Diary, we find him in Tokat in the lazy days of
August 1933, studying for his philosophy make-up
exam, playing with friends and, as always,
keeping a close, silent eye on the elusive Cemile.
TNT will continue with the next batch of diary
entries in a few days. Stay tuned.//
Postcard of Tokat, 1930s
August
Tuesday, 1 August 1933
I read through 30 pages of logic. I spent the rest of the day
with Kemal and despite the weather being so hot we flew
a kite.
Wednesday, 2 August 1933
Again today the weather was very hot. I read 60 pages of
logic.
Thursday, 3 August 1933
In the evening my father said that the people from Zile had
come and would perform an activity tomorrow. Since I
was at the orchard, I couldn’t go to the activity. Excited
about tomorrow’s match, I went to bed early but didn’t get
to sleep till late.
Friday, 4 August 1933
In the morning I headed for Tokat on the donkey at 10
o’clock. Kemal came with his father. We went to the
house in Tokat and sat in the garden. We walked around
the vicinity of the clock tower for a bit. I looked all around
for her but didn’t see her. Finally, at 4 o’clock, we went to
the field and saw that all the seats were already taken so
we stood to wait. I looked everywhere for her but didn’t
see her. The match was very exciting. The team from Zile
had Zaralı Ziya and goalie Lutfi from Sivas. Later we
learned that they even had a player from Samsun. Our
side played better during the entire match. The ball was
always in front of the Zile goal. At the 30 minute mark
of the first half, teacher Lutfi scored a goal. Hamdi scored
the scored the second goal at 30 minutes of the second
half. Our side scored more goals. In fact, we missed
three penalty kicks. The match was great. But for some
reason I wasn’t all that happy and I thought a lot in my
bed at night.
Saturday, 5 August 1933
I studied somewhat and goofed off some, too.
Sunday, 6 August 1933
In the evening my father gave me a letter from Namık
that I opened right away. Although it was dark, with
some difficulty I read the letter. I was quite upset about
it and went to bed without eating.
Monday, 7 August 1933
I wrote a letter to Namık. I read his letter and mine to
Kemal. I wrote very sad things to Namık. But this year
my life is always gloomy. I don’t understand anything
about the world this year. In the evening I was glad
about one thing: another day had passed.
Tuesday, 8 August 1933
I went to Tokat. After I finished writing Namık’s letter at
the office, I mailed it. I looked for her on the road but
didn’t run into her. I just saw her once in front of the
window. This put a smile on my face and satisfied with
this amount of joy, I headed for the orchard.
Wednesday, 9 August 1933
The sky became cloudy again. Even with a jacket I’m
feeling cold. I prepared a philosophy copy until evening.
After dinner, I wrote a letter to Şemsi and gave it to my
father. In my dream tonight I saw that Namık had come
to Tokat. But in the morning I disappointedly realized
it was a dream.
Thursday, 10 August 1933
Cloudy again today. I’m bored. In the morning I prepared
a fair amount of philosophy notes. At noon I played a lot
of football. In the evening we began to read Ömer Rıza’s
novel “Gül Hanım” in the latest newspaper.
Elementary school students in Tokat, 1930s
Friday, 11 August 1933
I read “Gül Hanım” up to the 2 August installment. I
played a bit of football.
Saturday, 12 August 1933
There were some breaks in the clouds but mostly it was
overcast. I finished the philosophy notes. I read the ninth
installment of “Around the World in a Vehicle”. Kemal
and I chatted a lot.
Sunday, 13 August 1933
After shaving in the morning, I went to Tokat. Who did I
run into in the square? She was buying vegetables for her
home. As she went home I circled her on my bike. When
she went home I had to leave my bike at home, too. It
had been nearly two weeks since I’d seen her so I was
happy about my stroke of luck today. In the afternoon I
saw her at here home’s window, while Kemal and I were
heading for my nanny’s home. Hey! I was very happy
about this today. I wrote a letter to Celal.
Monday, 14 August 1933
The weather was very hot in the morning. In fact, for this
reason I washed in the river. But in the afternoon the
weather turned bad and rained somewhat. When my father
came home in the evening he brought a second letter from
Namık for me. I read it right away. Since he hadn’t yet
received my letter and made some wrong statements in his
writing, I felt badly. In the evening we learned that
İbrahim Bey would leave on Wednesday so this soured
our mood.
Tuesday, 15 August 1933
I went to the office in the morning. My father went to see
off Şükrü Bey, who was going to Turhal. I wrote a letter to
Namık until noon. Really, I’m feeling down. Let these 15
days pass quickly so I can see Namık again. Fortunately,
today I saw Naci, whom I hadn’t seen until now. We had a
good chat.
Wednesday, 16 August 1933
The weather has turned very cold so in the evening I wore
my overcoat. Again, I wrote a lot of notes. An invitation
came for the Tokat middle school’s graduation tea gathering.
Thursday, 17 August 1933
The weather cleared today. Kemal and I took baths in the
river. In the evening my father brought me a letter from Ali
Tevfik. In the letter he wrote that he didn’t get the overcoat.
I wonder what Cahid did with the overcoat?
Friday, 18 August 1933
In the morning my nanny’s family came to the orchard. As
I was going to Tokat I ran into them at Kızıltoprak. When I
got to Tokat I went to the coffee house and played games
with Hilmi and Celal. At 1:45 we went to the Halk Evi
(Peoples House), where Halis Bey was giving a talk.
Afterwards the entertainment began. We danced and
played musical chairs and other games. I came in first in
the food game. I saw her once at the coffee house and once
while going to the Halk Evi. Because of my circumstances,
I couldn’t follow her.
Students in Tokat on a nature outing, 1930s.
Saturday, 19 August 1933
Hilmi came at noon and we talked until evening. Then
we studied together. I got a letter from Namık in the
evening and read it right away. I was glad to see that he
had received my letter. But in his letter Namık wrote
that he will definitely go to Europe, which upset me quite
a bit.
Sunday, 20 August 1933
Hilmi and I studied philosophy until noon, after which I
went in the river to wash because of the heat.
Monday, 21 August 1933
I went to Tokat in the morning and toured around until noon
but I didn’t see her. At 3:30 I went to the Halk Evi. At 5
o’clock we went to the graves of Zeki and Nesib. As I came
down Ardala Street I saw her. She was wearing a green dress
as she headed down. Of course, I couldn’t leave the line I
was in. First we came to Zeki’s grave. After placing a
wreath, Halis Bey asked us to be quiet. Then he made some
remarks. Then he had us read ‘faik’. We did the same thing
at Nesib’s grave, where Necati read ‘aşr’. We were all quite
affected by this. After the ceremony, we went back to the
city by way of Dibağhane Street. I sat with Reşad for a while
in the park and then rode my bike to start to look for her.
But I ran out of hope and went to the orchard. I hoped I
might encounter her on the road and I did! Naturally, I
arrived at the orchard quickly and in high spirits. I
received a letter and a photo from Celal.
Tuesday, 22 August 1933
Hilmi and I worked on philosophy. I had quite an exciting
adventure tonight – I kissed her in my dream. But when I
awoke and realized it had been a dream I couldn’t open my
mouth.
Wednesday, 23 August 1933
We worked on philosophy until noon. In the afternoon I
went to the river with Kemal. It was very hot today. I’m
really bored.
Thursday, 24 August 1933
Hilmi went to Tokat to deal with the age matter. I wrote
some things to correct some problems in the copy. The
weather was very hot again.
Friday, 25 August 1933
Hilmi was sick so he couldn’t come. I took advantage of
this to finish the thing that’s been torturing us. In the
evening my father brought the new installments of “Gül
Hanım” and I read them.
Saturday, 26 August 1933
Hilmi came today and we started on logic. He said that
Cemal has come from Sivas. They’re conducting very
thorough examinations and I’m afraid of not getting a report.
My mother washed me. The weather is cloudy. I began to
read “Cennet Fedaileri”, which my father brought for me.
Sunday, 27 August 1933
The weather is cloudy again. After studying logic with
Hilmi until noon, I started to read “Cennet Fedaileri” and
finished it. The author of this nice historical novel is
Ömer Rıza.
Monday, 28 August 1933
After studying logic with Hilmi until noon, I went to Tokat.
I got an inoculation card. I road my bike around quite a bit
but I didn’t see her. After not having seen her for a week,
I’m at my wit’s end. What will I do when I don’t see her
for a month or two? On the way to the orchard with Kemal
in the evening I got a letter from Ali Tevfik, who had sent it
to the Sivas address, thinking we were there. In any case,
in the letter he wrote that he got the overcoat and that he
was embarrassed about my first letter, which pleased me.
Tuesday, 29 August 1933
We finally finished logic. Since my mother went out touring,
I waited at the orchard for her until evening.
Wednesday, 30 August 1933
I went to Tokat for the Fleet celebrations. At nine thirty, all
of us middle school graduates were sent to Army Square.
She was going to the same place with her friends and took
the opportunity to look back at me, which pleased me very
much. When we came to the square she sat in one of the
rooms in the Army School building and was right across from
me. We looked at each other for two hours. I was just about
drunk from this. I was joking with my friends, which kept
her looking at me. Toward evening she went out on the street
with someone and I followed her to her house. I probably
won’t see her again. The pain of being away from her for 9
months will hurt me but when we reunite I’ll have sweet
moments to enjoy.
Thursday, 31 August 1933
We were able to leave Tokat at 3 o’clock. We sat sometimes
and stood in the back sometimes, reaching the school at 9
o’clock. Many of the other fellows had already come,
except for Namık. I’m waiting eagerly for his arrival.
Tokat clock tower, 1930s
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