Who wrote this letter?

It wasn’t me!

Here is what I have found so far, if you are looking for possible leads.
Buca Celaevi does in fact appear to be a Turkish prison (as you must have known from your topics).
The Observer that is referred to is most likely the British Observer. Although I couldn’t find archives on the web going back to 1987 – 1986 (since this letter is from January 1987, it is most likely the letter printed in the Observer was printed in 1986 or early), if you contacted the Observer or a major British library, they would probably have archives of the letters printed in the Observer at that time.
The other option is to ask the British embassy for a list of Britains in Turkey at the time. They probably would have a list of those in prison in Turkey also.
I hope this helps.

One caveat, I am assuming the writer is British, but even if they aren’t, the Observer lead should still work.

Good detective work Marissa.

I’d scan it & send it to Found magazine – that one’s a keeper!

Question, in the letter above Mandy’s last name is missing. Is it actually missing from the letter or did you not post it here for privacy reasons? If you have the last name, you may be able to track the letter writer by tracking down Mandy.

Saying “bucks in the bank” sounds American, or like someone raised in the US. However, Daddy’s “buckets of east marks to spend” and his job for the “State Art School” can only mean a father in East Germany (East Berlin).
The Chelsea CND comment is interesting. In England the CND is the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament. (and coincidentally part of the history of the modern day peace symbol) There might have been a Chelsea branch.
“Mum” in “East Anglia” certainly is British.

Curiouser and curiouser.

Hi Guys I found him and his story is incredible.
He’s Daniel De Souza and he wrote about his time
in a book called Under a crescent Moon.
Here’s my letter to him and his to me!

Hi Daniel,

Twenty years ago I was twenty seven

It was the late eighties near Warwick Avenue tube I noticed an old hardback book In a skip in the road,
I can’t bear to see books dumped, so took it home. It was a copy of Charles Lamb’s Letters to Elia.

A letter fell out dated 1987

It was from a Danny to a Brother Adam.

I have been trying to find out who wrote it for years, but without a surname I was stuck.

The radio 4 book programme with Mariella Frostup was running a feature on things found in books,
my wife suggested I mention the letter from a Turkish Jail.
The Producer did a telephone interview that was broadcast live on Radio 4.

I thought Danny was a female because the address IN Turkish seemed to be a womens prison

Anyway, I just got an email from my Dad who is on Holiday in Antalya with the your name ‘de Souza’

Searching the Guardian archive I now Know a little about what you went through. I have ordered your book.
Google found your website for me.

I’ll attach a text copy of the letter

Who was Brother Adam?

Kind regards

Nigel Jones

Hi Nigel

My you’re curious. Well the Brother Adam was, and I presume still is, Adam Kisch, an old school friend from Holland Park Comprehensive. As you can see from the website, I’m now settled in Turkey running a hotel/art centre/café in Gümüşlük near Bodrum. Why don’t you drop in one day.

All the best

Danny