later, the daughters of one of these men were put on a plane and sent to America. They were adopted by a wealthy Greek American couple in Massachusetts. Their adoption was one of the first of a long line of adoptions between Greece and the U.S. that has been kept a secret for years. It is a story that takes us back to the Cold War years and to a relationship of dominance and submission between the U.S. and Greece. But it’s also a personal story, about facing one’s past — decades after being forced to forget. Can a broken family come together again? On March 30, 1952 four men were executed in Athens, Greece. They were accused of being communists and committing acts of espionage and treason. Three years later, the daughters of one of these men were put on a plane and sent to America. They were adopted by a wealthy Greek American couple in Massachusetts. Their adoption was one of the first of a long line of adoptions between Greece and the U.S. that has been kept a secret for years. It is a story that takes us back to the Cold War years and to a relationship of dominance and submission between the U.S. and Greece. But it’s also a personal story, about facing one’s past — decades after being forced to forget. Can a broken family come together again? false trailer 1