15.02.2025 19:01
The letter displayed at the exhibition 'Century-Old Trust: Red Crescent Prisoner Letters' in Istanbul, determined to have been written by a prisoner soldier from Samsun, was delivered to his family 107 years later.
In Istanbul, a letter identified as written by a captive soldier from Samsun, exhibited under the title "Century-Old Trust: Red Crescent Captive Letters," was delivered to his grandchildren 107 years later.
A exhibition was organized by the Red Crescent in Istanbul under the title "Century-Old Trust: Red Crescent Captive Letters." This exhibition brought to light the letters of war captives that could not be delivered to their addresses under the harsh conditions of World War I and had been waiting to be read for a century. One of these letters was delivered to the soldier's grandchildren 107 years later.
DELIVERED TO HIS GRANDCHILDREN AFTER 107 YEARS
It was revealed that the letter, translated from Ottoman Turkish to Turkish by Niyazi Altun, a representative of the ANDA Education Research Solidarity and Search and Rescue Association and a Turkish Language and Literature Teacher, was written by Şakir, the grandfather of the Çakır Ahmet Oğulları family, residing in the village of Göçebe, connected to the district. As a result of the studies conducted by Niyazi Altun, it was determined that the grandchildren of the soldier who wrote the letter were still alive. The ANDA Association, which contacted the family, stated that they wanted to deliver a copy of the original letter and a table they had prepared that included both the Turkish translation and the original in Ottoman Turkish.
"WE COULDN'T HOLD BACK OUR TEARS WHEN WE READ IT"
Osman Çakır, one of the grandchildren of the family, expressed that they experienced a historic moment and were surprised by this unexpected revelation after so many years, stating that they were very happy and emotional. Çakır mentioned that they knew their grandfather Şakir had been captured but had no information about his fate, and he said they couldn't hold back their tears when they read the letter he wrote. Osman Çakır stated that they read in the letter that their grandfather lost his legs and, despite being a captive for three years, he was not saddened by it for the love of his homeland and nation, which made them very proud and emotional.
TRANSLATED INTO TURKISH
The Turkish text translated from Ottoman Turkish is as follows: "To the esteemed Red Crescent Society, I am not disheartened as I have lost both of my legs in the path of my nation and homeland and have been a captive in Russia for three years. I am disheartened as I have not received any news from my family for four years. I kindly await news of my family from the esteemed society. From the village of Göçebe, Kavak District, Samsun Province, to Sergeant Şerif Çavuş of the Çakır Ahmet Oğulları. Signature: Şakir, son of Çakır Ahmet Oğulları."