Istanbul Letters (1912, Istanbul, Balkan War)

Abstract

These letters that were written by Galiesgar Kamal from Istanbul to Kazan during the Balkan Wars, the leading writer of the Tatar literature and theatre in the 20th century, were published in Yoldiz newspaper. E. Maksudi was the publisher of the Yoldiz newspaper published in Kazan during the years 1906-1918 and G. Kamal was the editor in chief. In the newspaper, articles of famous Tatar writers such as Abdullah Tukay, Mecit Gafuri and Camal Velidi were published. Galiesgar Kamal, one of the founders of modern Tatar literature, was born on January 6, 1879 in Kazan. He studied at the famous Muhammadiye Madrasah in Kazan between 1893 and 1900, after studying for several years in the Osmaniye and Halidiye madrasahs, but he also attended to the Russian school. When G. Kamal finished the madrasah education, he established the book company named Megarif Kütüphanesi in 1901 for spreading the culture to the public and managed this company until The Constitutionalism in 1905. This Constitutionalism in Russia paves the way for the expansion of G. Kamal's cultural activity and literary creativity. The next journalist activity of the author is mainly around Yoldiz newspaper. Without short leavings, he worked there until the October Revolution of 1917. Besides, together with Abdullah Tukay, he published the humour magazine named Yeşin that advocates innovative ideas in 1908-1909. Because G. Kamal stayed in Istanbul for a few months between the ends of 1912 and at the beginning of 1913, his letters contain intriguing observations about Turkey on that period. G. Kamal was founder of the Tatar theatre and close friend of A. Tukay and his letters show the place of Turkey in G. Kamal's thoughts and feelings. Thus, G. Kamal who made translations from Molière and Gogol, translated and published the works of Namık Kemal's work titled as Zavalli Cocuk and Abdülhak Hamid's Duhter-i Hindu. The author's Istanbul Letters reflect both the daily life of the period and the areas behind the front during the war years. G. Kamal reports closely the developments in the city: "The sending of troops to Çatalca has been stopped. The trains going there are only busy carrying supplies and weapons. Almost all of the soldiers that come there are sent to Gallipoli. They do not bring non-military people to Gallipoli. Almost every day, pilgrims come to Istanbul. Hotels and households are all full of pilgrims. Ferryboats to Odessa pick pilgrims."