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Sunset over the trenches; a watercolor by J.M., July 9, 1916. Signed J.M 9/7/16
Hand-painted miniatures of Mecca and the Ka'abah from the Islamic prayer book 'Prayers to Muhammed,' composed by Muhammed b. Suleyman al-Jazuli.
The white Russian bear, dyed red with Austro-Hungarian blood, triumphs over the Habsburg Eagle. Russian was victorious in Galicia in 1914 and early 1915. A postcard by Bianchi.
Greetings from the aviator city of Gotha! Postcard with a view of the city of Gotha, Germany, of a pilot in a bi-plane, and an Albatros bi-plane (evidently the same plane and pilot) at the Gotha airfield. Field postmarked December 12, 1916 by the Ersatz Flieger Abteilung, the Reserve Flying Section, Gotha.
'December snow.' Hand-painted watercolor calendar for December 1917 by Schima Martos. Particulates from a smoking kerosene lamp overspread the days of December, and are labeled 'December höra,' 'December snow.' The first five days or nights of the month show a couple at, sitting down to, or rising from a lamp-lit table. The rest of the month the nights are dark, other than four in which the quarter of the moon shows through a window, or Christmas, when the couple stands in the light of a Christmas tree.
"On June 12, Brusilov announced that in the advances that his men had made since the start of his offensive eight days earlier, they had captured 2,992 Austrian officers, 190,000 Austrian soldiers, 216 heavy guns, 645 machine guns and 196 howitzers. One third of the Austrian forces facing him had been taken captive. Within another five days the Russians had occupied Czernowitz, the most easterly Austro-Hungarian city, and a center of culture and commercial enterprise." ((1), more)
"While the British troops were engaged with the Turks in Mesopotamia and Palestine, the Arabs seized the opportunity to throw off the hated Turkish yoke. Simultaneous uprisings took place in the Hedjaz district of Arabia. The leader of this revolt was Hussein-ibn-Ali, Grand Sherif of Mecca, and the most powerful prince of Western and Central Arabia. As hereditary keeper of the Holy Places and head of the tribe of the Prophet, he was regarded with reverence by the Arabs.Hussein, on June 5th [1916], proclaimed the independence of Arabia at Mecca. The population greeted the announcement with cheers, but the Turkish garrison rejected his summons to surrender, opening fire on the Great Mosque with heavy artillery. Rallying the loyal Arabs to his standard, Hussein overcame the resistance of the Turkish garrison, compelling their surrender on June 13th, and taking 1100 prisoners." ((2), more)
"If there remain any Germans still hopeful for their cause, let them realize to-day, when the Central Powers have lost the initiative and are finding a difficulty in refilling their ranks, Russia has not yet reached the zenith of her power, which will only be approached next year, when she will have the largest and best army since the beginning of the War. Next year we shall have material on an equality with the enemy and a superiority in human resources, which should steadily increase as long as the War endures. Our new levies which come in next year equal our best troops, and, as I believe, they are far superior to anything which the enemy can still find to send against us for next year's campaign." ((3), more)
"A squadron of German planes bombed London on June 14th, killing 97 persons and injuring 437, including 120 women and children." ((4), more)
"— The 15th. Dinner with the Abbé Wetterlé. According to a letter from Mulhouse, living is difficult there. There is a shortage of many commodities. A single rabbit costs nine marks. Milk is distributed by drug stores and allowed only for new-born children." ((5), more)
(1) Russian General Alexsei Brusilov prepared for his great Offensive in ways other Russian generals had not. Czernowitz in the Bukovina, had a population of approximately 87,0000.
The First World War, a Complete History by Martin Gilbert, page 254, copyright © 1994 by Martin Gilbert, publisher: Henry Holt and Company, publication date: 1994
(2) The Ottoman Empire included Turkey and a great arc of territory stretching from the Suez Canal through Palestine and Syria to Mesopotamia and the Gulf of Persia. In early 1915, Turkish forces had attacked the Suez Canal but been driven off by British forces who soon began preparing advance on Palestine. In Mesopotamia, a British, primarily Indian, army at Kut-al-Amara had surrendered to Turkish besiegers on April 29, 1916 after a siege of nearly five months. The British encouraged the nascent Arab revolt and provided some arms and military expertise.
King's Complete History of the World War by W.C. King, page 262, copyright © 1922, by W.C. King, publisher: The History Associates, publication date: 1922
(3) Extract by Russian General Alexsei Brusilov writing after the success of his offensive against the Central Powers, particularly Austria-Hungary. Within little more than a week of launching his attack, Brusilov had taken nearly 200,000 Austro-Hungarian prisoners, one in three of the men opposing him.
The Great Events of the Great War in Seven Volumes by Charles F. Horne, Vol. IV, 1916, p. 200, copyright © 1920 by The National Alumnia, publisher: The National Alumni, publication date: 1920
(4) LondonGothaThis quotation is suspect. The Sky on Fire (Fredette) has airplane bombing beginning in 1917. Gilbert has no mention of this significant loss of life.
(5) Entry from June 15, 1916 from the diary of Michel Corday, a senior civil servant in the French government. Mulhouse was a city in Alsace, part of Germany, and immediately behind the front lines. The British blockade of Germany made life increasingly difficult, and rationing was imposed.
The Paris Front: an Unpublished Diary: 1914-1918 by Michel Corday, page 174, copyright © 1934, by E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., publisher: E.P. Dutton & Co., Inc., publication date: 1934
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