A LIFE DEDICATED TO REBUPLIC

Writer: Ayça Olcaytu İşçen
August 2008

Mustafa Fevzi Taşer (1888-1965) was born in Çökek Village of Ürgüp, during the period, the country was in a difficult situation, he joined the war between 1915 and 1923 and he was taken as prisoner but he managed to go back to his village and therefore in his village Çökek he is being remembered with a great sympathy.
He was in the battle of 1915 in Çanakkale and there he was wounded. In 1916 while he was fighting against the Russian army, who occupied Revandiz in the north of Irak; he was taken as a prisoner in combat in Lahican Savanna in Iran.  He managed to escape from his miserable captivity, lasted for two years in Vetluga city in Russia-Siberia with the help of a German couple. A short period after his return to the country he joined the Independent War and he was taken as a prisoner by the Greeks. This captivity was lasted for two years and it was over with the end of the war. After the declaration of Republic in Turkey, Mustafa Fevzi, who was connected by heart to Mustafa Kemal Pasha, dedicated his life to empower Çökek Village. During the year of alphabet revolution (1928) he built up a primary school in the village. The school was followed by the construction of a library and a mosque. Because of his being very sensitive, helpful and hard working, he got the respect from the locals. His memories about the captivity were gathered in a book and it was published after his death under the title of ‘From Front to Another, From Captivity to Another’ (prepared by Eftal Şükrü Batmaz, 1999).

Note: This article has been published in Peribacası Cappadocia Culture and Publicity Magazine, August 2008 issue. It is under protection of the copyrights of the magazine. No part of this article may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by electronic, mechanical or other means without prior permission from the owner. www.cappadociaexplorer.com