15 Mart 2019 Cuma

TNT Matchbox Diary: A Turkish POW in Russian Prison Camp (1915-1918)/Part XXXVII

//Ed. Note:  The depression of captivity is bothering Fuad
Bey, as he takes note of his relationships with his fellow
prisoners. He also reveals that he is translating and 
writing love letters in French that some of his friends are
exchanging with local Russian girls (this will not end
well).//

russian girls 1915 ile ilgili görsel sonucu


1 August 1916 Tuesday
As opposed to yesterday’s, today’s weather is nice and clear. The 
clouds are disappearing. I went to see Şerif again in the morning. We 
commiserated about the current situation. We were faced with an 
extended darkness and deep unknowns. We asked God for a good result.
Today I experienced a very weird feeling. The slightest thing can toss me 
into a horrible sadness. I’m thinking about death but for no good reason.
 I’m sad and vexed. But why? There’s really nothing that should cause 
such distress and anguish. Then why is there this feeling in the face
of silent distress? I don’t know. These things are strange. It must be my 
soul that creates this distress and anguish. Who knows? Maybe my soul 
is transmitting to me a part of the discomfort and sadness created by the 
probable thoughts of my family in Istanbul about me or my soul wants 
me to join in the pain they are subjected to. Or perhaps my desperate 
soul, because of the grave situation of my beloved country, my dear 
nation, wants to cry and has therefore induced this lethargy on me. Who 
knows why?

2 August 1916 Wednesday
At first the weather was clear,then it turned bad. We went to the 
Command after lunch. Again, we each got 50 rubles in salary. My total 
salary so far is 215 rubles. After noon tea we went to the market and 
brought a suit for Halis and tobacco and paper for ourselves. We gave
1,738 rubles for table d’hote and I paid 20 rubles in debts here and there. 
Unfortunately, since it was all in one bill I probably lost about six rubles 
because I didn’t pay enough attention. Zühdü lost five rubles the same 
way. It’s not a big deal but having no money is bad, just the same. Today 
passed uneventfully.

3 August 1916 Thursday
In the morning I woke up late when Halis played a joke on me. Just about
every day is cloudy. These are the last days of July (the first days of 
August) so it rains all the time. Day by day the cold is felt that much more. 
Again in the morning I went to see Şerif and we chatted. At night Halis 
and I commiserated. The poor fellow is lost in depression. News: 
apparently the Romanians have mobilized against the Russians. The 
Russians are afraid that hey have lost contact with the Turkish army and 
as a precaution they have pulled back toward Mamahatun. Today again 
both my life and my ideas saddened me a bit. It made me think long and
 hard about some feelings. My soul is flailing about in vain.

4 August 1916 Friday
Halis played a joke on me in the afternoon again and woke me up. So I 
got up. I wasn’t the least bit upset about the timing of the joke. And it was
played on me by a well-meaning, clean-conscioused friend. Essentially, I 
can tolerate a joke up to a point. But these must not be done with malice or 
done to do harm to one’s personal honor. Again today I went to see Şerif
and there I heard this news: Russia has made advances in Austria and will 
soon seize the Carpathians so it has advised Romania to act in its favor. 
The Bulgarians have informed Romania that if Romania does not declare 
war on Russia then the Bulgarians will attack it. Greece is singing the 
same refrain once again to the Bulgarians. At night Halis and I 
commiserated. I tried to ease his anxiety and thoughts and with difficulty
 I was able to console him. In a dream Tonight it seems Halis and I were 
cross with each other. Then I went to Ercincan city, which was  empty, 
devoid of people. I asked a seemingly loyal Armenian I encountered who 
told me that the Russians had not yet entered the city but that they were 
conducting dreadful operations in the mountains east of the city. He said 
that the city was completely empty.

Turkish Army in Vienna

5 August 1916 Saturday
I got up rather early this morning. I went over to Halis and acted a bit 
stubborn. I was sorry I had done so because the giant hillbilly got 
irritated.  I almost got myself beat up. I got very angry. I’m very tolerant. 
The others get mad over the slightest thing. The weather is bad. 
Henceforth it’s rather cool. It rained a couple of times. News: the 
Russians have removed the Turks from their positions west of Erzincan. 
A Turkish army was warmly welcomed in Vienna and sent to the 
Russian border. Apparently, Romania has declared war on Russia.
The Monaco Principality has gone to war against France. I’ve been 
irritated by Zühdü’s mood, especially over the past week. For the life 
of me I couldn’t understand the reason. He didn’t say anything to me. 
It’s just that he’s made a habit of this mood. We sat for quite a while 
at night.

6 August 1916 Sunday
I got up a bit late. Nuri, Halis and I went to the bath where we got 
cleaned up very well. The weather  is bad, a bit of rain. News: in 
Istanbul the Young Turks have made two parties. One prefers  Enver 
Paşa and the other one Talat. Talat has declared a dictatorship. Two 
Turkish and two German divisions remain at Çanakkale. There are 
10,000 German and Austrian troops in Istanbul, as well as some 
Turkish soldiers. There’s a division at the Bosphorus too but without
any Turkish soldiers. At Varna there is a Turkish division and cavalry
brigade. All other Turkish armies have gone to the Caucasus and 
Mesopotamia. After lunch I went to see Şerif again and we chatted. 
Upon returning I passed the time until evening with games and fun. 
At night a very irritating incident occurred. That lowlife Secretary 
Şakir, who was the cause of the executions of a few Turks in Erzurum, 
made some hurtful remarks to me and Halis with the intention of
starting trouble. We got mad at this. A bit later Halis called on him and 
told him in no uncertain terms that henceforth he should think about the 
imperious way he talked to us, that he ought not say anything about us 
from now on and that if he does he would regret it. These manly
words of Halis left an unforgettable imprint in my mind.

7 August 1916 Monday
The weather is bad again. After lunch Nuri, Halis and I worked on 
French based on the program we set up last evening. I learned the French 
meanings of some words from Osman. We worked a bit at night too. At 
night I went over to see Osman and Saffet and listened to some funny 
and worthwhile things.  I went to bed late. In a dream during the night 
I saw Regiment Aide-de-camp Salih. This dishonest man also was taken 
prisoner. Despite the inhumane and mean things he did to me I 
nevertheless paid him a compliment. Then he gave me the good news 
about my promotion…this morning Arab Hamid and Cemil Bazergan 
went to Kosturma. These lowdown fellows didn’t even say goodbye. 
They’re vile Arabs anyway, right?

8 August 1916 Tuesday
The weather was pleasant until noon. Then the clouds came. Again Nuri,
Halis and I worked on French. I was able to translate the letters that come 
to Kazim and Erzurumlu Hasan (from the Russian girls they’re courting).
 I sometimes write letters in French for these two frivolous fellows
and it makes them very happy. I went to see Şerif in the evening and we 
enjoyed ourselves. I spoke with Kör Mehmet, as well. According to the 
committee’s certain statement, the Grand Duke has been taken prisoner…
good. I found out another thing today over on this side: whatever
happens in our house, whether it’s a minor incident or a conversation, is 
conveyed to this side. What a shameful thing! This is nothing but spying! 
Again this evening I sat outside until it got dark. I listened to Osman’s 
funny stories.

russian girls 1915 ile ilgili görsel sonucu

//END of PART XXXVII//


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