Neither Peter Stavrakis, nor his wife Helen, parents of Olga, Katheryn, Peter and the late Steven Stavrakis, ever wanted to leave their homeland. They never dreamed of going abroad or coming to America. But the ravages of War, Nazi occupation of their homeland, and the bloody Stalinist persecution gave them no choice. For seven years, following their escape from the Soviets in 1943, they wandered around Europe looking for peace soon realizing that America was the only choice. This is the story of fear, escape, a life saving intervention by the Tsar’s sister, a small Russian Orthodox church in Athens, and ultimately, the Journey to Cecil County, a special place chosen for a specific reason, where the family finally found the peace they had sought for so long and where Peter Stavrakis, physician, would practice his medical magic for the rest of his life.
Location: Cecilton Branch Library, 215 East Main Street Cecilton, MD 21913