Between The magic word “war” was pronounced and The war is a terrible evil: The Beginning of the Female War Memoirs During the Russo-Ottoman War 1877 – 1878
Between The magic word “war” was pronounced and The war is a terrible evil: The Beginning of the Female War Memoirs During the Russo-Ottoman War 1877 – 1878

Summary/Abstract: The authors analyze the war experience of two Russian nurses on the Balkan front. Their attitude to the Bulgarians, to their patients, to refugees, to the hospital administration have been followed. Being both religious and patriotic the two aristocratic nurses were loyal to the office al ideology of the Russian Empire and its sacred mission for “God, Tsar and Fatherland”. Yet, being women they were emotionally involved and compassionate to the sufferings of their patients – Russians, Bulgarians, Turks, and very critical to the male egoism, arrogance, cruelty and corruption at the rear of the front. Nevertheless of the prevailing religious – patriotic tone the war experience of the two nurses was ambiguous and often contradictory. Still, they did not overstep the official frames of interpreting the War and were not able to reach to pacifistic convictions.

• Details
• Contents