5 Nisan 2019 Cuma

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

//Ed. Note: More ruminations about captivity torment Fuad
Bey but, nevertheless, activities inside the barracks and the
camp continued apace. Contrary to what was seen in the 
other Russian POW camp reports published recently by 
TNT, the Vetluga commander responded agreeably to the
complaints expressed by the prisoners to a visiting Red
Cross delegation.//

red cross delegation russia 1915 ile ilgili görsel sonucu
A Red Cross delegation, including an Austrian countess
and an English general, visited Fuad Bey's barracks.


20 September 1916 Wednesday
Yet another faithless day. Our time in captivity where fortune has sent 
us are spent with complete distress and suffocation. Our hearts and 
bodies can perceive no sort of tranquility. On the contrary, most of the
time we’re continually flailing about in the face of bad news and being 
crushed psychologically. Once in a while we’re buoyed by one or two
pieces of news that make us happy but then we’re soon moaning 
under a terrible new calamity that erupts for some other reason. In this
horrible life of captivity all of us, children of the same nation, are 
fighting with one another because of shortcomings in our upbringing. 
We’re playing with and struggling with matters of honor and fear –
what a terrible state we’ve fallen into. On one hand, we’re shaking 
with the misery and bitterness of captivity, and on the other hand, the 
soul-squeezing, heart-crushing distress of our circumstances is 
multiplying…Dear God, this is really an unbearable situation. With 
your grandeur, please quickly engender a cause for a peace agreement 
so that not just us but the entire world will be saved. 

The weather is cloudy. News: the headquarters of the German, 
Austrian and Bulgarian armies, initially at Tufrakan, has moved 
forward from Tatarpazarcık toward Silistre, putting Romania into 
confusion. Again today a regrettable situation: some noises came from 
the adjacent house and there were some Words spoken against 
Osman…Yahya (First Lieutenant), whose nickname is ‘tailed Kurd’, 
came to our house, saying these things in an effort to cause trouble for 
Osman. When this happened Osman had those who have spoken badly 
of him summoned and he investigated. At night it appeared that nothing
had happened…May God set us straight. Just like this we’re forever 
fighting with each other…damn such ugly things! Halis and I went for 
a short walk in front of the house today. We had a German lesson. 
Zühdü was sick today and in fact has been since yesterday. I also 
felt a bit strange toward evening and there was a weariness I felt in 
my body.

21 September 1916 Thursday
When I got up in the morning I felt a rather severe weakness in my 
body, together with some mild shaking. I didn’t pay any attention to it.
I judged tha this was most likely the effect of a dream I had during the 
night and that this dream had rattled my body somewhat. Almost
until noon I walked around but just before lunchtime I felt an aching 
in my body and I had to lie down. My pulse was beating 93 at this time. 
I drank three cups of tea after lunch, which made me sweat quite a bit. 
As I perspired my eyes began to open. I drank another two cups
of tea after the evening meal and sweat heavily. After sitting for quite 
a while at night I went to bed. The fellows are visiting me and wishing 
me good health. Ethem had Halis ask about my condition, which made 
me feel  somewhat embarrassed…poor dear Halis, he’s constantly
fluttering about, first here, then there, all around me, like a mother’s 
little darling who’s just begun to fly. He’s maing tea, rolling cigarettes, 
helping me drink tea with his own hand. Whatever I say he runs and 
does it right away. In truth, I won’t ever forget today. I will always bow 
to and respect Halis’s humanity and good-heartedness. 

Today a letter was written to Osman about Kazim, in which it was 
stated that 40 rubles of every salary Kazim gets will go to Osman
for Kazim’s debts and that this process will continue until all of 
Kazim’s debts are paid. In the event that Kazim does not agree to this 
the fellows want him expelled. Kazim accepted this. Toward evening 
I fell under  the weight  of an unwanted distress. Zühdü consoled me 
once again but I couldn’t break free entirely from the torment. At 
night Saffet found three rubles for his debt and gave it to us.

22 September 1916 Friday
When I got up I felt a bit better but my illness had not completely 
passed.  There was still a slight weakness in my body. Nevertheless, 
toward evening I regained my full health. In the afternoon Halis 
went for a walk to the hospital. I went to the other side to have the 
German fellow write some German sentences. We had a German 
lesson. I couldn’t give good responses in today’s class because of my
illness yesterday and the previous depression. 

At about 11 at night when a four-person prisoner inspection 
committee came to our house. One of them was an Austrian lady. 
Another was an English general seconded to the Russian Red Cross.
Our Commander and First Sergeant accompanied them. This lady
is said to be a royal countess. They spoke with Osman at length in 
French. The committee gave each of us fifteen rubles. Half of this 
money had been sent by our government and half by the Austrian 
government. They asked us whether we had any complaints. We 
just said that we couldn’t get any letters from Turkey. The married 
fellows requested that they be allowed to go to their houses. They 
asked what we needed and we said that we desperately needed 
overcoats and a pair of boots each. They promised to send them and 
left. The sad feeling evident in the air had an effect on all of
us. They gave five rubles to each of the privates. The weather was 
bad.

23 September 1916 Saturday
The weather is overcast. In the morning it was foggy and cold. Toward 
evening the clouds lessened. We had a shave after morning tea. Then 
Halis and I went to the market. We bought a bed sheet and pillow case,
 along with sugar and some other things. I went to the riverside early 
in the afternoon by myself. I sat on a bench for a while, looking at 
nature’s beauty. But I couldn’t stay for long because I felt cold and 
went back. We didn’t have a German lesson because of the other  
fellows’ laziness. I went for a walk in the garden after the evening 
meal. Halis isn’t feeling quite right, he’s suffering from a cold. I 
went to bed sort of early. Thoughts…nation, families, refugee, 
past, future…

24 September 1916 Sunday
I got up a bit late. The weather is overcast. The Commander summoned 
us before lunch and we went there. We were assembled in a big room 
this time. The Commander came and asked whether those who hadn’t 
asked the inpection committee that had come for an overcoat needed one. 
He also asked all of us what else we needed. The other fellows asked for 
overcoats and we said that we didn’t need anything else. The Commander 
then said that he felt badly about the things Osman had said the night that
the committee came. That evening Osman had said that the Commander
had the authority to let Osman go to his home for the whole night but 
that although he had given his word of honor that he would not escape by
 morning the Commander only let Osman go for four hours rather than 
for the entire night. Osman said that this reflected the Commander’s
distrust of him because he had promised not to try to escape and that the
Commander was trying to restrain him. Anyway, Osman and the 
Commander argued about this for what seemed like hours but it was 
decided that the married fellows would only have four hours free, like
before. Later, the Commander got angry with Istanbullu Hakkı for 
something he had done and told him not to do it again. He forgave 
Hakkı this time but said that Hakkı must make any appeal directly to 
him and to no one else. We came back to the house at two o’clock. 
Again we weren’t able to have a German lesson. In mid-afternoon 
Kör Mehmet came with the mannerless Ismail. I really find them 
irritating. They think they can talk to me like we’ve been friends 
forever. Halis still has a cold and is suffering. May God grant him 
health. At night we sat around for a while and Osman told us some 
stories.


//END of PART XLV//

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