Vospominanii︠a︡ o voennoĭ sluz︠h︡be na Kavkaze i o plene u Shamili︠a︡ 1844-1854
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The fate of Polish officer Karol Kalinowski closely mirrored that of many of his compatriots in the 1840s, who were punished by the Russian Empire for fighting for their country’s independence. These freedom-loving Poles were forced into the Russian military uniform and compelled to spill blood in the conquest of the equally freedom-seeking people of the Caucasus. However, Kalinowski’s decade-long experience among the Caucasian highlanders unfolded in a unique way. He found himself among them as a prisoner of war - a fate not uncommon at the time. Yet, his captivity ended in an unprecedented manner: after converting to Islam, he was granted the status of a free citizen, living like an ordinary mountaineer. He even fell in love with a local woman, but due to North Caucasian traditions, marriage remained an unattainable dream. After the tragic death of his beloved, Kalinowski saw rejoining the Russian army as his only path back to his longed-for homeland. Ultimately, his plan succeeded, but in his heart and mind, he remained forever tied to the Caucasus and the friendships he had forged there.
