Tag #125785 - Interview #97938 (Moiz Isman)

The World was witnessing World War II then. Inonu’s [15] political strategies had saved us from entering the war.  However, Britain and the States were putting a lot of pressure on us to enter the war against the Germans. During these negotiations, there arose the topic of the non-Muslims that were sent to Askale. Having them “set free” became a current issue, and thus they were set free. The ones who could return home, did so. Some of them died over there.  I don’t remember the names of the ones who couldn’t return. The businesses and the shops of the ones who went to Askale, were all closed down. They came back, started their lives again with a new strength. Most of them became successful businessman. The Wealth Tax had depressed us a lot, but later on we improved. Nowadays we live comparably more peacefully, as if antisemitism is over!


During World War II, thanks to Ismet Pasha’s [Ismet Inonu] correct politics, we didn’t enter the war. According to the rumors, ovens had been prepared in Kasimpasa. I did not see them, but there was such a rumor. We were following what was happening in Germany and in other European countries very closely, from the radio, and from the newspapers [we knew about those]. We were very scared. Foreign press newspapers came to Istanbul from Europe, even though there was war. We knew about the Kristallnacht, and the trains on which the Jews were put, and the camps. We were again drafted between 1941 and 1942, as civilians. Within the ones who were drafted, all were non-Muslims.  God created a miracle and protected us.