3 Turkish Martyrdoms in Czechia and more in Ukraine

Galician Front (1916-1917)

Approximately 35 thousand Turkishsoldiers were sent to the Galician Campaign, mostly those who took part in the Dardanelles War. Yakup Şevki Pasha, who also took active duties in the Çanakkale Front, was appointed as the commander of this corps, all of which were selected as under 32 years old. The movement of the first convoy started from Uzunköprü Station on the morning of 21 July 1916 and the first warm contact with the Russians was made on 19 August 1916. On November 18, 1916, General Cevat Pasha was appointed to replace the 15th Corps Commander Yakup Şevki Pasha, who was on duty at the Galician Front, and he remained in office until August 1917, when Turkish soldiers left the Galician Front.  During his reign, the soldiers continued their outstanding success and service. Nearly 12 thousand of Turkish soldiers were martyred in the Galician Front. The Galician Front was the front where we had the most martyrdoms outside the Ottoman lands. Today, there are cemeteries in Czechia, Hungary, Poland and Ukraine.[1]

Mavi Boncuk | 

Valašské Meziříčí - Turkish World War I memorial

Hodonin - Turkish World War I memorial

Pardubitce - Turkish World War I memorial

There are 78 Turkish Military ( Martyrdoms/Şehitlik) memorial cemeteries in 34 countries abroad. While the most distant cemeteries to Turkey are those in Japan, South Korea and Myanmar, the highest number of martyrdoms are Turkish cemeteries in a very wide and diverse geography, from Malta to India, respectively. Countries where Turkish martyrdom is located, Germany, Albania, Austria, Azerbaijan, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Algeria, Czech Republic, Palestine, South Korea, India, Iraq, England, Iran, Israel, Italy, Japan, Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Latvia, Libya, Lebanon, Hungary, Malta, Egypt, Myanmar, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Syria, Saudi Arabia, Ukraine, Jordan and Greece.

While Azerbaijan has the highest number of Turkish martyrdoms with 9 martyrdoms, this country is followed by 8 martyrdoms in the TRNC. While Ukraine is the third country with the highest number of martyrdoms with 7 martyrdoms, there are also 6 Turkish martyrdoms in the Israel-Palestine region, one in Gaza. There are 4 martyrdoms in Greece, and three each in England, Syria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Romania. Turkish embassies carry out the maintenance of cemeteries abroad.

[1] Turkish Cemeteries in Ukraine

The Kyiv Military Attaché is responsible for the maintenance of all martyrdoms on the territory of Ukraine.

Mechishchiv Cemetery

It is the cemetery where Turkish soldiers who were killed in the Battle of Galicia during the First World War are buried. The martyrdom next to the Popeliha Hill disappeared over time and the existing graves were later transferred to the Meçişçiv Martyrdom.

Place of Martyrdom – Meçişçiv Village, Berejani

Date of Martyrdom – 1917

Number of Martyrs - Unknown

 

Lopushnya Cemetery

The martyrdom is the place where our soldiers who were martyred in the battles in the Galicia region against the Ottoman Empire, their allies Austria and Germany and the Russians in the First World War are buried. The phrase "Hüve'l-Bakî - Fatiha to the Spirit of the 15th Army Corps-yi Hümayûn Şühedası - Year 1332" is written on the monument in the martyrdom.

Place of Martyrdom – Verhnya Lipitsya Village of Rogatin District, Ivano Frankivsk

Date of Martyrdom – 1917

Number of Martyrs – 106

 

Gutisko Cemetery

There are the graves of our soldiers who were martyred in the battles in the Galicia region against the Ottoman Empire and its allies Austria, Germany and Russia during the First World War. It is understood from the tombstones of the cemetery, where more than 200 of our martyrs' graves are located, that 59 martyrs were officers.

Cemetery Place – Pidvisoke Village, Berejani

Date of Martyrdom – 1917

Number of Martyrs - More than 200

 

Pukiv Cemetery

It belongs to our soldiers who were martyred in the battles in the Galicia region against the Ottoman Empire, their allies Austria and Germany, and Russia in the First World War. The cemetery is located in an eye-catching location due to its location.

Cemetery Place – Pukiv Village of Rogatin District, Ivano Frankivsk

Date of Martyrdom – 1917

Number of Martyrs - Unknown

 

Rogatin Cemetery

It is a cemetery where Turkish soldiers who were martyred on the Galician front in the First World War are buried. It is located in a separate section called the Turkish Cemetery within the city cemetery of Rogatin District.

Place of Martyrdom – Rogatin Martyrs Cemetery, Ivano Frankivsk

Date of Martyrdom – 1917

Number of Martyrs - Unknown

 

Verhnya Lipitsya Cemetery

There are the graves of our soldiers who were martyred in the battles in the Galicia region against the Ottoman Empire and its allies Austria, Germany and Russia during the First World War. The martyrdom, located around the village of Verhnya Lipitsya, is located on a slope of about seven meters high. There is an inscription with a white crescent and star symbol on red ceramic.

Cemetery Place – Verhnya Lipitsya Village of Rogatin District, Ivano Frankivsk

Date of Martyrdom – 1917

Number of Martyrs - Unknown

 

Sevastopol Turkish Cemetery

It is the cemetery where our soldiers who were martyred during the 1853-1856 Crimean War are buried. It was officially opened with a ceremony on September 10, 2004, and in 2005, the bodies of 40 martyrs in the forest area near the martyrdom were buried in the martyrdom area.

Place of Martyrdom – Dergaçi Village

Martyrdom Date – 1860

Number of Martyrs – 260