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WW1 - 1914-1918
" Looks of War photographers "
" Regards de photographes de Guerre"
9000 photos
438 pages
CITIES and VILLAGES
ENJOYMENTS and PAINS
SERBIA
page 11
Serbia
The citadel, at Skoplje, Serbia, built by the Caesars
and occupied at one time or another by almost every nationality in Europe.
It stands as a monument to ancient constructive genius, showing few signs of wear by the centuries and armies that have passed over it.
It is built on a great rock on a height above the town.
The newest people to occupy some of its building were Americans,
who used it as a base to distribute relief supplies to the district
13 November 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office,
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
The Bulgarian legation in Belgrade is in the American Red Cross Hostel,
having been turned over to the relief workers by the Serbian government.
It is a fine old mansion with large grounds, and houses 15 to 20 of the American workers
at American Red Cross Headquarters in Belgrade
22 September 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
A type of the shrines often found beside the water wells of Serbia.
Among the superstitious these shrines were a sure protection against contamination a substitute
for what city dwellers in America know as chlorine.
The more elaborate the decorations, the purer the water was supposed to be.
But American doctors directing the Red Cross Medical Relief campaign judged the water
from a chemical standpoint and many of the shrines lost in prestige there by as the A.R.C. men found that disease was rampant in some of the ancient wells
9 December 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office,
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
Turkish graveyard art.
This picture was taken in the graveyard back of the Mohammedan mosque in Skoplje, Serbia.
Note the peculiar tombstones.
The one in the center is mounted with a sculptures fezz, the prescribed headgear for all true believers in the Koran.
In this city of the Balkans there are as many Turks as Christians.
They received an equal share with everyone else in the distribution
of American Red Cross relief supplies,
which led them to write a letter of thanks to the Red Cross headquarters regarding
the American organization's policy of recognizing "neither race nor creed" in its humanitarianism
9 December 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office,
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
In the thirteenth century lived Tzar Dushan the greatest of all Serbian rulers,
who conquered the entire Balkans.
At Pruzren he built this church of beautiful green and pink marble,
when this part of the country fell under the yoke of the Turks it was transformed into a mosque.
When the Turks were driven out in 1912 it again became a Christian church
and upon the arrival of the American Red Cross was turned over to it as a storehouse
for relief supplies.
In the dim background can be seen the remnants of Tzar Dushan's castle a stately and imposing ruin
24 July 1919
Photographer : ARC. France
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
This Turkish house on the banks of the Vardar river at Gostivar in Western Serbia now houses
a round dozen Americans, who are doing relief work in the Balkans under the A.R.C.
It is typical of insolated residences in this country,
its ground floor being solid masonry enabling the owner to resist attack from marauders at all times.
The entrance can only be gained through the garden which is walled in.
The windows are grilled because it was originally built by a rich Turk who had a harem,
the members of which spent all their time drinking coffee and gazing at the snow-clad
mountain peaks in the background.
What happened to the Turk or his harem is not known to the present occupants,
who are content with the comforts of the place and too busy with relief work to be interested
in the former resident's family affairs
19 July 1919
Photographer : ARC. France
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
Prizrend.
River and Mosque
26 July 1919
Photographer : ARC. Commission to Serbia. Lt. P.J
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
Tannery on the Bistriza. Prizrend
17 June 1919
Photographer : ARC. Commission to Serbia. Lt. P.J
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
The River Bistritza, Prizrend
17 June 1919
Photographer : ARC. Commission to Serbia. Lt. P.J
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
Prizrend.
Women washing clothes in the river Bistritza
26 July 1919
Photographer : ARC. Commission to Serbia.
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
On the road to our Camp at Kremljain.
American Red Cross Agriculture Mission
October 1918
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
A famous Serbian shrine.
The temple of Grachintza built on the old battle field of Kossovo, where the Turks overwhelmed
the Serbians in 1389 and gained a foot hold in Europe.
This temple was built many years after and is a reversed spot to loyal Serbs.
Every year there is a big ceremony in it.
American Red Cross relief workers have found that it symbolizes the Serbian consciousness
28 November 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
This is about the only type of engine and rolling stocks left the Serbs by the enemy,
which accounts for the slowness of transportation in the Balkans.
This line runs from Salonica to Guevgelli and is a combination passenger and freight train.
The cars are loaded with American Red Cross flour and supplies on their way to Northern Serbia
13 November 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
The history of this Bridge site near Gjevgjeli in Central Serbia
is the tale of every invasion since the Roman Empire.
Several hundred years ago the Romans built a good bridge on this spot
when they left they conquered Central Europe.
The Turks blew it up when they left in 1912.
The Serbs rebuilt the stone foundation seen in the picture.
They blew it up when they retreated before the Germans.
The Germans rebuilt it and then blew it up again when the Serbs advanced in the fall of 1918.
The Serbs then constructed the foot bridge by the floods came along last spring and carried it away.
The ferry seen in the picture is the only means of crossing left.
As this is the main highway from Salonica to Belgrade the American Red Cross uses
this ferry frequently in bringing its supplies to the relief of northern Serbia
24 July 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
What's the matter with Serbia?
It is the broken lines of communication and general spoilation of the country by the enemy.
This scene is typical of the condition of highway communication throughout the land.
The Bulgars blew up this bridge in their retreat behind the old Turkish fortress in the background.
This bridge formed the only connecting link with Nish from the South
and its destruction delayed the arrival of American Red Cross relief
in that destitute city by several days
4 December 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)
A country of ruined Communications.
Highway bridges, railways and all lines of communications were destroyed
when the Austrians evacuated Serbia.
This picture shows a condition that American Red Cross relief workers
met everywhere in the Balkans.
In one district, the Americans were forced to take their trucks apart and transport them
on their backs across a ravine and set them up on the other side
9 December 1919
Photographer : ARC. Paris Office
American National Red Cross photograph collection (Library of Congress)