Objects that tell a story (2): My maternal grandfather’s 1915 travel document to Russia

Introduction

Digging into a box with documents and photos I found in pieces a travel document belonging to my maternal grandfather, Spyridon Mavrogenes. I assembled it in one piece and present it as an object that tells a story.

Spyridon G Mavrogenes

Spyridon Mavrogenes was born in 1878. At the age of 37, in the year 1915, he travelled to Russia. I presume the trip had to do with his profession, which was to export olive oil and other agricultural products like Corinthian raisin (stafida) from the Peloponese to various countries.

Europe and the Balkans in 1915

In 1915 Europe and the Balkans were in turmoil. I have picked some morcels from the press of the period.

The New York Times, February 10 1915

In a dispatch from Petrograd, the capital of tsarist Russia, we read that “Constantinople must be taken” by the Russians. I remind the reder that Russia had declared war on the Ottoman Empire in November 1914.

The New York Times, February 10 2015

At the same time, the Austrians are attacking Turnu -Severin, a major port city on the Danube, with strategic importance for Vienna.

Two days before my grandfather got his travel document from the prefecture of Thessaloniki, on 26th April 1915 in London, Italy had signed the Treaty of London, becoming an ally of the Triple Entent and betraying the Triple Alliance where it belonged. As a result of the treaty, Italy took over control of the Dodecanese islands.

In September 1915, the Bulgarians threw in their lot with Germany and Austria-Hungary by concluding an alliance. On October 6, the great Austro-German offensive began against Serbia and Bulgaria declared war on Belgrade eight days later. Bulgarian troops spilled over Serbia’s eastern border, and an Anglo-French landing at Salonika in Greece failed to blunt the Bulgarian advance. By December 1915, the Serbian Army had collapsed and was in full flight. The Bulgarians established a defensive line to contain the Allied forces in northern Greece.

Sunday Times, Perth, Australia, Sunday 24 October 1915

In October 1915 Romania decided to join the side of England, France and Russia, on condition that the Allies send 400,000 troops to the Balkans.

My grandfather’s trip appears ot have taken place between May and July 2015. He narrowly escaped the fireworks!

The travel document

The travel document

The travel document was issued by the Prefect of Thessaloniki on the 28th April 1915. What you see above is the front side of the document.

Front Side Left - Εμπροσθια Πλευρα Αριστερη

ΕΝ ΟΝΟΜΑΤΙ

ΤΗΣ ΚΥΒΕΡΝΗΣΕΩΣ

ΤΟΥ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΙΟΥ ΤΗΣ ΕΛΛΑΔΟΣ

Προσκαλουμεν παντας τους αξιωματικους του Βασιλειου της Ελλαδος, πολιτικους τε και στρατιωτικους και παρακαλουμεν τους των φιλων Δυναμεων να αφησωσιν ελευθεραν την διοδον εις τον Κον Σπυριδωνα Γ. Μαυρογενη απερχομενον εις Ρωσσιαν δια … χωρις να εμποδισθη ή ενοχληθη παρ’ ουδενος, να χορηγηθη μαλιστα, εν αναγκη, προς αυτον πασα ευκολια και υπερασπισις.

Επι τουτω εξεδοθη το παρον υπογεγραμμενον παρ’ ημων.

Εν Θεσσαλονικη τη 28 Απριλιου 1915

Ο ΝΟΜΑΡΧΗΣ ΘΕΣΣΑΛΟΝΙΚΗΣ

Front Right Side - Εμπροσθια Δεξια Οψη

AU NOM

DU GOUVERNEMENT DE GRECE

DU ROYAUME DE GRECE

 Requerons tous les officiers,civil et militaires, du Royaume de Grece, et prions ceux de pays amis de laisser passer librement M Spyridon G Mavrogenis se rendant au Russie pour …  sans qu’ il soit empeche ni moleste par personne, et de lui preter aide et protection, en cas de besoin. 

A cet effet nous avons delivre le present, signe par nous. 

Fait a Salonique le 28 April 1915

LE PREFET DE SALONIQUE

Civil duty stamp - Χαρτοσημον Διοικησεως

The afficionados of this sort of thing will note the civil duty stamp of 5 drachmas on the top left of the document.

Its back is full of stamps and approvals, and also has the photo of the traveller.

The Trip

I will try to use the document to reconstruct part of the trip.

Approval by the Romanian Colsulate in Thessaloniki

The document by itself as issued by the Prefect of Thessaloniki was not enough. There had to be approvals by the other countries. As you see above, the Conculate of the Kingdom of Romania approved the trip on the 29th April 1915. It says also that a tax of five Lei has been applied and paid.

Approval of the trip by the Serbian Consulate in Thessaloniki

Likewise, there had to be an approval by the Serbian Consulate in Thessaloniki.

The trip begins on the 30th April 1915, as is shown on the stamp dated accordingly, by the “Passport Office of Railroad…”

The port of Prahovo, photo by Matt Lutton

From a stamp on the back side, I gather that he made his way through Serbia by railroad to the Danube port town of Prahovo. Today Prahovo is a small town of 1600 people.

The stamp on the document has a date of July 1915, apparently on the traveller’s way back to Greece.

Did the traveller follow the same route on his way to Russia, and then back? We will never know.

Drobeta Turnu-Severin in Romania

From there, 31 kilometers to the North is the town of (Drobeta) Turnu Severin, where he entered Romanian territory. There is a stamp from the police of the port in “T-Severin” to prove it.

Entry stamp in Romania - 12 May 1915

Most likely he took a river boat to get there, although there is no way of knowing.

Turnu-Severin in 1910

Turnu-Severin is a city built by the river Danube and at the beginning of the twentieth century was a significant transport hub, for moving goods to and from Central Europe to the East and the South.

“As a major port on the Danube, the freedom of trade facilitated the entry of goods by boat from Vienna and the exchange of material necessary for economic development. Severin experienced a steady economic, urban and social growth until 1972, when it received the name of Drobeta-Turnu Severin.” (Source: Wikipedia)

Old warehouses (1890s - 1900s) that once stored goods from the Danube river trade, Drobeta Turnu Severin, south western Romania.

The photo above, which I found in Valentin Mandache’s informative and specialized blog “Historic Houses of Romania“, provides testimony to the wealth an the might of the town back then.

Given its importance as a commerical traffic port, Turnu – Severin may not have been only a stop over. It is likely that my grandfather was using it as a port for shipping goods to Vienna, where he was also doing business.

From Turnu-Severin, the travelled went to Bucharest, where he got an approval to stay in Romania as the stamp dated 15 June shows.

Stamp of the bureau for the control of foreigners in Bucharest

I cannot deduce how long he stayed in Romania and when and how he travelled on to Russia and back.

Permit to enter Serbia

A little more than a month after he got the stamp from the Greek Consulate in Bucharest, he appears in the Serbian Consulate in Bucharest and receives a stamp so that he can enter Serbia. The date of the stamp is 19 July 1915.

Permit to return to Greece

The next day, 20 July 1915 my grandfather receives a stamp from the Greek Consulte in Bucharest, allowing him to travel to Greece.

Exit stamp, Turnu - Severin

Two days later, on the 22 July 1915, he exits Romania at the port of Turnu-Severin.

He arrived in Prahovo on the same day, 22 July 1915.

Four days later, and almost three months after he left Thessaloniki, on 26 July 1915, he exits Serbia, entering Greece.

There is no information regarding the date of his arrival in Thessaloniki.

As I cannot read Cyrillic, I cannot deduce anything about the traveller’s Russian itinerary and the relevant stamps.

Eugene Onegin: Tatiana’s Letter – Ευγενιος Ονεγκιν: Το γραμμα της Τατιανας

“…in the deep stillness of the night,
bathed in the moon’s inspiring light.”

…

“Another!… No, another never
in all the world could take my heart!”

…

“But who are you:
the guardian angel of tradition,
or some vile agent of perdition
sent to seduce? Resolve my doubt.”

Το Μνημειο του Πουσκιν στη Μοσχα

Το εμμετρο μυθιστορημα του Αλεξαντερ Πουσκιν “Ευγενιος Ονεγκιν (ΕΟ)” αποτελει ισως το πιο γνωστο και σημαντικο εργο του.  Ο μεγας Ρωσο-Αμερικανος συγγραφεας Vladimir Nabokov ισχυριζεται οτι ο Πουσκιν ειναι ο Σαιξπηρ της Ρωσιας και ο ΕΟ ειναι ο Αμλετ του.

Ο Ναμποκοφ εχει μεταφρασει τον ΕΟ και μαλιστα αυτη η μεταφραση θεωρειται μαζι με τη Λολιτα το αριστουργημα του συγγραφεα!

Επειδη δεν εχω την μεταφραση του Ναμποκοφ, θα δανειστω απο την μεταφραση του Charles Johnston στα Αγγλικα (βλεπε υποσημειωση στο τελος), για να παρουσιασω αποσπασματα σχετικα με την πρωτη μεγαλη ενοτητα του εργου, που δομειται γυρω απο το γραμμα που στελνει η ερωτευμενη Τατιανα στον Ευγενιο.   Επιφυλασσομαι για παρουσιαση και της μεταφρασης του Ναμποκοφ εν ευθετω χρονω.

Για να ειναι πιο ευκολη η αναγνωση υπενθυμιζω την υποθεση του εργου.

Η Τατιανα, κορη της επαρχιας,  ερωτευεται τον Ευγενιο Ονεγκιν, φιλο του αρραβωνιαστικου της αδελφης της Ολγας, Λενσκι,  και του απευθυνει επιστολη στην οποια ο Ευγενιος παραμενει αδιαφορος, αναφεροντας οτι δεν μπορει να δεσμευθει.

Ο αμοραλισμος του Ευγενιου τον οδηγει σε μονομαχια με τον φιλο του Λενσκι, στην οποια ο Ευγενιος σκοτωνει τον φιλο του.

Απο την παρασταση της Μετροπολιταν Οπερας Νεας Υορκης, Φεβρουαριος 2007

Ο Ευγενιος συναντα χρονια αργοτερα την Ταιτιανα σε μια δεξιωση στη Μοσχα, και συνειδητοποιει οτι ειναι τρελα ερωτευμενος μαζι της.Της απευθυνει επιστολες απανωτες, στις οποιες η Τατιανα παραμενει αρνητικη. Ενω δεχεται οτι και αυτη τον αγαπα, τον διωχνει λεγοντας του οτι τωρα η θεση της ειναι διπλα τον αντρα της, και οτι το νεο ενδιαφερον του προς αυτην οφειλεται στην οικονομικη της ευμαρεια.

Ξεκινω με ενα προοιμιο, μια μικρη σκηνη αναμεσα στην Τατιανα και την υποκομο της, καθως συνειδητοποιει οτι ειναι ερωτευμενη και θελει να μεινει μονη για να απολαυσει και να υποφερει αυτη τη μοναδικη κατασταση.

Απο την παρασταση της κρατικης οπερας της Βαυαριας το Νοεμβριο 2007

“XX

“I am in love,” Tatyana’s wailing
whisper repeated to the crone.
“My dearest heart, you’re sick and ailing.”
“I am in love; leave me alone.”
And all the while the moon was shining
and with its feeble glow outlining
the girl’s pale charms, her loosened hair,
her drops of tears, and seated there,
in quilted coat, where rays were gleaming
on a small bench by Tanya’s bed,
the grey-haired nurse with kerchiefed head;
and everything around was dreaming,
in the deep stillness of the night,
bathed in the moon’s inspiring light.”

Ακολουθει το γραμμα στον Ευγενιο

Tatyana’s Letter to Onegin

“I write to you — no more confession
is needed, nothing’s left to tell.
I know it’s now in your discretion
with scorn to make my world a hell.
{102}

“But, if you’ve kept some faint impression
of pity for my wretched state,
you’ll never leave me to my fate.
At first I thought it out of season
to speak; believe me: of my shame
you’d not so much as know the name,
if I’d possessed the slightest reason
to hope that even once a week
I might have seen you, heard you speak
on visits to us, and in greeting
I might have said a word, and then
thought, day and night, and thought again
about one thing, till our next meeting.
But you’re not sociable, they say:
you find the country godforsaken;
though we… don’t shine in any way,
our joy in you is warmly taken.

“Why did you visit us, but why?
Lost in our backwoods habitation
I’d not have known you, therefore I
would have been spared this laceration.
In time, who knows, the agitation
of inexperience would have passed,
I would have found a friend, another,
and in the role of virtuous mother
and faithful wife I’d have been cast.
{100}

“Another!… No, another never
in all the world could take my heart!
Decreed in highest court for ever…
heaven’s will — for you I’m set apart;
and my whole life has been directed
and pledged to you, and firmly planned:
I know, Godsent one, I’m protected
until the grave by your strong hand:
you’d made appearance in my dreaming;
unseen, already you were dear,
my soul had heard your voice ring clear,
stirred at your gaze, so strange, so gleaming,
long, long ago… no, that could be
no dream. You’d scarce arrived, I reckoned
to know you, swooned, and in a second
all in a blaze, I said: it’s he!

“You know, it’s true, how I attended,
drank in your words when all was still –
helping the poor, or while I mended
with balm of prayer my torn and rended
spirit that anguish had made ill.
At this midnight of my condition,
was it not you, dear apparition,
who in the dark came flashing through
and, on my bed-head gently leaning,
with love and comfort in your meaning,
spoke words of hope? But who are you:
the guardian angel of tradition,
or some vile agent of perdition
sent to seduce? Resolve my doubt.
Oh, this could all be false and vain,
a sham that trustful souls work out;
{101}
fate could be something else again..,

“So let it be! for you to keep
I trust my fate to your direction,
henceforth in front of you I weep,
I weep, and pray for your protection..,
Imagine it: quite on my own
I’ve no one here who comprehends me,
and now a swooning mind attends me,
dumb I must perish, and alone.
My heart awaits you: you can turn it
to life and hope with just a glance –
or else disturb my mournful trance
with censure — I’ve done all to earn it!

“I close. I dread to read this page…
for shame and fear my wits are sliding…
and yet your honour is my gage
and in it boldly I’m confiding”…

…..But to the garden, to the scene
where Tanya now confronts Eugene.
{111}

Μετα απο ατελειωτη αναμονη, ο Ευγενιος επιστρεφει, συναντα την Τατιανα και αντικρουει τον ερωτα της….

Απο την παρασταση της Βασιλικης Οπερας του Κοβεν Γκαρντεν το Μαρτιο 2008

XIV

”  “But I was simply not intended
for happiness — that alien role.
Should your perfections be expended
in vain on my unworthy soul?
Believe (as conscience is my warrant),
wedlock for us would be abhorrent.
I’d love you, but inside a day,
with custom, love would fade away;
your tears would flow — but your emotion,
your grief would fail to touch my heart,
they’d just enrage it with their dart.
What sort of roses, in your notion,
would Hymen bring us — blooms that might
last many a day, and many a night!

XV

“What in the world is more distressing
than households where the wife must moan
the unworthy husband through depressing
daytimes and evenings passed alone?
and where the husband, recognizing
her worth (but anathematising
his destiny) without a smile
bursts with cold envy and with bile?
For such am I. When you were speaking
to me so simply, with the fires
and force that purity inspires,
is this the man that you were seeking?
can it be true you must await
from cruel fortune such a fate?”
{113}

Υποσημειωση:

This translation first published 1977
Published with minor  revisions and an Introduction in Penguin Classics
1979

Copyright © Charles Johnston, 1977, 1979
Introduction copyright © John Bayley, 1979
All rights reserved

Και τωρα το καλυτερωτερο ολων! Η εξοχη Αμερικανιδα υψιφωνος Ρενε Φλεμινγκ τραγουδα την αρια του γραμματος απο την ομωνυμη οπερα του Πιοτρ Ιλιτς Τσαικοφσκυ.

Δεν χρειαζεται να ξερετε Ρωσικα! Δεν χρειαζεται να εχετε παει ποτε σε οπερα! Δεν χρειαζεται να αγαπατε την μουσικη! Κλειστε τα ματια, χαλαρωστε, αγκαλιαστε καποιον, καποιαν,  η κατι που αγαπατε, και μεταφερθειτε σε εναν αλλο κοσμο! Παραδοθειτε στην μαγεια του Πιοτρ Ιλιτς, και το αγγελικο καλεσμα της Φλεμινγκ!