Manifesto

A century ago, some of the most catastrophic wars in human history occurred: the Balkan Wars, World War I, and the War of Independence. As a result, empires disintegrated, the European landscape was changed, and the violence that erupted with the rise of nationalism claimed the lives of millions. Letters of prisoners of war (POWs), penned in the dark shadow of a violent conflict, were among the most precious documents of this suffering.

Continue Reading

Twenty-five thousand letters, meticulously preserved in the Red Crescent Archive, recount the tale of dreams, ambitions, and challenging endeavours that emerged under the shadows of war and captivity. These letters were written by soldiers imprisoned far from home in an attempt to contact their families, and by families trying to contact their detained relatives.

The Centennial Inheritance: Turkish Red Crescent Prisoners of War Letters exhibition brings to light these letters, which have been dormant for a century and that bear many meanings from longing for loved ones to the harsh conditions of captivity, from the inhumane face of war to the deep longing for a friend’s greeting. It depicts the pain caused by battle and captivity, devotion to one’s nation, the desire to return home, and the resilience of life in the face of utter disaster.

In addition to prisoner letters and cards, the exhibition features images of the camp conditions, the everyday lives of war prisoners, and the artwork they created.

The Centennial Inheritance: Turkish Red Crescent Prisoners of War Letters, organized by the The Republic of Türkiye Directorate of Communications, seeks to preserve the memories of those who sacrificed their lives in defense of their country while also bringing attention to the cruel conditions of war and captivity.

In honor of the beloved memories of our POWs who sacrificed years of their lives away from their homeland in service to our country; some of them returned to their families after a long ordeal; others were either killed by foreign forces or had to start over after being devastated by the war…

#CentennialInheritance #RedCrescentPOWLetters