Programme Erasmus + Europe on the move : Migration Biographies Essays-Biographies
THE MAIN ROUTES OF MIGRANTS IN THE MEDITERRANEAN
Central Mediterranean Way : the migrants leave mainly from Libya . Here they are boarded by traffickers on dilapidated and overcrowded means . It is considered the most dangerous route to reach Europe .
Eastern Mediterranean Way : The main route used by human traffickers . From the coasts of Turkey migrants are transported to Greece landing on the Greek islands ( Lesbos , Chio , Samo , Kos ). The migrants passing through this route come mainly from Syria , Iraq , Afghanistan .
Route to the Balkans : it is a land route that leads from Greece to other countries of the European Union . In 2015 and 2016 , an unprecedented flow of refugees took place via this route , but then almost completely stopped following the closure of the borders of Hungary , Austria , Slovenia , Serbia , Croatia and Macedonia .
The Italian migration belonged to a larger European , world wide phenomena , but it was supported by the particular historical condition for Itlaly unified only in 1861 with a starting of Industrialization limited to the industrial triangle : Turin , Milan , Genova . The rest of Italy was still rural with a feudal system , a place where misery , undernourishment and illiteracy ruled .
The motto " O emigranti o briganti «( Migrant or Brigant ) expressed a drammatic situation : migration wasn ’ t a free choice but an imperative hoping a better life
The departure was often followed by a sense of fear and great expectations about a better life as proved by a lot of popular songs of that period .
On ships , emigrants were piled up like animals , they received no medical assistance , no toilets or adequate nutrition ; it wasn ’ t unusual for contagious diseases to break out on overcrowded decks that turned into real epidemics . Many died during the journey . Those who arrived at their destination , after more than 40 days of navigation , often found a hostile environment .
The rich first and second class passengers were inspected at their convenience in their cabins and escorted to the ground by immigration officers . Third-class passengers were taken to Ellis Island for inspection , which was tougher .
Every arriving immigrant brought with him a document with information about the ship that had taken him to New York . The doctors briefly examined each immigrant and marked on the back with plaster those who needed further examination to ascertain their health ; if there were special conditions of illness this meant that they were held at the Ellis Island hospital .
After the first inspection , the immigrants proceeded to the central part of the Registration Room where the inspectors questioned the immigrants one by one . Each immigrant needed at least a full day to pass the entire inspection process to Ellis Island .
The scenes on the island were really heartbreaking : for the most part people came hungry , dirty and without a penny , they didn ' t know a word of English and they felt strongly humiliated .
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