100 Years Ago: April 1915

[George Thomas Wilson]

This is another in a series of brief reviews of National Geographic Magazines as they reach 100 years of age.

The author of the first article had spent one summer in the Alps and was spending a second when the great war broke out.  She discusses the fortifications along the borders of the various countries in this region but mostly between Italy and Austria-Hungary.  The article then describes the "mountaineers" of the Tyrol region of Austria.  It has many black and white photos of the scenery, the people, and architecture of the region.  It also has a map of the eastern Alps on page 374.

The second article take a decidedly feminine view by the author, of the women of the various regions of the Ottoman Empire and, in particular, the women of Bulgaria.  She was a professor at Constantinople College and found the Bulgarian girls "fairer and brighter" than those from Greece, Armenia, or Persia.  The article does go into the culture and history of Bulgaria but from the angle of the woman's contribution.  I particularly like the part about the girls who flirt near the village wells being referred to as "waterwitches".  Its many black and white photos include one of a waterwitch.

Between the second and third articles are the "16 Pages of Photogravure".  These sixteen full-page photos are on a different stock paper which has browned considerably more than the other pages.  They start in Ireland and then go on to Wales, Austria, Switzerland, Bosnia, Albania, Macedonia, and Siberia.

The third and last article in this issue is on "The Kingdom of Servia" or, as we call it today, Serbia.  It mainly goes through the history and culture of this country but its black and white photos are mostly of its people.  While the Balkan Peninsula was observed to be the "tinder box" of Europe, Servia was its "percussion cap" which ignited the great war.  On page 421 there is a map of not only Servia but also Bulgaria for referencing the second article.

Photo courtesy of Philip Riviere

No Society business appeared in this issue.

Tom

[Philip Riviere]

Tom's "Water Witch"

[George Thomas Wilson]

Phil,

The neat thing about the Waterwitches is that they'd be hanging around the well and a brawny guy would come up and grab one, carry her to his house and lock the door.  The next morning a priest would come and legitimize the marriage.

Tom

[Philip Riviere]

Tom,

From reading the article most of these "witches" did not complain but actually welcomed these advances....

Phil

[George Thomas Wilson]

Note: I just added a map for the second and third articles in this issue.  (Thanks Phil.)