Russian prison camp at Sarıkamış, wrestles with ways to
combat boredom. He meets some Russians for the
first time and starts forming impressions about them.//
12 March 1916 Sunday
We spent the day commiserating with one
another. Zühdü and I have
become good friends. I related my calamity to him and he was
genuinely affected, advising me to always bear up. After lunch the
Russian officer prisoners invited me to their room again. The
bespectacled captain introduced me to the priest there. I didn’t find the
become good friends. I related my calamity to him and he was
genuinely affected, advising me to always bear up. After lunch the
Russian officer prisoners invited me to their room again. The
bespectacled captain introduced me to the priest there. I didn’t find the
priest to be refined. Other than the
bespectacled captain I couldn’t
find any refinement among them. In any event, they offered me a glass
of brandy and tea with punch. The priest gave me three biscuits. Again,
after talkıng nonsense – they didn’t know Turkish nor I Russian but
it turned out they knew a little French – so we conversed with signs.
find any refinement among them. In any event, they offered me a glass
of brandy and tea with punch. The priest gave me three biscuits. Again,
after talkıng nonsense – they didn’t know Turkish nor I Russian but
it turned out they knew a little French – so we conversed with signs.
Very politely asking their permission, I departed.
After dinner I had
a deep conversation with Zühdü. When we lay down we chatted with
a Tatar soldier named Kerim from Kazan. He explained some things
about the Kazak language to some degree but the fool knows
a deep conversation with Zühdü. When we lay down we chatted with
a Tatar soldier named Kerim from Kazan. He explained some things
about the Kazak language to some degree but the fool knows
Russian better than his own native tounge.
13 March 1916 Monday
Morning was breaking . While we were
sleeping a Russian officer had
come and told someone that we would be moved today. Accordingly,
we got up right away. We very much wanted to move, thinking that
perhaps up ahead we would be saved from this aggravation and misery.
come and told someone that we would be moved today. Accordingly,
we got up right away. We very much wanted to move, thinking that
perhaps up ahead we would be saved from this aggravation and misery.
Today our friend who had been in the
hospital came, as well. He
informed us that 21 of the fellows on the other side would be moved
and that our move would occur a few days from now. So really, our
hopes for today were for nothing. We spent the day with hope and
excitement, whereas the night passed with petty arguments. We went
to bed early.
informed us that 21 of the fellows on the other side would be moved
and that our move would occur a few days from now. So really, our
hopes for today were for nothing. We spent the day with hope and
excitement, whereas the night passed with petty arguments. We went
to bed early.
14 March 1916 Tuesday
New Year’s, according to the Rumi calendar. The other fellows didn’t
move again today. Our time passes with chat and petty arguments.
New Year’s, according to the Rumi calendar. The other fellows didn’t
move again today. Our time passes with chat and petty arguments.
Food is coming from the restaurant.
15 March 1916 Wednesday
We spent today inside the room. The
barracks where we live is in the
southwest part of Sarıkamış. There are a lot of military buildings here,
numbering 80. Because captivity deprives us of everything we don’t
see or understand anything completely. Most things we know from
southwest part of Sarıkamış. There are a lot of military buildings here,
numbering 80. Because captivity deprives us of everything we don’t
see or understand anything completely. Most things we know from
hearing about them. Since I didn’t tour the
city, four fellows who did
said upon their return that they were struck by the paucity of men in
the city. There were just a few rowdy soldiers roaming about. The
aggravation that captivity breeds has led to free and easy talk among us
said upon their return that they were struck by the paucity of men in
the city. There were just a few rowdy soldiers roaming about. The
aggravation that captivity breeds has led to free and easy talk among us
fellows. I’ve even a few of my old belly
laughs myself. There are some
beautiful buildings in Sarıkamış. It’s both the district center and a
military headquarters, but it’s not a very big place.
beautiful buildings in Sarıkamış. It’s both the district center and a
military headquarters, but it’s not a very big place.
Playing Backgammon with Dice from Soap,
Pieces from Cardboard.
16 March 1916 Thursday
I created a backgammon game today in order
to pass the time. The dice
are from soap, the pieces from cardboard. The sections are on the table
that’s in the open area. We had quite a lot of fun with this. I wrote my
father another letter today and sent it to the Command. Zühdü
introduced me in a letter he wrote to Mustafa of Edirne. A Caucasian
Russian officer came to our room and we talked a bit. He told us to
write our needs down on paper so we wrote a note that encompassed
the one remaining portion of the February allowance and sent it to the
Command via the duty officer. At night I passed the time by learning
about Russian life and sociology from Aksenti again. I learned that
Russia isn’t developed like the Europe we know and hear about but
is rather backwards.
are from soap, the pieces from cardboard. The sections are on the table
that’s in the open area. We had quite a lot of fun with this. I wrote my
father another letter today and sent it to the Command. Zühdü
introduced me in a letter he wrote to Mustafa of Edirne. A Caucasian
Russian officer came to our room and we talked a bit. He told us to
write our needs down on paper so we wrote a note that encompassed
the one remaining portion of the February allowance and sent it to the
Command via the duty officer. At night I passed the time by learning
about Russian life and sociology from Aksenti again. I learned that
Russia isn’t developed like the Europe we know and hear about but
is rather backwards.
17 March 1916 Friday
Nothing came from the paper I wrote last
evening. The Russians are
brutish. It’s a mistake to expect civility from them. One must nurture
a never-ending revenge toward them.
brutish. It’s a mistake to expect civility from them. One must nurture
a never-ending revenge toward them.
18 March 1916 Saturday
Again today, out of boredom, we made a
dominos game out of wood.
At midday a few Russian officers came to our room and one of them
approached me, saying in French ‘How are you? Are you well?’ This
time I was surprised and a bit uneasy. I got a sudden feeling that
aonther calamity was about to befall me and I became frightened.
Fortunately, I quickly shook it off and regained my composure. They
didn’t stay long. Supposedly, they were inspecting. We laughed
and talked until midnight.
At midday a few Russian officers came to our room and one of them
approached me, saying in French ‘How are you? Are you well?’ This
time I was surprised and a bit uneasy. I got a sudden feeling that
aonther calamity was about to befall me and I became frightened.
Fortunately, I quickly shook it off and regained my composure. They
didn’t stay long. Supposedly, they were inspecting. We laughed
and talked until midnight.
Zühdü and I Decide to Write a Novel about
Captivity
19 March 1916 Sunday
We looked for something to keep us busy and
so Zühdü and I have
decided to write a novel. The novel will be our common bond and
give us solidarity in captivity. We thought quite a bit and came up
with a table of contents, dividing it into sections. It would be great
if we can do it successfully. In the afternoon three fellows went over
to the other officers’ area. When they came back they informed us
that we won’t be given any money. Rather, we’ll use a designated
grocer and cook and get all our necessities from them, not in excess
of 60 manats worth each month. Horrible! What a pain in the neck!
decided to write a novel. The novel will be our common bond and
give us solidarity in captivity. We thought quite a bit and came up
with a table of contents, dividing it into sections. It would be great
if we can do it successfully. In the afternoon three fellows went over
to the other officers’ area. When they came back they informed us
that we won’t be given any money. Rather, we’ll use a designated
grocer and cook and get all our necessities from them, not in excess
of 60 manats worth each month. Horrible! What a pain in the neck!
20 March 1916 Monday
It snowed day and night today. The
surroundings were covered in white.
We worked on the novel a bit. We got angry because the notes we’ve
written to the Commander have had no effect so we summoned the duty
officer and told him to let us go to the Commander or call him on the
telephone. We wanted beds and money. He said ‘siças!’ (right away!)
and left. He did not come again.
We worked on the novel a bit. We got angry because the notes we’ve
written to the Commander have had no effect so we summoned the duty
officer and told him to let us go to the Commander or call him on the
telephone. We wanted beds and money. He said ‘siças!’ (right away!)
and left. He did not come again.
21 March 1916 Tuesday
Boredom. Captivity passes slowly with this
terrible boredom. This is
passing like a bitter experience, memento. I spent the night working
on my biography or something akin to a family history, rather than the
novel. During the day most fellows sleep out of boredom.
//END of PART XVII//
passing like a bitter experience, memento. I spent the night working
on my biography or something akin to a family history, rather than the
novel. During the day most fellows sleep out of boredom.
//END of PART XVII//
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