1944 Pan-Turanism Movements: from Cultural Nationalism to Political Nationalism
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УПРАВЛЕНИЕ И ОБРАЗОВАНИЕ MANAGEMENT AND EDUCATION TOM V (3) 2009 VOL. V (3) 2009 1944 PAN-TURANISM MOVEMENTS: FROM CULTURAL NATIONALISM TO POLITICAL NATIONALISM A. Baran Dural ДВИЖЕНИЕТО ПАН-ТУРАНИЗЪМ 1944 г.: ОТ КУЛТУРЕН НАЦИОНАЛИЗЪМ КЪМ ПОЛИТИЧЕСКИ НАЦИОНАЛИЗЪМ А. Баран Дурал ABSTRACT: The trial of Turanism in 1944 has a historical importance in terms of nationalism being an ac- tionary movement in Turkish history. When socialism turned out to be a dreadful ideology by getting reactions all over the world, there would not be any more natural attitude than that intellectuals coming from an educa- tion system full of nationalist proposals conflicted with this movement. However, that the same intellectuals crashed the logic of the government saying “if needed, we bring communism, then we deal with it without the help of anyone” was really a dramatic paradox. Movements of Turkism on 3rd of May did not curb the movement of Turkism, on the contrary, the transformation the government avoided most happened and supporters of Turk- ism spread to all parts of the country by politicizing. While Nihal Atsız, one of the nationalist leaders of the time- was summarizing results taken out from the trial process by his ideology, he could not even be regarded unjust in his remarks saying “The 3rd of May became a turning point in the history of Turkism. Turkism, which was only a thought and emotion and which could not go beyond literary and scientific borders, became a movement sud- denly on the 3rd of May, 1944”. Keywords: Turanism Movements, Turk nationalism, one-party ideology, Nihal Atsız, socialism, racism. In the period of one party system, it is ob- mindset of Inönü assumed against alternative served that intellectuals who supported Kemalist nationalism perceptions that could flourish out- version of nationalism went into a dilemma be- side of the CHP’s scope. (NİHAT-CE- cause İnönü -“the second man”- who took over MİLOĞLU:69) In 1930s, other journals that the control during the last years of Atatürk era should be counted among Turkism publications put this principle of the 6 arrow in such a way are “Çığır” by Hıfzı Oğuz and as well as “Birlik that it was “directed under the tight control of Journal” published by “Milli Türk Talebe government”. In these years, some intellectuals Birliği”. who believed that Kemalist nationalism did not provide enough pleasure started to enliven cul- Introduction: Nihal Atsız and the first tural nationalism institutions that appeared theorists of Pan-Turkism slowly at the last periods of Ottoman Empire. Nihal Atsız who completed his educations in Nihal Atsız, famous thinker of pan-Turkism, French and German schools respectively, achieved to establish himself just at these peri- (METE, 1990:10-12) went into “military medi- ods. Atsız both separated cultural nationalism cal school” by passing the examination in 1922. from Kemalist nationalism to some extent and Atsız, having a very stormy youth, firstly at- lay the foundations political nationalism in the tended the social opposition to communism journal that he himself issued called “Atsız jour- movement that newly felt itself in the country nal” (NİHAT-CEMİLOĞLU, 1995:68). Giving a these years. Then he organized this opposition short break to his studies one year after he issued movement and the minority nationalists that he his journal, Nihal Atsız published the journal met during his school life. Atsız, who were Orkun. Atsız who continued to publish his jour- forced to leave the school due to a conflict be- nal with the famous names of Turkism such as S. tween him and a teacher coming from an Arabic Kemal Yetkin, Fethi Tevetoğlu, Abdullah origin when he was at the third class of military Tansel, N. Sami Banarlı had to suspend his stud- medicine school, worked as a foreign language ies most of the time due the negative attitude that teacher in Kabataş high school for a short time. 175 Albeit with difficulty, Atsız who drove the atten- always continued on this plane. Doubtlessly, that tion of Fuat Köprülü –an important figure of the the first comprehensive criticism which the left- time- in terms of the fact that he studied Turkish side made on Turk Nationalists falls on the claim names of places in Anatolia. Atsız continued his of “strong nationalism” isn’t a coincidence from profession of teaching from where he had this respect. This criticism-accusation published stopped. Atsız, who several times argued with in Yurt and Dünya journal has the characteristics the left-sided academicians of the period and of representing the state of mind of the period. complained these to Turkish society and explic- itly adopted an opposite manner against them, Towards the Movement of Pan-Turkism in succeeded in keeping his position as lecturer at 1944 university for some time. (METE:34-37) “These fresh events we experienced in the At the same period, famous Pan-Turkist nearest history show us that nationalism away ideolog Reha Oğuz Türkkan took his place in the from evolutionism cannot be thought. So the ones scope of his battle, too. Türkkan, who attempted who have appeared in the name of strong na- an organization under the name of “Kitap tionalism and who give up the route to develop- Sevenler Kurumu” and who published the book ment and westernization that republic regime has “Türkçülüğün Esasları” by Ziya Gökalp as the adopted and claim to return to traditions and first action, again found the opportunity to re- who try to overwhelm what is done in favor of mind the name of Gökalp to the youth, who civilization and westernization with the cries of İnönü could never bear and tried to make for- “we are losing our identity” are in fact the big- gotten. Another mission of Türkkan was to sow gest enemies of Turkish nation. The real patriot- the seeds of political nationalism which would ism should be asked for in only revolutionists” later take root among university youth by orga- (CEMGİL, 1943:426) nizing the nationalist youth that gathered around In the same period, Pan-Turanism - Pan- the association he leaded against socialist move- Turkism movement is severely criticized in the ments. brochure published under the signature of Faris The period before the World War II involves Erkman particularly in that it criticized the ten- the years in which new ideas came into question dency for westernization and caused Turkish and collected communal support. At the same Republics to come into question. Meanwhile, period, socialist movement that explicitly op- developments that are experienced and the atti- posed to the cultural nationalism enlivening once tudes of Hasan Ali Yücel -Minister of Education again collected support which could not be un- of the time- pushed cultural nationalists to focus derestimated compared to resolution period of on more valid defense mechanisms. Just at this Ottoman Empire. In this context, the struggle of point, it is again faced with the line of Atsız. Turkism together with intellectual movement of At the journal Orhun, Atsız put forwarded socialist movement gave way to a medium of that education staff which he regarded as the useful-fresh ideological thought in Turkey. Tens base of Turkish nation and government tradition of journals that came into press world in these were filled up with left-sided personnel com- years with the aim of refuting the opposite claim plaining that socialist movement wrapped up the by being opponent of one another became the whole country. Atsız, who exemplified left-sided initiators for the integration of society and poli- personnel intake in the journal, wrote two papers tics on the base of civil-society. Press organs like successively addressing the Prime Minister of the Adımlar, Gün, Kızıl Ses, Yurt and Dünya as an time, Şükrü Saraçoğlu. After these papers which opposition to the journals such as Orhun, Boz- received severe criticism from Hasan Ali Yücel - kurt, Gök- Börü and Ergenekon published by the minister of education of the time-, Atsız Turkist intellectuals contributed to the social whose teaching profession was ended at Boğaziçi structure in some way in the frame of their social High School gave place to these views in his first accumulations. letter he wrote on March 1st 1944: The attitude of Reha Oğuz Türkkan side which gave excessive importance to union of Heavy accusation against CHP race contributed to the opposite side in that they “Left-sided thought is continuing secretly due called all Turk nationalists as racist-chauvinist- to tolerance and indifference given to it. Illnesses fascist and provided a great trump. The claims stuck in these ideas are observed at high which form a base for 1944 Nationalism Move- schools… This illness is spreading in higher ments and cover important part of the indictment education much more. It is getting bigger by 176 adding the ones who are not pleased and who revolution targeted. By bounding themselves to are not Turkish. It is turning out to be a move- nationalist movement arouse between the years ment rather than staying as a confidential and 1930-1950, most intellectuals coming from con- sincere thought. It is publishing journals of vari- servative background targeted to clear up registry ous size and qualities. It is attacking to morale, of right-sided politics which were rotten by feelings of honor and patriotism and fact of na- Islamism and to avoid the reaction of the system. tion with all in the same key.” (ATSIZ, 1944) With a remark that he added to the end of his At different points in his article, after making first letter, Atsız was reminding that he would clear the left-sided action frame which he him- impart “composing left-sided radical cadre in the self rejected, Nihal Atsız summon the prime government” with their names in case of closure minister of the time to help and to become vigi- of Orkun in the second letter he would write.