CEU eTD Collection TURKISH HISTORIOGRAPHY DURING KEMALIST ERA: HISTORIOGRAPHY DURINGKEMALIST TURKISH TURKISH NATIONALIST GRAND NARRATIVE AND GRANDNARRATIVE NATIONALIST TURKISH In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of AFET AFET ø SMA ø Advisor: Professor Selim Deringil NAN, FUAT KÖPRÜLÜAND NAN, FUAT ø Nationalism StudiesProgram Central European University Central European L HAKKIUZUNÇAR Budapest, Hungary Budapest, Master of Arts Submitted to Submitted Efe Baysal 2007 By ù ILI CEU eTD Collection To mygreatgrandfather whom Ifinally had a chance to meet 1 ø smail Hakk Õ Uzunçar úÕOÕ CEU eTD Collection ILORPY ...... 51 BIBLIOGRAPHY: ...... 48 CONCLUSION: FUAT KÖPRÜLÜ AND “LIMITED” OPPOSITION IN NATIONAL HISTORY:...... 26 ...... 26 CHAPTER TWO: TURKISH HISTORY THESIS ...... 13 AND AFET INAN ...... 13 CHAPTER ONE: INTRODUCTION:...... 3 OFCONTENTS: TABLE Responding to Western Orientalism...... 40 Responding to Turkish ...... 36 History Thesis Ottomans as the Corrupters of the Purified Turkish Race...... 22 Turks as the Creator of Great ...... 17 Civilizations ø SMA ø L HAKKI UZUNÇAR 2 ù ILI...... 26 CEU eTD Collection 3 George Schöpflin (eds.)(London : C. Hurst, 1997), 36. 2 ( (ed.)London :Verso, 1996), 255. 1 market.” for the raw material nationalism to are what“Historians : nationalism and writing poppy-growers history between relation the explain to analogy in Pakistan are to heroin addicts : we supply the essential traditions were invented to form a novel common culturenew new system, this In and capitalism. secularism like bureaucratization, with concepts which was essential to canalize the is of 19 a developed historical conditions.product It certain under Anthony Smith, “the concept of a nation could not be sustained.” else, to or according market” “the needsthe of meet continuously should This past discourse. nationalist of backbone the forms it nationalism; of element basic most is the past history, be in its studiedinterpreted and but maindifferent ways principle neverchanges:Subject of can ideology nationalist of material araw as History, “imaginedcommunity”. the to material artifacts of a particular kind” ofaparticular artifacts their communion stays him,nationalismalive. Accordingnationality to and are“cultural although members of community this notknow do each in other, mindsthe of imagethem, of sustain nation.the Anderson Inhisbook, evaluates nationthe anas imagined community; Anderson’s“Imagined Communities”, there should be a good deal of imagination formto and Benedict follow we If nationalism. and history-writing between relation the understand to is nature significant Thisconstructed nature. constructed onits concentrates mainly development its on and emergence its on nationalism, on literature growing nationalism, Benedict Anderson, Anthony Smith, “The ‘Golden Age’ and National Renewal” in Renewal” National and Age’ ‘Golden “The Smith, Anthony Eric J. Hobsbawm, “Ethnicity and Nationalism in Europe Today” in One of the devoted students students nationalism, studies usesan of One of devoted Eric JHobsbawm of the INTRODUCTION: Even though there are various theories regarding the concept of a nation and anation of concept regarding the various theories are Even though there Imagined Communities 1 According to Hobsbawm, historians are the ones who serve raw 3 . In this respect, nationalism is a historical movement; it has it movement; historical a is nationalism respect, this In . (London, New Left Books, 2003), 6. 3 Myths and Nationhood, Mapping theNation 2 th century; it created was century; Geoffrey Hosking, , Gospal Balakrisian CEU eTD Collection 7 6 5 Verso, 1996), 175. 4 far more political, is today thepast to “our relationship Thus, perspective. today’s itwith of evaluate and out us, we make is sense try to to inaccessible past us.Eventhough this around is all past of the traces etc., records written artifacts monuments, with its that He argues past. their and nation the of members between relation explaining by history-writing of importance the out points also Anderson work, another In ideology. nationalist the spread to medium Anderson asa“concreted” focuses on print-media the inhisbook, symbols ceremonies and repeated constantly and materialized simplified, be should ideology an as nationalism efficiently, work to in order Hence, state. the of needs the to according society mobilize to society power about isall which form politics of asa nationalism theorizes perspective state-centered which has always been in history and whichhas been developing since the beginning of time. phenomenon universal and a ubiquitious is nation that believe unconditionally followers support ofmasses for theneeds Furthermore,of state. the itis “profoundly historicist” sovereign. having interests andmoral values othernationsabove and 3)beingatleast politically a nation with its distinctive isbuilt outthatnationalismpoints upon 1)existence principles: three of doctrine asapolitical characteristic that duringstruggle. Breuilly receive government used bytheelitessupport to inorder public is special and separate from other nations. 2) ø Ibid, 2. John Breuilly, John Anthony Smith, “Nationalism and the Historians” in bid, 64. 5 . In rivalry between the elites, nationalism emerges as an instrument of legitimization of instrument as an emerges nationalism between elites, . Inrivalry the Breuilly signifies that nationalism is used by the state as a mediator between state and state between as a mediator by state the is used nationalism that signifies Breuilly His view. modernist a from nationalism of subject the approaches also Breuilly John 7 , which in turn foster the imagination of the community. While Breuilly mentions 6 Nationalism and the State , (Manchester : Manchester University Press, 1994) Press, University : Manchester , (Manchester Mapping the Nation, 4 Gopal Balakrishnan (ed.) (London : 4 . Its CEU eTD Collection Hosking, George Schöpflin (eds.) (London :C. Hurst, 1997), 22. becomes inthis process role elites’ formation; an itartificial as perceive modernism, age of especially useful to overcome the national crises such as traumatic social changes descendants of the heroes and sages of that greatage” that and of of heroes sages the descendants change, weare of “despite of social andvicissitudes theravages that time changes suggesting Thispast tofuture. sensecontinuity is of fundamentally vital the during social traumatic myths histories, of Agenational toprovide Golden arecreated asense from continuity of the national identity is imposedon an older one.Furthermore, according toSmith, through the actualize is “usableof the shiftin used to inan past” old-system, which theidentity a new replaces place the where it thenation-state of formation the during community. Particularly, nation, history national appears animportant politicizedprovideas tool to unity the within belonging members to of newlyformingthe nation, aslong asitjustifies existence the of the of a sense instills past this as long As it. in place their find also features mythical history, a national into is converting past while this many fact times, In one. a “believable” into nation is scientifically accurate. What matters is to find a “suitable past” which turns the future of the reallymatter whethernot past this Itdoes of nation. the periodsthe of cultural (re)production 11 10 9 New Left Review 9 (May-June, 2001), 38. 8 state or in Anthony Smith’s terminology “Usable Past” ideology. state with line bein to areexpected which histories national and thepast creates shapes ideology political duringis true also imagining the processof the nationalism nation. Inopportunistic way asa in fragmentary than goneby.”ideological,and even ages contested, opportunistic Anthony Smith, “The ‘Golden Age’ and National Renewal” National and Age’ ‘Golden “The Smith, Anthony Matters?” That Difference a There –Is Nationalism Eastern and Nationalism , “Western Anderson Benedict George Schöpflin “The Functions of Myth and a Taxonomy of Myths” in Myths” of Taxonomy a and ofMyth Functions “The Schöpflin George Ibid, 50. It is also necessary to mention that when we connect nation and nationalism with the with nationalism and nation connect we when that mention to necessary is also It Re-interpretation of the past in different periods of the nation for the sake of nation- of sake the for nation the of periods in different past the of Re-interpretation 5 10 9 becomes much more visible during . Thus, this feeling of continuity is continuity of feeling this Thus, . Myths and Nationhood, 11 8 Geoffrey . The same The CEU eTD Collection Michigan Press, 1999), 60. Articulation of the Nation, 15 14 13 University Pres, 1992), 12. against the elites only becomingnot ideas Western dissident are equipped with generations who products traditions, combining“preexisting buildingblocks” intoand novel turningthem end nation.involvedin They inventingare theones who imagining in thecommunity, the old of the regimes their country. novelty the becomes many youthness against symbol of home Hence, times countries. their who in hadbeen educated West the or had taken ineducation Western style government the of power the seize to elites the by used doctrine a political is nationalism him, to According above. mentioned as perspective functionalist issue from totally the approaches Breuilly While Hrochexamines roleinnationalism elites’ the this and role’s gradual development, ideologymassestakes of masses theirgroup nationalist the support the they spread and to get ‘national get beginidea’ to politicized.organized and begin to Inthelastcategory this 12 not only invent or select already existing traditions and re-shape them but also dismiss period, second the with starting However some elites. “purely literary andcultural, folkloric” limited curiosity and isonly with of researchers and According toHroch, national movements can be divided into periods.three Firstperiodis communityimagined Whose place? first in the occur imagination this does how but aremembers its of minds we talkingin the it of image vivid be a should there nation, the sustain and form To visible. more much about? Hroch’s categorization is a useful one to answer this. Alexander J. Motyl, “Inventing Invention: The Limits of National Identity Formation” Benedict Anderson, Breuilly, 1. Eric J. Hobsbawm, Consequently, elites emerge as the most important actor during importantactor formation of themost the the elites Consequently, as emerge 15 and who then, try to diffuse theirnationalist agenda tothe society. Moreover, they ancien regime 13 . Anderson in book also, ofelites, theimportance underlines in especiallyones . Anderson book Nations and Nationalism Since 1780,Programme, Myth, Reality Imagined Communities Ronald Grigor Suny,Michael D. Kennedy (eds.) (Michigan : The University of in their old country, but they also carry the nationalist ideas to their , 107-109. 6 minority agissante (New York : Cambridge in Intellectualsand the 14 . These young These . who supports who 12 . CEU eTD Collection 17 Grigor Suny,Michael D.Kennedy (eds.) (Michigan :The University of Press,Michigan 1999), 2. 16 rulesenforcing the andboundariespeople” of constituent the and people internally, the disciplining values of nation, the understanding, the propagating national of shaping agencyin havethe greatest elites to the “appear states, As Gregory Suny society the of memory collective the from memories and values problematic inconvenient, then by then was distributed “missionary” period’s the historians. narrative of the period, Turkish History Thesis was alsofirst formulated by the state elites and Study of History]) coincided Turkish with formationthe Turkishthe of Republic.Grand Study of History - later on changed its name to “Türk Tarihi Tetkik Cemiyeti” [Society for the community. Not surprisingly, the foundation of “Tarih Tetkik Cemiyeti” (Society for the easily of shape newlyformingcharacteristics the imagined common cultural Turkish andperiod spread nationalism they helping were to tothe society. Thisway,couldstate the ideology of all in linethe but atfirst nationalist with the them were autonomous of were they mediators, of as They the society. worked lower segments upperand placethe between institutions suchas Hearths. Turkish Significance of was these based cultural groups on their and usedintellectual-cultural achievegroups state the To this, ideology period. the of “top” section of the society project complete this to relation, of state-society argument Breuilly’s in line with Furthermore should have reached toEspecially during Kemal,intense ofMustafa theperiod cultural reforms were implemented. grassroots in order to spreadreligious community to the nation, thethe new state concentrated state’s on Cultural Revolution. succeed from new borders shiftthe of a religious community republic.To within the the but nation” a “Turkish wastherehardly created, thenewstate Even though task. difficult a they confronted form newrepublic,the succeeded to empire dissidentelites of old the Ibid. Michael D. Kennedy, Grigor Suny, “Introduction”, When we examine the Turkish case, similar developments can be realized. Once in Intellectuals and the Articulation of the Nation, 7 17 . Ronald 16 . CEU eTD Collection ones who send nationalist messages to masses and promote special “corporate interests, tomassesmessages and ones promote sendnationalistwho intellectualsAccording insiders”.and tohim, “supportive insiders supportive while arethe following: as categories two into elites distinguishes and characteristics modes of two instance,historians. For while the discussing roles of elites,the EdwardSaidfocuses onthese considerhasboth historians,investigating politician sphere andhistorian these to one of these the same time they nationalist history writing of periodthe over historians. dominant the of hadeffect and approaches alternative Thesis, History Turkish the about close connections with state politics. In this respect, while Köprülü and and Köprülü by thisimportant of respect,historians focusing Republican on three the era; AfetInan, Fuat In developed approaches. whoavoid and narrative alternative tried scholars who this grand to and specifically focusbeininto adjusted line were forcedStill to general thesis. when we stepthe the with picture on the period’s historians,suppressed or wereeither intellectuals bytheperiod’s raised thatwere Hence many critics we can see that of accusations state. the serious criticize whofact, ones encountered andintried the to Thesis actually there wereera. As all can beexpected, Thesis 1930s, the through dominated writingsthe of historiansthe some how at the same time period’s nationalist atmosphere affected the writings of the historians of analyze to hasbeendone little work of nation. However formation the achievethe was usedto show how the Thesis andits is formulators to examine in Thesis, the literature to trend this Main period. the individuals of arethe literature in missingthis really whatare However, period’sabout historiography inboth Turkey and outside Turkey isand it still area. growing Thesis, historians individual will be themain incase this There iswork. immensean literature History Turkish of story the re-telling than rather Particularly formulated. was Thesis History Secondly, all of these historians had dual characteristics; they were historians yet at This dissertation will concentrate on the period of in ontheperiod of This Turkey,1930s when Turkish concentrate will dissertation ø smail Hakk smail Õ Uzunçar úÕOÕ , first aim of this work is to show various arguments various show is to work this of aim first , 8 CEU eTD Collection 23 (eds.) (London : MacmillanThe Pres, 1988) Novakovic: Historian, Politiciain, Diplomat” in 22 21 (Indianapolis : Liberty Press, 1991), 169. 20 19 18 thenation.” for consequences important may have andtheir practices identity, national a have they least, at Contingently, “nationed.” are world, modern in the citizenship of necessity the and language of fatality the given intellectuals, “All discusses: rightly theirbackgrounds.variousAs subjectiveprejudices issuesdueto Suny approachesto or intellectualseven historians notpolitics directly or to are that connected some would have Novakovic from Serbia backwards” thepast “reads and opportunistically thepast approaches thinking, anda senseclass, of gender racial privilege”or can not talk about the ultimate objectivity of historians. Especially ifhe sheis somehow or Especially historians. objectivity of ultimate the can nottalk about Uzunçar nation, the a of creation of the dawn at the historians about if wearetalking Particularly, separation. situation ismostly an artificial from each other unconnectedly characteristics two these and evaluating is a much moremodesdifferent ofspheres,categorizing creating two characteristics, of politician-historian complex one as will pasthe is vivid anditis used support histo be political agenda. discussed in Köprülümoral” and andthis children” past is“without arenosuccesses the there andillegitimate andnofailures judgment. According him, to historian “in for history man no soon dies by too or accident, any moral without approaches thepast discusses Okeshottthathistorian work. Okeshott’s who from purifies “nation-ness”themselves Suny, 15. “Stojan Djordjevic, Dimitrije and Politician” and Historian as Iorga “Nicolae Pearton, SeeMaurica Ibid., 168. Michael Oakeshott, “The Activity of being an Historian”, in Historian”, an ofbeing Activity “The Oakeshott, Michael Ibid., 15. Suny, 14. 20 However, itisHowever, important tosignify especially in involvingthat, situations these kinds úÕOÕ . In this sense, for the historian “past stays at the past”. Yet, “practical man” “practical Yet, past”. atthe stays “past historian the sense, for . In this . For instance as can be seen in various examples such as Iorga from from or suchas in various canbeRomania examples Iorga as instance seen . For 22 many times, both of these characteristics commingle. Furthermore, commingle. characteristics of these many both times, Historians as Nation-Builders 19 . A similar separation can be seen in Michael canbeseen separation . Asimilar 9 Rationalism in Politics and Other Essays 18 , he categorizes intellectuals as ones intellectuals , hecategorizes , Dennis Deletant, Harry Hanak 21 . For the practical man, 23 Hence, we CEU eTD Collection Uzuncar important issue needs is important consideration thedifference that between those who could whodidthose directly not Grandsupport the narrative butTurkish History of at same the not dare to criticize it, due to pressures of the Kemalist state. Another FuatKöprülü and formulators of the period’s grand narrative, symbolizes the hegemonic Kemalist ideology, shaped their work. In this respect, in the dissertation, while Afet in dissertation, the respect, In this work. shaped their discussed bylooking atthe personalities and and backgrounds the eventsandideologies that be historians will sides of these tothis issue,politician-historian Connected dissertation. this betheof mainconcerns their will affected writings nationalistdiscourses period’s European Contributions historiansin“grandhow the Historians. these of this mission”, and society according to the and society, the direct state betweenthe destroy alienation medium to was usedasa needs of the state and Especially,history it in hasnever wasapoliticizedwriting period as before.this tool been It to reply the claims of Orientalist approaches of important historians of historiansimportant ; Afet of periodthe period’s the ideology nationalist historiography over by will be investigated examining three affectedhistory will was politics their or that be discussed. works it vice andwhether versa,be will or investigated historian politician characteristic, side over their of effect the separately, them analyze and characteristics dual their distinguish to trying Uzunçar ideology. issues topolitics,related most his her approach heshewill probably political or through or To sum To it Eraof on thesis willfocus up, this and Republican the Turkey effectof In this in context, dissertation,the while evaluating writings of úÕOÕ úÕOÕ . For instance,Afet . , their political and historian sides will also be carefully examined. Rather than ø smail Hakk Õ ø Uzunçar nan’s ideas were shaped during the formation of nan’s formation the new ideas wereshapedduring the of ø úÕOÕ nan,Köprülü Fuat and represent another dimension represent of ideology; the 10 ø smail Hakk ø ø nan Köprülü – and nan as one of nan of the asone ø nan, Köprülünan, and Õ Uzunçar úÕOÕ . CEU eTD Collection 26 Thesis and contributions of Afet of Thesis andcontributions this policy until the abolition of the Thesis. Congress, Köprülü decidedtoremain silent aboutTurkish History Thesis andhe preserved as we will seework. Yet this does not mean afterthat they openly criticized the grand narrative. In fact, especially academic in their coincide thealways not did features historian and politician dispute their in general of Köprülü with Afet Furthermore, even though both Furthermore,members even both historians were though also unlike of parliament, the research instead of confining themselves to the shallow explanations of Turkish nationalism scientific to themselves dedicated time, their of discourse dominant the nationalism, Turkish of of “OfficialHistory” Thesis in Turkey (1929-1937) ( motivated toexploremotivated Köprülüand Turkish History, Uzunçar that, seen be can it Still, historians. these on seen be could in Turkey discourse nationalist Empire had been nothing but a simple imitation of Byzantium Empire, effect of period’s Uzunçar be aworld-power to Empire success of its Turkishness and extensively discussed political factors that enabled the Ottoman the as Empire the Ottoman of accomplishment the demonstrates idea that reductionistic Republic to the transferred State Ottoman the that anintelligentsia , was Republic, namely the Ottoman Empire. Particularly Köprülü and Uzunçar Köprülü and Empire. Particularly Ottoman the namely Republic, point is that both Köprülü and Uzunçar 25 1992) :,35-36. the Republic. Thus, as Berktay notes about Köprülü, -and can be extended toUzunçar 24 Republic, Uzunçar Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi”, 33. Bü Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi” ú ra Ersanl ra First chapter of the dissertation will focus on the formation of the Turkish History úÕOÕ confronted with foreign historians such as Iorga who claimed that the Ottoman Õ , ø ktidar ve Tarih: Türkiye’de “Resmi Tarih” Tezinin Olu úÕOÕ and Köprülü were already already ashistorians andKöprülüduring foundation were the present of 25 . However, in the international context when Köprülü and Köprülü when context international in the However, . ø nan Fuat will this chapter thesis.discuss to following The úÕOÕ Toplum ve Bilim were the historians of one of the “others” of the 11 ø stanbul : ø leti (Society and Science) No: 54-55 (August, ú im Yay ø nan in the First Turkish History ú umu úÕOÕ Õ (Power and History. Formation History. and (Power nlar , while being inspired beingwhile by , Õ , 2006), 158. 24 . Another important Another . úÕOÕ opposed the opposed úÕOÕ also- ø nan, 26 . CEU eTD Collection national and international stimulus on two historians. two on stimulus international and national of effect will followinghistorian,discuss influence chapter a over direct state’s focus onthe will chapter first while insimilar ways. Thus, Ottoman Empire the regarding history-writing international and national reacted both they seen be As will similar. are problems historical though historicaltheir their from each methodology period’s tothe other, differs approaches Köprülü and and Köprülü ø smail Hakk smail Õ Uzunçar úÕOÕ and their standing in period’s grand narrative. Even narrative. grand in period’s standing their and 12 CEU eTD Collection 2004), 224. in Modernin Turkey : Volume 2- Kemalism) , Tan 27 country” eastern inmission words:“To that newly foundedlongerprove Inan’s the was, Republican isno ‘eye’ with their western the by new ‘visible’ Making Turkishrevolution of to Modernization Republic.addressing the looks was whatvalues plus getting involved actively in were vital lifepublic in tools concretizing the cultural was expected from inwesternized ‘exhibiting’ ,beinga for,woman this period one, ,a‘westernized’ education the women of thewas her important most listed the above, attributes and thecharacteristics of all However, time. Their new be reflection Republic. of anappropriate the scientistappeared to dynamism the of of Kemalist Cultural Revolution. The image of theyoung, ambitious, nationalistfemale social new conveyor the symbol Republicandthe of Western stylewoman as emerged the educated an Against tobeempowering Inan, such a background, as newregime. proved for the tools for Study the of Turkish History “Türk Diland Kurumu” (Turkish Language Institution) researchinstitutions such Society alongcampaigns presenceof as the with semi-autonomous a nation.from society community nationwideto a religious Inpursuing thisgoal, education the destruction of dogmas of the main ‘Image’. from a Western whose Republic Shehadbenefitedthe aim earnings of the was collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the birth of a new republic constituted in accordance with She the outcomeRepublic. hadwitnessed newlythriving of ideology shapedthe the that Özgür Sevgi Göral, “Afet As it is already pointed out in the Introduction, Afet Afet Introduction, in the out pointed is already it As AND AFETINAN THESIS HISTORY TURKISH CHAPTER ONE: 27 . As Özgür Sevgi Göral points out, in this period ‘The participation of ø nan” in Modern Türkiye’de Siyasi Dü ancien regimeancien Õ l Bora, Murat Gültekingil (eds.) ( 13 and thus the successful transformation of the ú ünce : Cilt 2- Kemalizm ø nan as a historian was the direct the was historian a as nan ø stanbul : (Political Thinking (Political ø leti ú im Yay Õ nlar Õ , CEU eTD Collection 31 was younggo toEurope, wasto tostudy andthere back come toTurkey as a teacher to she when dreams her of one that mentions she memoirs, her In Anatolia. in conditions poor see meager and the for herto opportunity the created travels family. These her with Anatolia duty Western father’shershe traveledand Central state because of around In theseyears, migrate toAnatoliahadthey to memoirs she explained how country birthof losingand her grandfather during warhadthe astrong effectBalkan onher; in her Wars affected theirher that leaving can be Itstated Anatolia asrefugees. from to Macedonia migrated family her family lives in Macedonia and how supporter of of supporter YoungTurkmovementthe in Macedonia of period. narrative the 30 29 28 a priori issueand is the aspartof a complementary regarded national project.” isan inwomen life indication public they that beenliberated have republicans/nationalists as move into the development of Turkish History Thesis and and Thesis History Turkish of development the into move emerge” Berktay out“whenpoints a particularideology is directed againstdogmas, new dogmas positivist stance againstits nationalist visageface contrast Ottoman andits againstthe community-based modernist- the religious and dogmatic style of the Empire. However, as Halil Ibid., 30. Ar Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi”, 28. Ibid. Õø nan, Prof. Dr. Afet ø Afet Inan was born in 1908 in Sumnu. Her father was a state officer, inspector and Hence, it was expected from from itwas expected Hence, nan’s childhood daysnan’s coincided childhood fall with empire the an of andbirth a newrepublic. of 29 . This will chapter briefly informationAfet backgroundgive about ø nan ( ø stanbul: Remzi Kitabevi, 2005), 39. 31 . ø nan to represent the modernity of to modernity Republic, the of the represent nan to 14 30 . When she was four years old she and ø nan’s contribution to this grand this to contribution nan’s 28 ø nan first, then CEU eTD Collection about various subjects. However, all through 1930s the prevailing theme inher wasto various However, the about all work subjects. prevailing theme1930s through thesis on “Antropological Characteristics of Turkish People and Turkish and History”. People Turkish of Turkish Characteristics on “Antropological thesis Faculty andLanguage of History. at the University, atAnkara lectures history giving began from she onward, time, 1936 Society for the Studycontinuity of Turkish race from the ancient ages. In of1935 she became the vice-presidentTurkish of the Historywith the andnewly beganevolving herTurkish in line of History) History Twilight and (Before Fecrinde” ve doctorate Tarih “Tarihten Evvel presented History Thesis.she Congress, inHistory The First in the year Geneva.objectfollowing the and Kemal Mustafa with ofCitizen) for her Atspeech the was sameto prove the 32 she 1931, called preparedaschool “Vatandabook (Main Features of Turkish History) where the Turkish History Thesis was first formulated. In for the Study of Turkish History. She was one of the writersinvolved and1929, she helpedformation the got actively in severalconferences Society the of of “Türk Tarihinin Ana Hatlar High School, Notredame in deSion Istanbul.1929 she In teaching started in Ankara.After Lausanne togeta French language education, then in and began attend1927 she to French to sent was she First held. were country the of goals and problems the about discussions who was able to take seat at historians fewhonored the of andbecameone on his side she wasalways death till Kemal’s Mustafa Kemal’s dinner teacher.tables In one of Mustafa Kemal’s visits toIzmir in 1925, she met him whereand from that meeting all kinds of debates and goal, European civilization” namely the : “catching support thedevelopment of newthe Republichelp to and thenew Republic achieve its main Ibid., 86-87 Afet of history,in period specializing one Rather than When When warwas over, the ø nan began her teaching career in nan anidealist hercareer Izmir school began teaching as ø nan graduated from Geneva University in 1938 with her 15 úø 32 . çin çin Medeni Bilgiler”Information (Civic ø nan wrote andnan gavespeeches wrote Õ ” CEU eTD Collection Zab 37 36 Tezinin Olu 35 Also see herfirst lecture in Ankara Language and History Faculty onJanuary 9, 1936 (Ar No.5/6 (April, 1938) type andTurks paper on the achievementsFirst Turkishof Brakifesal History Congress, human she followstype anda different the relations path. In the congress, between she thispresents human a “ultimate truth”, it is a fact that she does not hesitate to ignore primary sources to support her support to sources ignore primary to hesitate not she does isfact that it a truth”, “ultimate Whilehistorian. alleging historian that has the investigate primary to findsources to the theobjectivity of about the remarks andsuggestions herown contradicting primary sources, documents” on entirely depends examination or interpretation personal into Turkish History Thesis while giving a speech about the Methodology speech Methodology Turkish the into History giving a History Thesisabout of while OttomanOttoman Empire could talking while about suddenlychangetheHistory or subject and“degenerated” the“backward” newrepublic with “enlightened” the presentand compare the into jump easily could she instance, For flashbacks. uncommon and inconsistencies 34 history. In primary sources this respect, “dynamism thebasisthat history”,she states is formed byusageof of dynamism this of the as Bü become anobjective historian.primary the whileexplaining Furthermore, sources to of of usage the theimportance as emphasized in hershe classes denounced vehemently in ideological thrust the exposes thus regime, new the of justification the for history of manipulation the manipulation, of kind of which consisted of Turks” prove the validity of Turkish History Thesis and to “give an identity to this society, majority Afet Ibid. Afet See her article : Afet Inan, “Türk-Osmanl Inan, :Afet article Seeher Õ tlar ø ø Õ nan, “Tarihten Evvel ve Tarih Fecrinde” in Fecrinde” Tarih ve Evvel “Tarihten nan, nan, On examining examining On (First Turkish History Congress. Conferences, DiscussionReports. ) (Ankara : MaarifT.C Vekaleti) ú umu Tarih 151. 37 ø 35 lminin Dinamik Karakteri . Her speech is based on assumptions and secondary sources rather than rather sources andsecondary based on assumptions . Herspeechis . According to her, every single document increases the dynamism of increases dynamism the document every single her, to . According ø nan’s history writing, one can witness the frequent occurrences of occurrences frequent the witness can one writing, history nan’s 33 . ú ra Ersanl ø nan. Interestingly, this is the exact stance which soshe which is stance exact nan.this the Interestingly, Õ Tarihinin Karakteristik Noktalar Karakteristik Tarihinin , 7,quoted in Ersanl Õ Birinci TürkTarih Kongresi. Konferanslar, Müzakere points out: “According to 16 Õ , ø ktidar ve Tarih : Türkiye’de “Resmi Tarih” Õ na Bir Bak Bir na ø nan, the historian’s Õú 36 Õ Inan,141-146) ” . However in the However . Belleten Vol 2 34 . This . CEU eTD Collection ø Kemalizm more specifically while trying to be one of the western countries, attitudes of the West were West the of attitudes countries, the western be of one to trying while more specifically of favoring instead “East”, and the the“West” reforms while However westernized adapting society should progress by borrowing technology and scientific knowledge from civilization. the yet society, formthe of tounity the necessary are institutions cultural that mentions 38 time of needs the to corresponds civilization international and culture national “beingharmony like between Gökalp, For western” between and “beingourselves”. synthesis losingcivilizations without According his theory, culture. its unique to organic is there aim is Turkish the “Civilization” concepts, nation of toreach levelmodernizedthe of one of theRepublican Era, the new Republic was trying reachto the “stage of modern civilizations”.first As the before long begun had that movements westernization continuing by time, same the formulatorsstate for obvious reasons. ofThenew bothering the were of are thecivilization, enemies who nation, asabarbaric Turks show state wasTurkish trying to forge a nationto tendencies Europeans’ “yellow race”. to belong who people as“secondary Turks showed that hasNationalism, self-confidence. At in Turks astheCreatorZiya of GreatCivilizations Gökalp’s society inthe tolegitimizeRepublic. thenewly formed order “Culture”Turkish Race in Anatolia, of continuity the prove and to to undermine Theories, European invalidate to the attempting effects follows: as and writings of the Ottoman and Islamic past over inchapter in be next detail. the revealed in herspeech in the congress and with inherdispute Köprülü onthe usage of sources as will political agenda when she findcould not any solution proveother to her This point. is evident stanbul : Orhan Koçak, “1920’lerden1970’lere Kültür Politikalar To seeher in in arguments way,wecandivide a detailed general subjects the Inan’s From From beginningof the 19 the (Political Thinking in Modern Turkey : Volume 2 - Kemalism) , Tan ø leti ú im Yay Õ nlar Õ , 2004), 374. th century, Social-Darwinist theories formed in Europe 17 Õ ” in Modern Türkiye’de Siyasi Dü Õ l Bora,Murat Gültekingil (eds.) ú ünce :Cilt 2 - 38 . Gökalp . CEU eTD Collection 42 41 40 Toplumsal Dönü 39 “offended hernational feelings” inSion Istanbul,she in comments Frenchrealized history and geographybooks which weretryingKemalists showlinkage between the to and West the Turkey. yellow” isbeingEurope.” to sent as Don’tthinklike “Weyou! of white us messageare also of the civilization”, the “we created As Murat Belge points out: “In an interesting – and typical- way, together with the boast of to get rid of the inferiority feelingnot Hence, degradingtheories reply the only werequestioned European of claims to Europe. but also to make an easy the accessperiod. First of all, the advanced West was an attractive ideal,to but there was alsoEuropean aneed to civilization. Turkey. toward attitudes the of Europeans still, could wasmaking but totally not Kemalists reforms,change Turkish State westernized new The Republic: new the of situation the underlines especially Kemal Mustafa events” still present in spite of which had been informed mindshad western is This established aspecial thought. thought everything and all of theideas These societies. been instilledEuropean among had hostility andhatred against Turks events.” of “Ideas Europeans: toward feelings Kemalist period’s the crystallized Kemal, Mustafa interviewing journalista French 1923, November newRepublic. the discouraging In to Afet Ar Murat Belge, “ ‘Irk’ Belge, Murat Firdervs Gümü Õ Inan, 100. ø nan, “Atatürk ve Tarih Tezi” ve Tarih “Atatürk nan, He said.” “No, itcan’t be, let’s concentrate on this. Youstudy.” I showed him [Mustafa Kemal]. Is it so? I said. European thought. belongs to yellow “In in one it1928, books, Frenchgeography of the was written Turkishthat race race and it’s a secondary (secondaire) type of human according to Afet created in aduality history of sightedwriting reasons above, the two For the Europe ø nan also tells a similar story. In 1928, when she was studying at Notre Dame she 1928,when atNotre wasstudying de nanstory. also asimilar In tells ú úR÷ üm Yay 42 lu ÕPÕ]Õ , Ülkü Dergisi ve Kemalist Toplum Õ nlar n Tarihi” n Õ , 2005), 311. Radikal Gazetesi Belleten 41 . She took these books and showed them to Mustafa Kemal: 40 Vol. 2 No. 10 (April, 1939), 244. In this way, rather Inthis than way, totally excluding Europe, (RadikalNewspaper) (September 14, 2003), 9 18 (Periodical Ülkü and Kemalist Society) ( 39 By saying “everything” and “all ø stanbul : CEU eTD Collection 46 VolNo.10 2 (1939), 349-350. 45 44 brought had they their knowledge these of Neolithicmining andto change, cultures those placesother climate the to due world the of parts various and continents other migrate to hadto ancestors our when However, there. wassuitable climate the when cultures Language and History Faculty:Geography Afet here. realized be can Congress History Turkish First the with accepted officially be will which Thesis History Turkish of such Uzunçar of manyas period historians approval the the take of not isdevelopment binded todeep racial origins.” been have natural we wouldour like totell (…) that great events. With this unity recent awakened with those and existence of feelings the soul whose in Nation Turkish of history national with this consciousness. At the same time thisharmful to nationour is which itshas taken natural theposition back today in worldthe first andis living step to fulfill the needs of writing a written : great civilizations includinggreat civilizations onesin the Europe. of formation the to hadcontributed ratherthey had told; asEuropeans enemiescivilization of the not were Turks Thus, over. all history of civilizations thepowerful created that race the For the Study of Turkish History including Afet question,“Main Featuresof Turkish History” waswritten by members futurethe of Society 43 world tothe wayswhat they had contributed civilization?” ages and in from ancient the is intheworld history of place “What the Turks of question real the investigate had to she and people secondary are Turks claimed that theories European oninvalidating the she hadby Mustafa concentrate Kemal, to mission Her was determined Ar ø Ar Türk Tarihinin Ana Hatlar smail Hakk Õø Õø nan, 144.nan, nan, 101.nan, “Homeland isTurks Asia. Central of haddeveloped They Neolithic andmining It was migrationswith spreadIt Turks great these all that andTurkswas world over the Even though the book was Even though book the among only it theelites of coulddistributed newstate, the “ With the order of With Mustafa orderof historian asa“missionary”began. Kemal, journey Inan’s the The main goal of this book is, to work for the eradication of mistakes that are Õ Uzunçar úÕOÕ “Türk Tarihi Yaz Õ (Main Features of TurkishHistory) ( ÕOÕ ø nan explains the thesis in her first lecture in Ankara in lecture first her in thesis the explains nan rken :Atatürk’ün Alaka ve Görü 19 44 ø nan. In introductionthe part of the book itis ø stanbul : Kaynak Yay 43 . To find the answer of this ú lerine Dair Hat úÕOÕ Õ 45 nlar 46 . Still, first signal first Still, . .” Õ , 1996), 25 Õ ralar”. Belleten CEU eTD Collection Also see : Afet Inan. “Türkiye Halk “Türkiye Inan. Afet see: Also 2005), 216 Belleten 47 prove the Turkishness of Anatolia for thousands of years of for thousands Anatolia of prove Turkishness the examined 64000remainders of skulls in skeletons and Anatolia in her doctorate thesis, to She in becomingEurope. popular research anthropologic by racist the as sheinfluenced was for centuries, of Turkishness Anatolia racial the and Turks, raceand betweenwhite prove connection the shaped tryingto in While Thesis. tone the directly studies anthropological her with together remaining archeological on the cultural lives are directly those societies in different times. Today, people who are who people Today, times. in societies different lives directly those are on cultural the carry and country the own who ones the However, today. until Hittites from names and forms History – Geography in Ankara: “OurAnatolian descendants have taken politicaldifferent Turkishenss throughout history. As Afet belonging Anatoliabyunderlining its feeling to of a accomplished through awakening formulationthis a would laststronghold, a sense create that ‘belonging’. This of was needed A tobestronghold that protected. formulation linkwas needed to new the Republicto last asthe remained Anatolia was lost, Peninsula WhentheBalkan on. concentrated empire the that Peninsula Balkan area, “Rumeli” itwas the Anatolia, than rather Empire, Turkish and in continuity lastpast Turkish Indeed,before ofthe Anatolia. period the Ottoman to accomplish several goals. First of all, ithelped the formation of a feeling of entity, of a in helped Turkish “invention” Anatolia. This founder State great first the as considered of the during Republic. the years formation duringwere Hittites Particularly the of this period discourse. Füsun. Üstel. Füsun. Continuity Continuity of subjectespecially appearsasanimportant race inAnatolia Turkish indominated general the As canbe raceasasubject Thesis, History Turkish realized, Vol 4 No.13 (1940). ø nan also contributed to this discourse, in fact, her studies that were based on were that studies herin fact, discourse, tothis nan contributed also “Makbul Vatanda ú´Õ ÕQÕ n Pe n Antropolojik Karakterleri Üzerinde Büyük Anket ve Umumi Neticeleri veUmumi Anket Büyük Üzerinde Karakterleri n Antropolojik ú inde (In Pursuit of the “Ideal Citizen”), ( ø nan emphasized non-corrupted, purified race Turkish non-corrupted, nan emphasized ø nan told in her first class at Faculty of Language and 20 47 . ø stanbul : ø leti ú im Yay Õ nlar Õ , CEU eTD Collection Yurt Yay Turkish History Thesis to Turk-Islam Synthesis in History School Books (1931-1993), ( period’s period’s atmosphere. As in HalilBerktay notes, period,this emphasizing thegreatness of aimed to “turkify”1930s andinstitutions campaignssuch as“Citizen, SpeakTurkish!” or like Houses Public the increased of Totalitarian state all and of the period. tendencies the through external dynamics nation. At the same time, external dynamics also influenced the Ottoman Institutions. Ottoman calls “March of Anatoliandifferent way and they would respondtothisby focusing lineof argument on Köprülüwhat Turkicity” which is aimed to issue Howeverthey respond of this argument. the approach Greek Legacyinarather to deny Byzantium influence over the 49 first has the right”. had living been inAnatolia long the before Greeks, suggestedthe idea of“the onewhocomes Hittites claimsthat statement the Thus, Hittites. pastof the to wasdegraded Anatolia past of the reducedand in had was Anatolia living been that communities of importance other the Anatolia wasexalted, of so-called the while past Anatolia Turkish territory’, was a“contested what Hittites had taught tothem into the European Civilization. What is more, for along time Turkish Hittite Past: First, Hittites taught to Greeks connected was past European inthis way So, Greeks. the to the civilization how of virtues to be civilized and then Greeks carried On the contrary, civilizationThe in the worldTurkish and Europeans learned the values of the Historycivilization from the Greeks. Thesis claimed incenturies Anatolia. that it was the for nation Turkish of the existence the pasttolegitimize “today” Hittite with the connects Hittites that brought 48 in living, Turkey are the grandof owners children of oldthe those culture.” Etienne Copeaux, Ar Õø nan, 141.nan, Moreover, according to Europe-based history theories, Greeks were the firstgreat werethe Greeks theories, history Europe-based to according Moreover, Studies of Afet Studies of Õ nlar Õ , 2000), 228. Tarih Ders Kitaplar 49 As we willseechapter Köprülü inthenext andUzunçar ø nan internal issueof the areshaped byboth regarding Turkish race Õ nda (1931-1993) Türk Tarih Tezinden Türk- 21 ø slam Sentezine ø stanbul : Tarih Vakf úÕOÕ 48 Here, Inan would also (From Õ CEU eTD Collection connection from the East Civilization. wanted to cutits State Kemalistthe while Indeed, of westernizing, cultural values East. the To adapt westernbreak the to helps it as long as valuesinstrumental is Civilization Western that stresses Gökalp such as positivism, the state us. has comemoral from which andphilosophical, aesthetic to tastes Persia destroy the to they are trying extent tothe areuseful effects these However, tastes. moral as Ottomans the Corrupters ofthePurified Turkish Race asbarbarians. Turks show that the theories toinvalidate on wereconcentrated efforts main historiography. within Inan’s work thisdefensive respect, oneshould Her also evaluate 51 50 from any isus humanity not apart fact there of asamatter everyone and isTurkish humanity,youexclude tosaycannot wearepartof all purports rather, us, we are one, aimsincorporating at them into aworld history which has announced its ItTurkishness. defensive one: “Instead of exalting Turks to astage of masterliness distant to everyone, it now cautious. According him,in to the Turkish is historiography an case, this not buta aggressive very be should one nations, respective their of antiquity so-called the praise that romantics Republic. new the of sphere intellectual the into ideas of western these acarrier was Studies- in Eugenes hertook in education and who - Westwithworked the Pittard Prof. an important academician Afet In respect, West. this inthe ideologies racial of popularity itinfluencednot pureTurkishonlythe specificTurkey, bytherising was race was rather to by formedbeen world had the of civilizations great that asaraceand basically Turks claiming Koçak,371. Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi” , 31. “European “European havecivilization will positive in effects on us terms beautiesof and unique Berktay also points out that when one compares Turkish History Thesis with western 22 ø nan as an intellectual who nan as anintellectual 51 Here Ziya Here 50 ”. In this CEU eTD Collection with Turks. Conversely, it loosened the national bonds of Turkish Nation. It numbed its numbed It Nation. Turkish of bonds national the loosened it Conversely, Turks. with making Arabs, Iraniansreligion.After Turks had been converted to this religion, this fromreligion had no effect in terms of the same religion and others likereligion has loosenedthat the national ties of theto Turks: createher, to according fact, In a nation context. Turkish in the acceptable not unitedis this yet nation, a being of element a significant also is unity religious that claim might some though even that mentions “Millet” (Nation). Needlessof Mustafa Kemal, gives a detailed description of the Turkishto Nation undersay, the heading when she points out the characteristics of Turkishnature’ past the henceand ‘civilized the of a nation,underline “tribes” instead of of “state” to as aninsultclaim complexity the and usedtheword she tribes. Later, the Turkish History Thesis and Afet and Thesis History Turkish the tribes. Later, pages. In“Turkishit History”, was emphasized before thatTurks Islam had beenliving as of of only Ottoman contained 467 39 pagesout the Empire chapter History”,Turkish the past of the Turkish Society including the Ottoman Empire. However, in the “Main Features of weredirectlythis book Ottoman the and about book Empire told 92pagesof the about the emphasis1924-1929, had Ottoman the was on 560pages Empire. Thebook and 357pagesof a school inbook: which “Türkiye History)school book Tarihi” (Turkish was used during with past Ottoman the explicitin wasnotthat history An example writing. can be from given as “others” andfrom be alienated tried to Turkish the Republic. from a religious community anation,to Ottoman and Islamic of Turkey roots were denounced of period transformation the during consequently, effectreligion, of the eradicate trying to 52 Turkish Republic. Formedthe against and new the past its Islamic legacy, its Ottoman loosen between ties hesitate the to not did Ersanl Õ “(…) Turks were a great nation even before they had been converted to Islamic Nevertheless, until the 1930’s, the aim of the Turkish State to destroy the connection Afet Afet , ø ktidar ve Tarih : Türkiye’de “Resmi Tarih” Tezinin Olu ø nan in her book named “Civic Information for Citizen” written with the support the with written Citizen” for Information “Civic named book her in nan ancien regime 23 ø 52 nan as one of its formulators saw that kind sawthat itsnan formulators as oneof . of the old Empire, the new Republic was ú umu ,101. CEU eTD Collection 57 56 55 language. issues tovarioushistorical approaches way,underline herpoliticized inananachronistic end article of at the Kemal the of Mustafa muchmorebecomes approach nationalist successes when evident she the jumps into suddenly the incapability of sultans to rule the Empire, Ottoman Political Power had faded away. institutionsfactorsbegun, such had with combined rebellionsother withinas and the Empire state the over religion of hegemony the and lost been had dynasty in the Turkishness had forgotten their ancestors and thus pure Turkish race had been lost. Once the essence of 54 Aspects of Turkish-Ottoman Decline Ottoman of reason first asthe Dynasty Ottoman History”. According to politics. state affects directly if happens religion seenwhat else have or already we beshould carried country the of to hertime: Secularization beas amessage seen should religion and politics used as an instrument of instrument of In respect, this used an politics. as political power she first criticizes the expansion of Islamic Ideology over the institutions of institutions Empirethe the its has triggered decline which over Ideology Islamic of expansion the criticizes first she power political Ottoman of regression the explains she When scientific. than propagandist more is language Inan’s more, once History), Turkish-Ottoman of Aspects Characteristic the at Glance Turkey Vol 2 : Kemalism) 53 of the nations.” Muhammedthat create a community establishedreligious to was above allandincludingall religion the of theideology Because natural. This was national excitement. feeling, national Ibid, 132 Afet Inan,“Türk-Osmanl Ibid, 126 Afet Inan,“Türk-Osmanl Afet ø nan, “Millet” in In addition, in line with her racist arguments, she points out the degeneration of the degeneration the of out arguments, shepoints her racist with linein In addition, In an article called “Türk-Osmanl called anarticle In 53 Modern Türkiye’de Siyasi Dü ø Õ Õ Tarihinin Karakteristik Noktalar Tarihinin Karakteristik Noktalar stanbul : ø leti ú imYay Õ Tarihinin Karakteristik Noktalar Karakteristik Tarihinin Õ nlar 55 , delineating how religion was being increasingly being was religion how delineating , ú Õ 57 24 , 2004),, 656. ünce Cilt 2 : Kemalizm . In fact these kinds of sudden changes and changes sudden of kinds these fact In . ø nan’s emphasis on the relationshipnan’s between emphasis on Õ Õ na Bir Bak na Bir Bak ø nan, in the Ottoman Dynasty, sultans 56 in “A Glance at the Characteristic the at “A Glance in Õú Õú ”, 129. ” Belleten (Political Thinking in Modern VolNo.5/6 2 (April, 1938). Õ na Bir Bak na Bir Õú ø ” nan’s 54 (A CEU eTD Collection 59 Tarih” Tezinin Olu Tezinin Tarih” 58 according to the author’s beliefs are interwined in the texts” the in beliefs areinterwined author’s according to the presented be should that phenomena the and phenomena actual The be understood. to it wants the existent phenomenon as itis with a positivistbelief, she actually reflects itin theform she explain to While claiming historian. every nationalist to akin samecontradiction the through “Inan goes discusses, Göral As writings. and in her speeches manifested as writing history her hermany dominates agenda political at times, respect, In this Thesis.defenderthe fervent of Thesis. dogmas, one ofwhich History Turkish the was new of creation for the way the paved ironically openness this yet, Empire, of the collapse first steps in the history discipline in the more liberated atmosphere of the period after the politics. political stance andhistory writing existside byside and history is as manipulated a fortool “give anidentity to this society,majority of which consisted of Turks” Kemal, her aim Mustafa of mentorship the was under was who historian “missionary” As a discourses. nationalist to legitimize the existence and the ideology of the new Republic and Göral, 224. Göral, Afet ø nan, To sum history isTo beit shaped bytheperiod’s to seen,up, ascan Inan’s approach Tarih ø ú lminin Dinamik Karakteri umu ,151. , 4,quoted in Bü 25 ú ra ra Ersanl ø 59 Õ nan became a formulator andformulator nan became a a , . Inthisin regard, Inan’s works, ø ktidar ve Tarih : Türkiye’de “Resmi : Türkiye’de veTarih ktidar 58 . She had taken her taken had She . CEU eTD Collection Köprülü and Uzunçar the claims of the grand narrative of the period. Particularly ,after his argument with Afet with hisargument ,after Particularly period. of the narrative grand of claims the the will beinhasfrequently the ofKöprülü, seenhe works his accordingadjusted arguments to era. of the discourse nationalist the tabooed to resorting without detected. In other words, both of them made an effort to support their arguments scientifically be easily can Nationalism Turkish of touch the in which writings in their even manner “shallow explanations of Turkish Nationalism” Kemalist Cadresall in 1930s,the through their they academic work successfully evaded the notdo fitin kindof easily. this a picture that Although they have remained within the andKöprülü Uzunçar history-writingsaim atcategorizing writingalways appearsoobvious.the we If of doesn’t insider”“practical or relationship the (wo)man”, between ideology political and history- objectivity inwhich has influencedturn her history writing. precedence took political expanded andthey have expense atthe ofheropinions historical transformation of the society. In this respect, it canbe stated that all through the 1930s, yearsthousandinvalidate and the thusEurope-based to theories whileorientating the so-called Turkish History Thesis in to proveorder theexistence of in Turks Anatolia for on legitimizing wereconcentrated the efforts in Her herishistory manifested works. writing 60 Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi”, 33. Yet this does not mean that the ideology of the period did not affect their writings. As While Inan could unproblematically be added to the category of be category the While could “supportive the addedto Inan of unproblematically As reflected in the last chapter, the impact of the ideology Afet in last period theimpactAs ideology on of chapter, reflected the of the the FUAT KÖPRÜLÜAND HISTORY: IN NATIONAL OPPOSITION “LIMITED” CHAPTER TWO: úÕOÕ úÕOÕ in a similar way, it will eventually be realized that these historians be that these realized eventually it way,will inasimilar have tried to approach approach tried to have issuesthe in mostthe possible scientific ø SMA ø L HAKKI L HAKKI UZUNÇAR 26 60 which was manifest in Afet in Afet manifest was which ù ILI ø nan’s writings. nan’s ø ø nan’s nan’s ø nan CEU eTD Collection prevents a more detailed conclusion. detailed amore prevents a comprehensive way. HoweverAsligul Berktay seems to draw conclusion about Koprulu hastily which in turnIn order tobe fair, itshould be noted that in Asligul Berktay’s dissertation,Koprulu’s historiogprahy analyzed in Europen University - The Department of History , 2005), 15. Contributions of Three Turkish Historians to an Understanding of the Byzantine Legacy” (M.A diss., Central has usedexploit ofHistory to theperipheries discipline Köprülü thusBerktay and presents book, Berktay Köprülü’sevaluates areactionwriting as against European Imperialism which “CumhuriyetFuat Köprülü” (Republican Ideolojisive Köprülü). theFuat Ideology and In writings, prevents one to see the larger picture of Köprülü’s history-writing, and misleads us. historiography a“politicalas tool”, this tendency focus solelyto Köprülü’son ‘a part’ of as we have seenin history-writing. Inan’s Although,itis accuratetoassert some Köprülü’sof insight” “historical hadnoKöprülü Cerrahoglu concludesthat of atmosphere 1930s, criticizesthe thetotalitarian articles that were written after the formation of the two-party regime in which Köprülü his “inconsistencies”. analyzingwritten in By Köprülü’s works with 1930stogether the his history the writing of Köprülü, Cerrahoglu examinedKöprülü’s unscientific writingstoshow an Historian Understandingwithout of History: Köprülü)inFuat 1964. Rather than analyzing 63 62 61 Köprülü’s historiography as a “political in tojustifytool order his nationalist agenda” other events can explain it, but it is a miracle actualized by a great genius on his own” have set the stage for Turkish Revolutiona singular man,to Turkish “Noany arguing that any or preconditions eventsother Revolution the of success the andthen attributes take can history perspective and deterministic the denounces Republic and none ofarticles of In “greatness praising the two Mustafa Kemal”. his of from he period, articles the the preconditions Köprülühasinof Mustafa written Kemal, History death theCongress, till FirstTurkish andthe Cerrahoglu wrote abook Cerrahoglu wrote named “Tarihi Anlay Asl Ibid, 32. Ibid, 31. Õ gul Berktay, “The ‘Anti-Nationalist’ Liberationof the TurkishHistoriogprahy onthe Balkans : The A rather different point of view can be seen in Halil Berktay’s book called book Berktay’s Halil in seen be can view of point different A rather These kindsofstatements of Köprülü havebeenmuch instance, argued. For A. 62 . In a similar way, today many academicians simply summarize simply academicians many today way, asimilar In . 27 ÕúÕ Olmayan Fuat Köprülü”Bir (“A Tarihçi: 61 . 63 , just , CEU eTD Collection 65 historiography. of period’s (Halil Berktay. characteristic “Dört revolutionary Tarihçinin overemphasized he Sosyal1980s, in belief Portresi”, ideological 22.) his of effect an as that to invalid imperialist Europe’s orientalist views. Years later, he admits in “Social Portraits of Four Historian”step back from the argument. Furthermore,Berktay emphasizes revolutionary change in Turkish historiography Berktay does not talk about strong reactionof Afet Inan and Hasan Cemil, which eventually forced Koprulu to Koprulu could raise criticizationfreely (Halil Berktay tendencies over historiography of the period.For instance, mentionshe that in these theFirst of History effects Congress negative and tendencies totalitarian eyetoperiod’s blind a turns Berktay way a similar In historians will be will historians discussed. prevailing paradigms,namely History Turkish and OrientalistThesis argumentsof European methodologies of them will be compared. Finally their position against period’s two Kaynak Yay about Köprülüabout and Uzunçar wereakin. historicalof tothe problems period the approaches methodologies of Köprülü and in aswillbeseenalthough Uzunçarunscientific Moreover, theiracademic writings. arguments from stay away to succeeded frequently have they yettime same at the nationalist, to put their writing under the category of “practical man”. Both of the historians were sources issecondary work perceivedasobjective out,their points asBerktay primary on sources, concentration extensive historians’ of because these today, Even ones. objective as definitely cautious to seethe cautious complexityto in Köprülü’s and Uzunçar least affect background and of a historian hiseven of environmentheis the all may which a part shape, at or her writings. Furthermore as it is already alluded, one should be very 64 Uzunçar and Köprülü about tendency Another intowritingis adefinite imprisoned categorization again.once historian as a almost revolutionary Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi”, 21. Halil Berktay, To understand how their approaches were shaped, first of To understand theirfirst how wereof information approaches background shaped,all 65 . However, as mentioned in the introduction chapter of this work, factors such as the as such factors work, this of chapter introduction in the mentioned as However, . Õ nlar Cumhuriyet Õ , 1983) ø deolojisi veFuat Köprülü úÕOÕ will be will given and then their tohistory-writing, approaches 64 . However, even in such a perspective, Köprülü’s history úÕOÕ were different from each other, many times their , Cumhuriyet, 28 (RepublicanIdeology Fuatand Koprulu), ( ø deolojisi ve Fuat Koprulu úÕOÕ úÕOÕ ’s writings which make which ’s writings itdifficult is to assess their history-writing their assess to is , 59).However ø stanbul : CEU eTD Collection Kurumu Yay 67 one yearone later in France foundations of Ottomanthe Empire, waspublishedas“Les Origines del’Empire Ottoman” instance, in For his famous abroad. lectures lectures of in University the Paris 1934 about historians startingfrom 1930shethe alsobegan tobe as recognized inEurope one of importantthe regarding the subject of Ottoman History. In this respect, he also gave many 66 Universities jointly being while Karsthe Deputy in National the Assembly. 1943, In in Ankara same lectures the Istanbul time and by political career at giving and an academic became amember of Turkishthe National Assembly. Till 1943, Köprülüfollowed both a lifebegan in Kars from political Kemalist hisactive 1935. Hewas and elected Cadres, ” articlesin every sciences” social area of almost “wrote in andbooks andhe variousthis period articles scientific publishedacademic career,Köprülü line his in with dean in1934 sameuniversity worked this position 1943. In until andat the became the 1923and1934.He between Faculty Literature of University Head of Istanbul the Turkish Institutions, TurkishHistory as and heworked History. Furthermore, Political the in Law,History taught various were:TurkishLiterature, disciplines. Several them of of occupied important academic positions in famous schools and faculties of the period and school,began he study law to inFaculty Law from of 1907 till 1910.From he1910 onward, high from in heAftergraduated bestbeing capital. successfully of the educated schools the Köprülü Fuatof hadan viziers,Mehmed a lineageof grand opportunity from IV. Coming vizier of Sultan a grand Mehmed Pasha, Köprülü descendant of adirect hewas instance, For offices. highest Empire’s in the served they time long a for and Empire in the families Fuat Köprülü,Osmanl Ersanl Õ It is important to note that his career and work were not limited Turkey,his werenot especially is thatand to note work careerimportant to It Fuat Köprülü was born inFuat 1890in KöprülüHis family was known well the was oneIstanbul. of Although, starting from Although,foundation from Köprülü starting the within Republic, the of the remained , ø ktidar ve Tarih : Türkiye’de “Resmi Tarih” Tezinin Olu Õ nlar Õ , 1991), XV Õ Devleti’nin Kurulu 67 . ú u (Foundationof theOttoman Empire), (Ankara : Türk Tarih 29 ú 66 umu ,153 CEU eTD Collection 70 69 68 founded Free the in Democratic Party 1961 of the community, he suppression and started regime for anauthoritarian steered party when the resigned However Minister. from Prime Deputy finally and State of the Minister then Affairs party, Foreign of Minister became he First first joining the Freedom Party and thendictatorial” yet development, he of social matter asa “inevitable was regime mono-party eraof the thatthe out points Republican his inPeople’s joiningand Party reason party. the opposition article,that he In article onefrom important Köprülü tosee he of 1959 isan from the was why terminated formation of a two-party regime,Köprülü’s membership in Republicanthe Party and People’s was interminated 1946with the he became one of the founders of the Democrat Party. An History” oppose many oppose narrative, period’s the of hecouldvoiceneverthemes raisegrand freely his way to a two party system, heleft tojoin the opposition party. Eventually however, when the oppression of the mono-party regime weakened and opened the by state. terminated the were in universities a at many careers timeacademicians’ state when his in oppositionin againsthold regimethe posts university wasable the hence and and to the raising mono he way, opportunistic party not astheloyal the to remained citizen any regime, in an respect, monothis system. In party the praising on focused thatwere published articles for Köprülü aperiod also before, asnoted did. Yet, muchasIorga as representativeness government with nationalism confuse not did he stance liberal moderate his to thanks academics, and in politics involvement hisactive of because Iorga to is compared he times Ersanl Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi”, 31. Mehmet Fuat Köprülü Õ Starting from 1950, Köprülü held important posts in the Democrat Party heldfrom StartinginKöprülüGovernment. posts important theDemocrat Party 1950, Bü AlthoughunderstandKöprülü’s many hiswork. lifeissignificantto active political , 70 ø ktidar ve Tarih : Türkiye’de “Resmi Tarih” Tezinin Olu ú . Thoughitis atleastthat wrongin toassert not his Köprülü academic did work, ra Ersanl Õ (Biyografi.info) (http://www.biyografi.info/kisi/mehmet-fuat-koprulu) (Biyografi.info) presentsKöprülü in title“Opposition called1930s with ina National 68 . 69 . 30 ú umu , 153. CEU eTD Collection 75 74 73 professionalized in one specific subject orperiod in history and emphasizes historians’ need of importance getting the signifies Köprülü Furthermore, in Empire. and the Ottoman Europe in in National be compares thehistoriography Köprülü Written OurCountry?), History 72 71 Turkish History Thesis.” during the era.As Ersanl writing of national history in a modern way in modern a history national of writing historiography. Forinstance, anarticle ofKöprülü from 1917, wasconcerned with issuethe of modern concernedwith publish thatwere articles began to Köprülü that couldone realize foundation of institutions various onhistorical studies. However even before Republic, the the with discipline History of professionalism the to contributed have should Republic Köprülü wasanintelligentsia Ottomanthe that State transferred Republic tothe by be Republic. the eliminated needed to let blossoming Köprülü’s the history of modern firstsapling’ old dogmas the Empire of the extremes. to the whileatmosphere,respect nationalist wasinfluencedby Köprülü heneverwent period’s the supporting partof the thesisthe which aimed Europeanbased toinvalidate theories. Inthis the thesis, Turkish History inCongress moments when Köprülü really tooppose wanted dogmasthe of he was forced to step back. Still, at the same time he was unconditionally conceived profoundly the importance of of importance West mentality” creative conceived profoundly the we find him as a writer (…) yet, first of all, we find him as a creative intellectual (…) Köprülü Empire.the WhileKöprülü’s talking about in studies Halil “Now1910s, Inalcik alsostates: contribution thedisciplineto of History began asearly as in1910s,phase during thelast of Fuat Köprülü, “Tenkid : Bizde Milli Tarih Yaz Ersanl Halil Berktay. “Dört Tarihçinin Sosyal Portresi”, 35-36. Halil Berktay, Ibid, 236. Õ In “Republican Ideology mentions In “Republican Fuat that‘inorder Ideology andto Köprülü”, Halil Berktay , ø ktidar ve Tarih : Türkiye’de “Resmi Tarih” Tezinin Olu Cumhuriyet ø 71 deolojisi veFuat Köprülü Õ mentions, “Köprülü washeld outside the “absolute victory” of the , yet he never openly stated that. In fact, as can be seen in the First in the seen be can as fact, In that. stated openly never he yet , Õ labilir mi?” 72 . However, as Berktay . However, in notes as hislaterBerktay work, 75 31 , 47. . In “Bizde Milli Tarih Yaz Yeni Mecmua ú umu , 154 , 22, (1917). 74 . Without doubt, the new doubt, the Without . Õ labilir mi?“ (Can 73 . Indeed, his CEU eTD Collection subject insubject a provokating way: and the source approaching than secondary itfirstusing a by and deflects scientific argument a short reply and rather than trying to rebut Köprülü’s argument, she departs from the study study areas about Turks in prehistoric inanthropology are newly reachinga Asia. Before Central developing definite conclusion ages, one suggestsshould waitthat forone shouldthe of resultsTurks, be patient the thatearliest in willthis document period the prehistoric shows that document hardly a is there Headds that sources. secondary comesubject fromabout since Turksthese prehistoricbeing main is concern thatInan’s andfrom research isinadequate her is by thesis only supported the 6 studies, archeologyKöprülüyears, speech takes the and AfetInan. very cautiously criticizes Inhis speechhis and for Asia thousand Central issue of Turkishness of the Afet Inan’sspeech regarding After Congress. Turkish History incan sources bewitnessed also First the concentration on primary in order that he emphasizes 1917 from article his In research. to scientific from it departed which writehastily a nationalinsufficiency history, of the sources firstof the Thesis, the and shortcomingswhat is more, the Thesis was needbeing formed to be eliminated 78 77 76 indeednothing” every knows he/she that era meaning to work in an interdisciplinary atmosphere. He says; “in our country the historian knows about Ibid, 428. Ibid, 427. I. Türk Tarih Kongresi : Konferanslar, Müzakere Zab mentioned was in 6 was mentioned which state Professor the Tukyu However EncyclopediaBC according to Britannica. that the part theof EtruschesChinese calledwho had gone
Introduction
