Military documents to shine light on 'Dersim massacre'
Wednesday, November 18, 2009
Vercihan Ziflioğlu
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
A new book on the 1938 Dersim Operation aims to challenge the official Republican history on the event with previously unseen photographs, historically important documents and eye-witness accounts. Hasan Saltuk’s 600-page book will be released in May in both English and Turkish
Another taboo of Turkey’s Republican history is about to be broken with the publication of a book by Hasan Saltuk on the 1938 Dersim Operation.
Saltuk, who is the owner of record label Kalan, a researcher and an ethnomusicologist, has spent nine years collecting previously unseen photographs, historically important documents and comments from soldiers who participated in the operation. He plans to present his findings in a new 600-page book to be published in both Turkish and English in May.
He criticized the present state of research in Turkey. “Historians here cannot go beyond the official ideology; they do not do any research. Those who do research and know the truth cannot raise a voice because they are afraid.”
Saltuk, who is from one of the oldest families of Dersim, said that even though he was from a Turkmen tribe on his father’s side, dozens of their relatives were murdered during the operation.
“My grandmother was pregnant with my mother but she saved herself from the firing squad at the last minute,” Saltuk said in an interview with the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. “Dersim residents are still afraid to talk. The elderly still think somebody’s going to come and kill them.”
Was the operation planned?
The official historical sources say the 1938 operation in Dersim, now called Tunceli, was implemented to quash a Kurdish tribal rebellion. Saltuk, however, performed his research in largely international archives, especially English and Armenian ones, collecting documents of historical importance.
"We see in the documents that the Dersim operation was planned; the reports were prepared in 1920. The law related to the operation was passed in 1935 and action was taken in 1937. Seyit Rıza and his friends were hanged on grounds that they were leading a rebellion,” Saltuk said.
Although the rebellion was labeled a Kurdish tribal insurrection, Saltuk said the fundamental reason behind the operation was that the region was home to Tunceli Alevis and that they were merely Armenians who had changed their identities.
“The official sources say Dersim residents were not paying taxes or performing military service and that they were always rebelling. However, we have documents proving the opposite. Atatürk led the Dersim operation himself,” he said.
“Over 13,000 people were killed during the operation and 22,000 were exiled. Orphaned children were subjected to Turkification policies in orphanages,” Saltuk said.
Soldiers regretful
The book would reprint the comments he found on the back of all the photographs he obtained. In many cases, the comments expressed remorse for the events in Dersim. “[Many] felt qualms of conscience for what was experienced. Some expressed their feelings with the words, ‘I have become a murderer.’ Others wrote, ‘I caused the deaths of 250 people,’” Saltuk said.
The project involved following the trails of surviving soldiers who participated in the operation, Saltuk said, adding that he saw many who were unable to adapt to social life. “Many soldiers we [interviewed] demanded their names be made public after their deaths. A few people did not mind having their names in the book; some said, ‘They ordered us to kill and we did,’” he said.
He obtained hundreds of original photos and maps alongside two dossiers of population records from the grandchild – whose name Saltuk withheld – of a high level civil servant from that era. “The invaluable documents and photographs in the dossiers reveal the operation in all its detail. However, it is without doubt that much more striking files are in the archives of the Turkish General Staff.”
‘Taboos will be broken in Turkey’
Touching on the storm of controversy Republican People’s Party, or CHP, deputy leader Onur Öymen has caused with comments on the Dersim Operation, Saltuk said, “Actually, Öymen should be congratulated. He did what the residents of Dersim could not do for years by putting the subject on the public agenda.”
Saltuk said he believes that Turkey has entered an age of great change. “All the taboos of this country will be broken and, in the future, there will not be anything that cannot be spoken about.”
18 Kasım 2009 Çarşamba
17 Kasım 2009 Salı
Call for Turkish-Armenian peace from theater stage
Call for Turkish-Armenian peace from theater stage
Monday, November 16, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
The Gülbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has given full support to the play ‘Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb’ to be staged in Turkey. ‘We cannot live by getting stuck in tragedy,’ says the writer and composer of the play, Gerard Torikian. Also, director Serge Avedkiyan, who adapted the play to the stage, talks about the new initiative among the diaspora
The reconciliation process between Turkish and Armenian people has received support from the Armenian diaspora.
The Gülbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has provided financial support for “Le Concert Armenian ou le Proverbe Turc” (Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb) to be staged in Turkey. The play is the work of world-renowned Armenian composer and France-based actor Gerard Torikian, who wrote it in collaboration with French playwright Isabelle Guidard. It received full support not only from the Gülbenkyan Foundation but also from Turkey and France.
Anadolu Kültür (Anatolian Culture), which is a civil society organization run by Osman Kavala that supports the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process by organizing cultural and artistic events, played a leading role in bringing Torikian’s play to Turkey.
In his play Torikian questions historical events and reveals the struggles in his inner world. Directed by France-based Serge Avedikyan, “Armenian Concert” was first performed in 2006 in France and has been performed throughout the world since. Its Turkish première, meanwhile, was Thursday in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır. It will be performed Tuesday at Garajistanbul in Istanbul’s Galatasaray neighborhood at 9 p.m. Though the original language of the 1.5-hour play is French, there will be Turkish and English subtitles.
Facing the past
Torikian and Avedikyan, who came to Istanbul right after the Diyarbakır performance, spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. Although Torikian came to Turkey for the first time last year, his roots are in Anatolia. His father’s family is from the northwestern city of Bursa while his mother’s family comes from the Black Sea region. The artist grew up hearing about the painful events of 1915.
Torikian said he had prejudices until he came to Turkey. “I felt myself a part of this land as soon as I came to Turkey because my grandfather and grandmother are part of this land.”
He said he was warmly welcomed during his visit last year. “I returned to France with very nice memories. As a result of this nice experience, I decided to stage the play here.” Torikian defined the painful events in 1915 as “a big tragedy.”
“There was a big tragedy like genocide but it makes no sense to get stuck in the tragedy. The best way to get rid of the pain is to be able to see it from a distance,” he said.
‘We can’t define our identity through genocide’
Even though Torikian and Avedikyan are Armenian, they grew up in different cultures. Avedikyan lived in Armenia until he was 15 while Torikian lived his entire life in France. Discussing the concept of “belonging,” Avedikyan said, “When I am alone, I question where I belong: To France, where I live, or to Armenia, or to Anatolia?”
He said similar questions appeared in his inner world from time to time. “I saw that one cannot survive by getting stuck in the past. As Armenians, if we continue to define our identity through genocide, we won’t be able to proceed. We are Armenian, but we remember that we are human first.”
New trend in diaspora
There are more than 1 million Armenians spread around the world from Anatolia. “The diaspora is finally changing,” said Avedikyan. “Thoughtful artists from the diaspora reject politics and pressure. They stay away from excessive nationalist statements and viewpoints. They never deny the genocide but are more positive about the future.”
As for the reconciliation protocol that was signed between the two countries recently, Avedikyan said, “I prefer the sound echoed in the conscience of people rather than the signatures of politicians. Let’s support the reconciliation of Turkish and Armenian people, let peace be our goal.”
About ‘Armenian Concert’
In the play an Armenian composer is preparing for an Odyssey Suite recital, but inspiration for the suite, the Homer Saga, never sets him free. The past is determined to capture the composer with thousands of ghosts. He is surrounded by these ghosts from the past. The composer fights against the past and the ghosts with all his might. The power of music helps the composer and he succeeds in being freed from the past. As soon as he is free, he looks at the face of the past and realizes the best way to vanquish the past is to make peace with it.
Monday, November 16, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
The Gülbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has given full support to the play ‘Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb’ to be staged in Turkey. ‘We cannot live by getting stuck in tragedy,’ says the writer and composer of the play, Gerard Torikian. Also, director Serge Avedkiyan, who adapted the play to the stage, talks about the new initiative among the diaspora
The reconciliation process between Turkish and Armenian people has received support from the Armenian diaspora.
The Gülbenkyan Foundation, an Armenian organization in Lisbon, has provided financial support for “Le Concert Armenian ou le Proverbe Turc” (Armenian Concert or Turkish Proverb) to be staged in Turkey. The play is the work of world-renowned Armenian composer and France-based actor Gerard Torikian, who wrote it in collaboration with French playwright Isabelle Guidard. It received full support not only from the Gülbenkyan Foundation but also from Turkey and France.
Anadolu Kültür (Anatolian Culture), which is a civil society organization run by Osman Kavala that supports the Turkish-Armenian reconciliation process by organizing cultural and artistic events, played a leading role in bringing Torikian’s play to Turkey.
In his play Torikian questions historical events and reveals the struggles in his inner world. Directed by France-based Serge Avedikyan, “Armenian Concert” was first performed in 2006 in France and has been performed throughout the world since. Its Turkish première, meanwhile, was Thursday in the southeastern city of Diyarbakır. It will be performed Tuesday at Garajistanbul in Istanbul’s Galatasaray neighborhood at 9 p.m. Though the original language of the 1.5-hour play is French, there will be Turkish and English subtitles.
Facing the past
Torikian and Avedikyan, who came to Istanbul right after the Diyarbakır performance, spoke to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. Although Torikian came to Turkey for the first time last year, his roots are in Anatolia. His father’s family is from the northwestern city of Bursa while his mother’s family comes from the Black Sea region. The artist grew up hearing about the painful events of 1915.
Torikian said he had prejudices until he came to Turkey. “I felt myself a part of this land as soon as I came to Turkey because my grandfather and grandmother are part of this land.”
He said he was warmly welcomed during his visit last year. “I returned to France with very nice memories. As a result of this nice experience, I decided to stage the play here.” Torikian defined the painful events in 1915 as “a big tragedy.”
“There was a big tragedy like genocide but it makes no sense to get stuck in the tragedy. The best way to get rid of the pain is to be able to see it from a distance,” he said.
‘We can’t define our identity through genocide’
Even though Torikian and Avedikyan are Armenian, they grew up in different cultures. Avedikyan lived in Armenia until he was 15 while Torikian lived his entire life in France. Discussing the concept of “belonging,” Avedikyan said, “When I am alone, I question where I belong: To France, where I live, or to Armenia, or to Anatolia?”
He said similar questions appeared in his inner world from time to time. “I saw that one cannot survive by getting stuck in the past. As Armenians, if we continue to define our identity through genocide, we won’t be able to proceed. We are Armenian, but we remember that we are human first.”
New trend in diaspora
There are more than 1 million Armenians spread around the world from Anatolia. “The diaspora is finally changing,” said Avedikyan. “Thoughtful artists from the diaspora reject politics and pressure. They stay away from excessive nationalist statements and viewpoints. They never deny the genocide but are more positive about the future.”
As for the reconciliation protocol that was signed between the two countries recently, Avedikyan said, “I prefer the sound echoed in the conscience of people rather than the signatures of politicians. Let’s support the reconciliation of Turkish and Armenian people, let peace be our goal.”
About ‘Armenian Concert’
In the play an Armenian composer is preparing for an Odyssey Suite recital, but inspiration for the suite, the Homer Saga, never sets him free. The past is determined to capture the composer with thousands of ghosts. He is surrounded by these ghosts from the past. The composer fights against the past and the ghosts with all his might. The power of music helps the composer and he succeeds in being freed from the past. As soon as he is free, he looks at the face of the past and realizes the best way to vanquish the past is to make peace with it.
Armenian journalist dissects Karabakh in new book
Armenian journalist dissects Karabakh in new book
Monday, November 16, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Though Armenian-Azerbaijani relations have attracted much scholarly and journalistic attention, one Armenian journalist and author, Tatul Hagopian, believes his new book presents an original approach to understanding and analyzing the drama.
“Gananç u Sev – Arzakhyan Orakir” (Green and Black – Artsakh Diary) focuses on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region and is the result of Hagopian’s 20-year investigation of the region and is based on countless historical documents, eyewitness accounts and personal observations.
“The first victim of the war is the truth,” Hagopian told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic in an e-mail interview, borrowing a phrase from Indian-born British author Rudyard Kipling. “I wrote the truth on paper in all its honesty by listening to the voice inside me,” Hagopian said, adding that because he published the book without any outside sponsorship, he could write as he chose.
The region unilaterally declared independence but has not been recognized by the international community. The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been negotiating on the issue under mediation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, but little progress has been made.
Hagopian was in Nagorno-Karabakh just before the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan erupted. He experienced the war firsthand and observed what was happening – sometimes under fire – passing on news to the Azg, or Nation, newspaper he was working for at the time.
He witnessed tragedies on both the Armenian and the Azerbaijani sides of the conflict. Since then, he has documented countless stories of pain and suffering, met with the families of soldiers who were taken prisoner, talked to friends and relatives of those who went missing and spoken with those maimed by landmines. Based on his research, Hagopian concludes that over 23,000 civilian lives were lost to the war.
Missing part
Even though he endeavored to remain impartial throughout his research, Hagopian admits that his book is missing one key part: Azerbaijani perspectives. “The opinions and points of view of Azerbaijan should be in this research because every conflict has two sides,” the author said.
Hagopian tried to continue his research in Azerbaijan, but his Armenian identity prevented him from overcoming bureaucratic obstacles. He did not let that stop him, however, as he made interviews with Azerbaijanis living near the Armenian border.
In “Green and Black,” Hagopian also argues Russia attempted to block a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. In his “Meeting with Gorbachev” chapter, for instance, Hagopian says former Soviet leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev told him that Russia forced the problem into a deadlock to look after its own interests.
Hagopian cites details of a meeting between Gorbachev and Silva Gabudigyan, a prominent Armenian intellectual considered by many to be Armenia’s greatest recent poet, which expose how the Nagorno-Karabakh problem was transformed into the gridlock it is today.
In finding a workable solution to the ongoing dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, Hagopian believes that Russia, the United States and other Western countries should all participate in finding a solution to the problem while negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia should continue under watch of international observers.
“If the United States and Russia really want to solve the problem, they should come up with real keys for a solution. Armenia and Azerbaijan will come up with the best solutions by themselves,” he said, adding that a lasting solution can only occur if the two sides continue their dialog. “Unfortunately, however, neither the Armenians nor the Azeris tend to understand each other.”
--
“Gananç u Sev – Arzakhyan Orakir” is currently available only in Armenia but will soon be available abroad in both English and Russian.
Monday, November 16, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Though Armenian-Azerbaijani relations have attracted much scholarly and journalistic attention, one Armenian journalist and author, Tatul Hagopian, believes his new book presents an original approach to understanding and analyzing the drama.
“Gananç u Sev – Arzakhyan Orakir” (Green and Black – Artsakh Diary) focuses on the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region and is the result of Hagopian’s 20-year investigation of the region and is based on countless historical documents, eyewitness accounts and personal observations.
“The first victim of the war is the truth,” Hagopian told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic in an e-mail interview, borrowing a phrase from Indian-born British author Rudyard Kipling. “I wrote the truth on paper in all its honesty by listening to the voice inside me,” Hagopian said, adding that because he published the book without any outside sponsorship, he could write as he chose.
The region unilaterally declared independence but has not been recognized by the international community. The presidents of Armenia and Azerbaijan have been negotiating on the issue under mediation from the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, but little progress has been made.
Hagopian was in Nagorno-Karabakh just before the war between Armenia and Azerbaijan erupted. He experienced the war firsthand and observed what was happening – sometimes under fire – passing on news to the Azg, or Nation, newspaper he was working for at the time.
He witnessed tragedies on both the Armenian and the Azerbaijani sides of the conflict. Since then, he has documented countless stories of pain and suffering, met with the families of soldiers who were taken prisoner, talked to friends and relatives of those who went missing and spoken with those maimed by landmines. Based on his research, Hagopian concludes that over 23,000 civilian lives were lost to the war.
Missing part
Even though he endeavored to remain impartial throughout his research, Hagopian admits that his book is missing one key part: Azerbaijani perspectives. “The opinions and points of view of Azerbaijan should be in this research because every conflict has two sides,” the author said.
Hagopian tried to continue his research in Azerbaijan, but his Armenian identity prevented him from overcoming bureaucratic obstacles. He did not let that stop him, however, as he made interviews with Azerbaijanis living near the Armenian border.
In “Green and Black,” Hagopian also argues Russia attempted to block a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute. In his “Meeting with Gorbachev” chapter, for instance, Hagopian says former Soviet leader and Nobel Peace Prize winner Mikhail Gorbachev told him that Russia forced the problem into a deadlock to look after its own interests.
Hagopian cites details of a meeting between Gorbachev and Silva Gabudigyan, a prominent Armenian intellectual considered by many to be Armenia’s greatest recent poet, which expose how the Nagorno-Karabakh problem was transformed into the gridlock it is today.
In finding a workable solution to the ongoing dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh, Hagopian believes that Russia, the United States and other Western countries should all participate in finding a solution to the problem while negotiations between Azerbaijan and Armenia should continue under watch of international observers.
“If the United States and Russia really want to solve the problem, they should come up with real keys for a solution. Armenia and Azerbaijan will come up with the best solutions by themselves,” he said, adding that a lasting solution can only occur if the two sides continue their dialog. “Unfortunately, however, neither the Armenians nor the Azeris tend to understand each other.”
--
“Gananç u Sev – Arzakhyan Orakir” is currently available only in Armenia but will soon be available abroad in both English and Russian.
9 Kasım 2009 Pazartesi
Politics play leading role at blessing of Armenian church
Politics play leading role at blessing of Armenian church
Sunday, November 8, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
KAYSERİ – Hürriyet Daily News
At the benediction of Kayseri’s historic church politics were on the leading role. Officiating the ceremony, on behalf of Turkish Armenian Patriarchate, Archishop Aram Ateşyan says Turkish Armenians should be considered as something seperate when the topic is convergence between Turkey and Armenia. ‘The church was renovated by the community not by the state’
Politics played a leading role at the benediction of Kayseri’s Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator.
Archishop Aram Ateşyan, who was officiating at the ceremony on behalf of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, started his blessings in Armenian and continued in Turkish. At the benediction, witnessed by members of the international and local media, Ateşyan also delivered a speech that touched on several important issues for the Turkish-Armenian community.
“Turkish-Armenians should be considered a separate group when the topic is the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia. These topics are different from each other,” Ateşyan said, adding that Turkish Armenians are not bounded by Turkey’s relations with the Armenian diaspora or Armenia itself. “We don’t want to be included in the process because we are children of this country.”
Calling out to the packed community inside the church, many of whom were Turkish-Armenians from Istanbul, Ateşyan continued his speech: “You, the Istanbul Armenians, will continue to be loyal to this country. As citizens of this country, you must ask for support from the state in solving your problems.”
Ateşyan expressed regret about a story titled “This is the difference,” which was published in the daily Hürriyet last Monday. “The story stated that our church was renovated by the state and that it was only then opened for worship. They were trying to relate the restoration to the relations between Armenia and Turkey, when in fact the church was restored with the financial support of the community. Moreover, it was never closed to religious services.
“The community doesn’t ask for support from the government because they are concerned that churches might be renovated into museums, as in the case of Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island in Lake Van,” he said. “That’s why they organized the renovation and financed it.”
Governor, mayor absent
The Turkish-Armenian community members from Istanbul arrived in Kayseri on Oct. 7 in a group of roughly 300. Four buses arrived in Kayseri, one of which was organized by Istanbul’s Bakırköy municipality. The community did not answer questions from members of the press, citing the long journey from Istanbul. Kayseri Gov. Mevlüt Bilici and Mayor Mehmet Özhaseki did not attend either Saturday’s benediction or Sunday’s services, although they were invited by the community administration. The municipality’s press officer declined to answer the Daily News’ questions.
But there were some politicians in attendance at the ceremonies. A Kayseri deputy from the Republican People's Party, or CHP, Şefki Kutluoğlu, was among them. After a one-hour meeting with the administration board of the church, Kutluoğlu answered some questions, saying that his family was from Kayseri and that he remembered how peaceful the atmosphere was in the town when he was a child.
‘Community restored the church’
Historically, the central Anatolian town of Kayseri was home to numerous churches and monasteries. The last church left standing in the city is the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Representing the administrative board of the church, Arsen Aşık also reacted to last Monday’s reports concerning the restoration of the church.
“Most of the financial support came from Istanbul Armenians, who struggled a great deal to pool together money for the restoration,” Aşık said, adding that he thinks the public confuses the church in Kayseri with the Church of the Holy Cross. “First of all, the public should know that St. Gregory the Illuminator wasn’t an abandoned or destroyed church. And second of all, the state did not help with the restoration.”
The restorations of the two churches are not alike. The Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island was restored in 2007 by then-Culture Minister Atilla Koç. Relations were strained between Turkey, Turkish-Armenians and the Armenian diaspora when the church was restored and opened as a museum without placing a cross atop its dome.
But current Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay announced that the cross would be replaced and the building would be opened shortly for religious services.
Church managed from Istanbul
There is one person currently living in Kayseri as a representative of the Armenian community. The church itself is managed by Istanbul Armenians who used to live in Kayseri.
The members instigated a legal process to transfer management of the church to Istanbul, after they realized there was no community left in Kayseri.
The Istanbul community identified a loophole in the law, first proving there weren’t any members of the community left in Kayseri and then stating that the church could be managed by a selected council. The result was undertaken on behalf of the community. Now the council consists of three members and four associate members.
“The administrative board is responsible for everything from the priest’s wages to the money spent for the restoration,” Aşık said. He served for the church as a board member for many years and is one of the community members with extensive information on the church’s history. Aşık claimed that the bell was stolen and was traced by the community.
“After many years, it was determined that the bell is in Argaeus [Erciyes Dağı]. People claim that it was there until 1983, but now no one really knows where it is,” he said.
BOX
Last churches in Anatolia
The Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator is one of the last two Armenian churches in Anatolia that have a foundation looking after its welfare. The other one is in Hatay’s Samanlıdağ district. The church has been open since 1191. Built of a special stone named “kevenk,” the church draws attention with its design and craftsmanship.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
KAYSERİ – Hürriyet Daily News
At the benediction of Kayseri’s historic church politics were on the leading role. Officiating the ceremony, on behalf of Turkish Armenian Patriarchate, Archishop Aram Ateşyan says Turkish Armenians should be considered as something seperate when the topic is convergence between Turkey and Armenia. ‘The church was renovated by the community not by the state’
Politics played a leading role at the benediction of Kayseri’s Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator.
Archishop Aram Ateşyan, who was officiating at the ceremony on behalf of the Armenian Patriarchate of Turkey, started his blessings in Armenian and continued in Turkish. At the benediction, witnessed by members of the international and local media, Ateşyan also delivered a speech that touched on several important issues for the Turkish-Armenian community.
“Turkish-Armenians should be considered a separate group when the topic is the normalization of relations between Turkey and Armenia. These topics are different from each other,” Ateşyan said, adding that Turkish Armenians are not bounded by Turkey’s relations with the Armenian diaspora or Armenia itself. “We don’t want to be included in the process because we are children of this country.”
Calling out to the packed community inside the church, many of whom were Turkish-Armenians from Istanbul, Ateşyan continued his speech: “You, the Istanbul Armenians, will continue to be loyal to this country. As citizens of this country, you must ask for support from the state in solving your problems.”
Ateşyan expressed regret about a story titled “This is the difference,” which was published in the daily Hürriyet last Monday. “The story stated that our church was renovated by the state and that it was only then opened for worship. They were trying to relate the restoration to the relations between Armenia and Turkey, when in fact the church was restored with the financial support of the community. Moreover, it was never closed to religious services.
“The community doesn’t ask for support from the government because they are concerned that churches might be renovated into museums, as in the case of Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island in Lake Van,” he said. “That’s why they organized the renovation and financed it.”
Governor, mayor absent
The Turkish-Armenian community members from Istanbul arrived in Kayseri on Oct. 7 in a group of roughly 300. Four buses arrived in Kayseri, one of which was organized by Istanbul’s Bakırköy municipality. The community did not answer questions from members of the press, citing the long journey from Istanbul. Kayseri Gov. Mevlüt Bilici and Mayor Mehmet Özhaseki did not attend either Saturday’s benediction or Sunday’s services, although they were invited by the community administration. The municipality’s press officer declined to answer the Daily News’ questions.
But there were some politicians in attendance at the ceremonies. A Kayseri deputy from the Republican People's Party, or CHP, Şefki Kutluoğlu, was among them. After a one-hour meeting with the administration board of the church, Kutluoğlu answered some questions, saying that his family was from Kayseri and that he remembered how peaceful the atmosphere was in the town when he was a child.
‘Community restored the church’
Historically, the central Anatolian town of Kayseri was home to numerous churches and monasteries. The last church left standing in the city is the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator. Representing the administrative board of the church, Arsen Aşık also reacted to last Monday’s reports concerning the restoration of the church.
“Most of the financial support came from Istanbul Armenians, who struggled a great deal to pool together money for the restoration,” Aşık said, adding that he thinks the public confuses the church in Kayseri with the Church of the Holy Cross. “First of all, the public should know that St. Gregory the Illuminator wasn’t an abandoned or destroyed church. And second of all, the state did not help with the restoration.”
The restorations of the two churches are not alike. The Church of the Holy Cross on Akdamar Island was restored in 2007 by then-Culture Minister Atilla Koç. Relations were strained between Turkey, Turkish-Armenians and the Armenian diaspora when the church was restored and opened as a museum without placing a cross atop its dome.
But current Culture Minister Ertuğrul Günay announced that the cross would be replaced and the building would be opened shortly for religious services.
Church managed from Istanbul
There is one person currently living in Kayseri as a representative of the Armenian community. The church itself is managed by Istanbul Armenians who used to live in Kayseri.
The members instigated a legal process to transfer management of the church to Istanbul, after they realized there was no community left in Kayseri.
The Istanbul community identified a loophole in the law, first proving there weren’t any members of the community left in Kayseri and then stating that the church could be managed by a selected council. The result was undertaken on behalf of the community. Now the council consists of three members and four associate members.
“The administrative board is responsible for everything from the priest’s wages to the money spent for the restoration,” Aşık said. He served for the church as a board member for many years and is one of the community members with extensive information on the church’s history. Aşık claimed that the bell was stolen and was traced by the community.
“After many years, it was determined that the bell is in Argaeus [Erciyes Dağı]. People claim that it was there until 1983, but now no one really knows where it is,” he said.
BOX
Last churches in Anatolia
The Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator is one of the last two Armenian churches in Anatolia that have a foundation looking after its welfare. The other one is in Hatay’s Samanlıdağ district. The church has been open since 1191. Built of a special stone named “kevenk,” the church draws attention with its design and craftsmanship.
Talas’ last Armenian firm on staying
Talas’ last Armenian firm on staying
Sunday, November 8, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
KAYSERİ – Hürriyet Daily News
Despite being the only Armenian left in Kayseri's Talas distrcit, Karnikoğlu is determined not to leave. Coming from a well-known family, he says he will breathe his last breath here
Sarkis Karnikoğlu’s love for Kayseri has gained him a claim to fame: According to local legend, he is the last Armenian in the city’s Talas district.
Karnikoğlu, 50, attends the Sunday ceremony at the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator and helps tend to the church daily. Sarkis lives a few kilometers from the city center in the Talas district.
“My family is one of the oldest and well-known families in this city,” Karnikoğlu told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. “I have never had any intention of leaving this place. I will breathe my last breath here.”
A favorite in Talas
Sporting sharp, dark suits and a moustache, Karnikoğlu is one of the most colorful personalities in the district. Everyone knows him in Talas and around the historical church; all the locals have his phone number and address. When he is near the church, people greet him and ask how he is doing. He even draws attention from the children, who surround him when he enters town.
Karnikoğlu enjoys the attention and is happy to be recognized by the locals.
“I would feel like a fish out of water if I were somewhere other than Kayseri,” Karnikoğlu said. “I wouldn’t be able to breathe. I am the last member of my family.”
Loyalty of friends
The members of Karnikoğlu’s family were baptized and married at the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, as were their funerals. He spent his childhood playing in the church garden.
“All my memories are here,” Karnikoğlu said. He had close friends, the children of neighbors, when he was a kid and still has close ties with those who are still alive.
“Everyone thinks I live here alone, but I am not alone because my childhood friends see me as their brother,” he said. “I never feel alone. I have a big family.”
Migration to US, Europe
According to Karnikoğlu, Kayseri used to be home to numerous Armenian families until the end of the 1960s. “Most of them migrated, mostly to the United States and Europe, until the late 1980s,” Karnikoğlu said, gazing at the church during a ceremony. “This garden used to be packed during Sunday ceremonies 45 years ago.”
Dilaçar surname from Atatürk
Kayseri has been home to many well-known Armenians. Karnikoğlu shared some of the names, born in Kayseri and famous around Turkey and the world. Known for his studies on the Turkish language, secretary-general of the Turkish Language Foundation Hagop Martayan is one of them.
After the surname law was established, the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, honored Martayan by giving him the surname “Dilaçar,” which is related to language.
Other prominent families of Kayseri are the Balyan and Gülbenkyan families.
The Balyans were Ottoman architects. Many of the palaces, mosques, churches and villas in Istanbul carry the Balyan signature. The Gülbenkyans, who were mostly traders, have a huge art collection exhibited in Portugal’s Lisbon at the Kalust Gülbenkyan Foundation and Museum. The family played a big role in international oil trade.
Sunday, November 8, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
KAYSERİ – Hürriyet Daily News
Despite being the only Armenian left in Kayseri's Talas distrcit, Karnikoğlu is determined not to leave. Coming from a well-known family, he says he will breathe his last breath here
Sarkis Karnikoğlu’s love for Kayseri has gained him a claim to fame: According to local legend, he is the last Armenian in the city’s Talas district.
Karnikoğlu, 50, attends the Sunday ceremony at the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator and helps tend to the church daily. Sarkis lives a few kilometers from the city center in the Talas district.
“My family is one of the oldest and well-known families in this city,” Karnikoğlu told Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review. “I have never had any intention of leaving this place. I will breathe my last breath here.”
A favorite in Talas
Sporting sharp, dark suits and a moustache, Karnikoğlu is one of the most colorful personalities in the district. Everyone knows him in Talas and around the historical church; all the locals have his phone number and address. When he is near the church, people greet him and ask how he is doing. He even draws attention from the children, who surround him when he enters town.
Karnikoğlu enjoys the attention and is happy to be recognized by the locals.
“I would feel like a fish out of water if I were somewhere other than Kayseri,” Karnikoğlu said. “I wouldn’t be able to breathe. I am the last member of my family.”
Loyalty of friends
The members of Karnikoğlu’s family were baptized and married at the Church of St. Gregory the Illuminator, as were their funerals. He spent his childhood playing in the church garden.
“All my memories are here,” Karnikoğlu said. He had close friends, the children of neighbors, when he was a kid and still has close ties with those who are still alive.
“Everyone thinks I live here alone, but I am not alone because my childhood friends see me as their brother,” he said. “I never feel alone. I have a big family.”
Migration to US, Europe
According to Karnikoğlu, Kayseri used to be home to numerous Armenian families until the end of the 1960s. “Most of them migrated, mostly to the United States and Europe, until the late 1980s,” Karnikoğlu said, gazing at the church during a ceremony. “This garden used to be packed during Sunday ceremonies 45 years ago.”
Dilaçar surname from Atatürk
Kayseri has been home to many well-known Armenians. Karnikoğlu shared some of the names, born in Kayseri and famous around Turkey and the world. Known for his studies on the Turkish language, secretary-general of the Turkish Language Foundation Hagop Martayan is one of them.
After the surname law was established, the founder of the Turkish Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, honored Martayan by giving him the surname “Dilaçar,” which is related to language.
Other prominent families of Kayseri are the Balyan and Gülbenkyan families.
The Balyans were Ottoman architects. Many of the palaces, mosques, churches and villas in Istanbul carry the Balyan signature. The Gülbenkyans, who were mostly traders, have a huge art collection exhibited in Portugal’s Lisbon at the Kalust Gülbenkyan Foundation and Museum. The family played a big role in international oil trade.
6 Kasım 2009 Cuma
Turkey's 'faith initiative' looks east
DIPLOMACY Friday, November 06 2009 10:33 GMT+2
Your time is 10:34:31
Turkey's 'faith initiative' looks east
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Istanbul Hurriyet Daily News
Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry says the Surp Haç Church on Akdamar Island in Lake Van and the Monastery of Sümela in Trabzon will be open for prayer once a year. Minister Günay says that a cross will be erected atop the roof of Surp Haç, just as it had been originally
Mainly spearheaded by efforts to bring prayers back into churches, Turkey’s cultural initiatives are set to accelerate in 2010, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.
The ministry said it is preparing to open the recently renovated, historical Surp Haç Church for prayer once a year and affix a cross to its roof in its original place. Also, the Monastery of Sümela in Trabzon will be opened for prayer once a year.
Armenia pleased by developments
The protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia for the normalization of relations has started to bear fruit. Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay, who has reached out to his Armenian counterpart through the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review in the past, reiterated a standing offer: “Let Armenian and Turkish experts restore the ruins of Ani together.”
The Ani excavation site, near the Armenian border in the Arpaçay District of Kars, was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Bagratunis between 961 and 1045. The Daily News spoke to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Armenian President Gagik Gürcüyan about the offer. Gürcüyan expressed pleasure at the developments and said that the organization will contact the Culture Ministry and will happily work together to restore the site.
Günay: ‘I may visit Armenia’
The Ani ruins caused a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Armenia years ago. Turkey filed a complaint to ICOMOS, an organization affiliated with UNSECO, saying that explosions at Armenian stone quarries are damaging the site. Günay said the explosions have since stopped, much to his relief. “Ani is a common legacy of humanity,” he said. “We must do all we can to pass it on to the future generations.”
Günay also told the Daily News he might visit Armenia. “As you remember, President Gül has visited Armenia. If our President has visited, there is no reason at all why I would not go, also,” he said.
The dialogue began with Surp Haç
It is widely assumed that the dialogue process between Turkey and Armenia started with the national football match last year. However, the actual contact began with the restoration process of the Surp Haç Church on Akdamar Island in Lake Van. Former Culture Minister Atilla Koç contacted Gagik Gürciyan and invited the Armenian expert to visit Turkey. Although coordinated efforts were realized despite the two countries’ closed borders, heavy criticism was levied in Armenia and among the diaspora following the church’s opening as a museum.
As it was initially reopened as a museum, no cross was placed on the roof of the church. A replica of the original cross, made according to the traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church, was brought to Istanbul by Armenian experts and delivered to Armenian Patriarch of Turkey Mesrob Mutafyan. The cross is waiting at the Turkish Armenian Patriarchate to be placed atop the restored church.
Legal problems
Minister Günay spoke about the latest developments and delays. “Unfortunately, there were some hitches with the laws that did not allow historical churches to be opened for prayer,” he said. “That was the reason for the debates over the cross.”
Günay said the ministry is in the final stage of working out the legal hitches and that similar problems will not be experienced in Turkey in the future. Günay said the cross would be placed atop the church shortly and the building will be opened for prayer once a year, if there is demand.
Prayer will also be allowed in Sümela
Along with Surp Haç Church, the Monastery of Sümela in Trabzon will also be opened for prayer once a year. Last year, a group of 500 tourists from Greece, among them Thessaloniki Mayor Panayotis Psomyadis and Russian Deputy Ivan Savidis, sought to light candles at the monastery but were interrupted by Nilgün Yılmazer, museum director of Trabzon. When reminded of this incident, Minister Günay said they would not allow such things to be experienced in Turkey again and “all believers in these lands will follow their faiths’ requirements freely.”
‘A late decision’
Architect Zakaria Mildanoğlu, who was assigned by the Turkish Armenian Patriarchate to the renovation of Surp Haç, evaluated the developments as a late decision. Mildanoğlu said former Minister Koç transferred the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs deals with foreigners. Minister Koç saw the citizens of his own country as foreigners, but we have lived on these lands for hundreds of years; we are not foreigners.”
Sarkis Elbe, a prominent Armenian figure in Istanbul, said: “This is a political decision. If only they had not waited for the signing of the protocols just to make this decision.”
Osman Köker, researcher and owner of Birzamanlar publishing, had a different take on the developments. “Turkey is trying to play a leading role in the region and to develop good relations with its neighbors,” he said. “Turkey also protects the rights of minorities in the country.”
Köker added that the process should be supported. “Opening religious buildings of historical importance to visitors would boost the number of tourists visiting our country.”
Your time is 10:34:31
Turkey's 'faith initiative' looks east
Thursday, November 5, 2009
Vercihan Ziflioğlu
Istanbul Hurriyet Daily News
Turkey's Culture and Tourism Ministry says the Surp Haç Church on Akdamar Island in Lake Van and the Monastery of Sümela in Trabzon will be open for prayer once a year. Minister Günay says that a cross will be erected atop the roof of Surp Haç, just as it had been originally
Mainly spearheaded by efforts to bring prayers back into churches, Turkey’s cultural initiatives are set to accelerate in 2010, according to the Culture and Tourism Ministry.
The ministry said it is preparing to open the recently renovated, historical Surp Haç Church for prayer once a year and affix a cross to its roof in its original place. Also, the Monastery of Sümela in Trabzon will be opened for prayer once a year.
Armenia pleased by developments
The protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia for the normalization of relations has started to bear fruit. Minister of Culture and Tourism Ertuğrul Günay, who has reached out to his Armenian counterpart through the Hurriyet Daily News & Economic Review in the past, reiterated a standing offer: “Let Armenian and Turkish experts restore the ruins of Ani together.”
The Ani excavation site, near the Armenian border in the Arpaçay District of Kars, was the capital of the Armenian Kingdom of Bagratunis between 961 and 1045. The Daily News spoke to the International Council on Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) Armenian President Gagik Gürcüyan about the offer. Gürcüyan expressed pleasure at the developments and said that the organization will contact the Culture Ministry and will happily work together to restore the site.
Günay: ‘I may visit Armenia’
The Ani ruins caused a diplomatic crisis between Turkey and Armenia years ago. Turkey filed a complaint to ICOMOS, an organization affiliated with UNSECO, saying that explosions at Armenian stone quarries are damaging the site. Günay said the explosions have since stopped, much to his relief. “Ani is a common legacy of humanity,” he said. “We must do all we can to pass it on to the future generations.”
Günay also told the Daily News he might visit Armenia. “As you remember, President Gül has visited Armenia. If our President has visited, there is no reason at all why I would not go, also,” he said.
The dialogue began with Surp Haç
It is widely assumed that the dialogue process between Turkey and Armenia started with the national football match last year. However, the actual contact began with the restoration process of the Surp Haç Church on Akdamar Island in Lake Van. Former Culture Minister Atilla Koç contacted Gagik Gürciyan and invited the Armenian expert to visit Turkey. Although coordinated efforts were realized despite the two countries’ closed borders, heavy criticism was levied in Armenia and among the diaspora following the church’s opening as a museum.
As it was initially reopened as a museum, no cross was placed on the roof of the church. A replica of the original cross, made according to the traditions of the Armenian Apostolic Church, was brought to Istanbul by Armenian experts and delivered to Armenian Patriarch of Turkey Mesrob Mutafyan. The cross is waiting at the Turkish Armenian Patriarchate to be placed atop the restored church.
Legal problems
Minister Günay spoke about the latest developments and delays. “Unfortunately, there were some hitches with the laws that did not allow historical churches to be opened for prayer,” he said. “That was the reason for the debates over the cross.”
Günay said the ministry is in the final stage of working out the legal hitches and that similar problems will not be experienced in Turkey in the future. Günay said the cross would be placed atop the church shortly and the building will be opened for prayer once a year, if there is demand.
Prayer will also be allowed in Sümela
Along with Surp Haç Church, the Monastery of Sümela in Trabzon will also be opened for prayer once a year. Last year, a group of 500 tourists from Greece, among them Thessaloniki Mayor Panayotis Psomyadis and Russian Deputy Ivan Savidis, sought to light candles at the monastery but were interrupted by Nilgün Yılmazer, museum director of Trabzon. When reminded of this incident, Minister Günay said they would not allow such things to be experienced in Turkey again and “all believers in these lands will follow their faiths’ requirements freely.”
‘A late decision’
Architect Zakaria Mildanoğlu, who was assigned by the Turkish Armenian Patriarchate to the renovation of Surp Haç, evaluated the developments as a late decision. Mildanoğlu said former Minister Koç transferred the matter to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the time. “The Ministry of Foreign Affairs deals with foreigners. Minister Koç saw the citizens of his own country as foreigners, but we have lived on these lands for hundreds of years; we are not foreigners.”
Sarkis Elbe, a prominent Armenian figure in Istanbul, said: “This is a political decision. If only they had not waited for the signing of the protocols just to make this decision.”
Osman Köker, researcher and owner of Birzamanlar publishing, had a different take on the developments. “Turkey is trying to play a leading role in the region and to develop good relations with its neighbors,” he said. “Turkey also protects the rights of minorities in the country.”
Köker added that the process should be supported. “Opening religious buildings of historical importance to visitors would boost the number of tourists visiting our country.”
3 Kasım 2009 Salı
Historic archives of Studio Osep revealed
Historic archives of Studio Osep revealed
Monday, November 2, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Sociologist Tayfun Serttaş has revealed the near-forgotten story of Studio Osep, the leading photography studio in Turkey for decades, with a new book that synthesizes 10 years of research and presents some 6,500 archival photos
If the story of Osep Minasoğlu – born Hovsep Minasyan - had not accidentally crossed the path of sociologist Tayfun Serttaş, then Minasoğlu’s 70-year adventure as a Turkish studio-photography pioneer could have been lost to history.
Minasoğlu started taking photos with an Agfa camera that his brother gave him when he was still a child. During the 1950s, he learned photographic techniques from experts at the U.S.-based Kodak Company in his spare time.
His family was wealthy. Minasoğlu received his education at Saint Benoît French School in Beyoğlu, which was attended largely by students of privilege. But a surprise awaited the Minasoğlu family during World War II: the Wealth Tax, which was issued in 1942 during the administration of Prime Minister Şükrü Saraçoğlu. This tax on the country’s rich was applied in part to discriminate against the financial independence of Turkey’s non-Muslims. Many successful non-Muslims lost their wealth, while those who failed to pay the tax were sent to work camps in Aşkale in the eastern Anatolian province of Erzurum.
Non-Muslim financial independence was similarly affected by the events of Sept. 6-7, 1955, which left a stain on Turkey’s recent history. Tension between Turkey and Greece had been increasing because of the Cyprus problem while public opinion was very sensitive toward further provocation, meaning that even the slightest spark could cause a societal explosion. This inferno duly happened.
On Sept. 6, the Istanbul Express reported that Atatürk’s house had been bombed in Thessaloniki. People rushed into the streets, attacking Greeks, Armenians and Jews over the course of two days. The Minasoğlu family was also attacked, shortly after losing its wealth in the wake of the Wealth Tax. Minasoğlu had to leave school.
Following the events, Kodak closed down its branch office in Turkey. With reference letters from the company in hand, Minasoğlu left Turkey for Beirut and traveled on to Paris.
Minasoğlu finds a champion
Now, in honor of the photographer, artist Tayfun Serttaş has published “Studio Osep,” a Turkish- and English-language work from Aras Publishing that features the results of his 10 years of research on Minasoğlu. Furthermore, an exhibition displaying photos compiled from Minasoğlu’s archives has opened at Gallery Non in Istanbul’s Tophane district. The exhibition runs through Nov. 14.
All photos in the book and exhibition were compiled from 6,500 images found in Minasoğlu’s single-room house in Tarlabaşı. The sociologist, speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, recounted the photographer’s 70-year story.
“I have been researching the life of Minasoğlu for 10 years. I spent most of my days with him, but I only realized that I was with such a legend five years ago,” said Serttaş. “Osep’s photos document Turkey’s recent history.”
New faces of Turkish cinema
Minasoğlu’s Paris adventure ended because of the 1956 war between France and Algeria; because of pressures against immigrants, he was forced to return to Istanbul. He opened a studio in Sirkeci and took tourist photos using a Polaroid camera.
Minasoğlu said the Polaroid camera was not used in Turkey during those years, meaning that Minasoğlu was able to take advantage of the technology and earn good money within a short time.
Later on, Studio Osep moved to a new location covering 350 square meters on Topağacı Street in Taksim. Minasoğlu began to take photos of future actors and actresses. Turkey’s Hollywood, Yeşilçam, gained new faces thanks to him. Fittingly for a photographer involved with actors and actresses, the studio is also remembered today as the first in Turkey to retouch photos.
Serttaş, who offers a sociological perspective on Studio Osep’s years capturing Yeşilçam, said: “Only some of the prospective future actresses who came to the studio for a photo shoot actually became famous. Osep’s skillful photos had a great share in this. However, those who could not gain fame were often sent to brothels on Cihangir’s Abanoz Street. Actually, Minasoğlu unwittingly photographed the sociology of Beyoğlu for 40 years.”
Minasoğlu not only photographed actors and actresses but also politicians and ambassadors. He is also the first photographer to shoot for pornographic magazines in Turkey. “I was not interested in women’s bodies while taking their photos, because I was a professional,” he said. “Turkey was freer in those years. There was no alienation from women’s bodies in the country [as there is today].”
BOX
Archives perished in a fire
Minasoğlu said he had never shared the secrets of his 70-year career with anyone, adding, “I used methods of lighting and retouching method while shooting Yeşilçam’s future actresses. I preferred special light for hair. I took photos in a special, large room and, in this way, I could take candid shots of the models.”
Minasoğlu kept a copy of all his photos. There were thousands of photos in his studio at the time of his bankruptcy in 1990. When his studio was repossessed, Minasoğlu entrusted his archives to one of his friends. However, as the result of a fire, all his archival documents, historically significant correspondence and technical formulas were reduced to ash.
Monday, November 2, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Sociologist Tayfun Serttaş has revealed the near-forgotten story of Studio Osep, the leading photography studio in Turkey for decades, with a new book that synthesizes 10 years of research and presents some 6,500 archival photos
If the story of Osep Minasoğlu – born Hovsep Minasyan - had not accidentally crossed the path of sociologist Tayfun Serttaş, then Minasoğlu’s 70-year adventure as a Turkish studio-photography pioneer could have been lost to history.
Minasoğlu started taking photos with an Agfa camera that his brother gave him when he was still a child. During the 1950s, he learned photographic techniques from experts at the U.S.-based Kodak Company in his spare time.
His family was wealthy. Minasoğlu received his education at Saint Benoît French School in Beyoğlu, which was attended largely by students of privilege. But a surprise awaited the Minasoğlu family during World War II: the Wealth Tax, which was issued in 1942 during the administration of Prime Minister Şükrü Saraçoğlu. This tax on the country’s rich was applied in part to discriminate against the financial independence of Turkey’s non-Muslims. Many successful non-Muslims lost their wealth, while those who failed to pay the tax were sent to work camps in Aşkale in the eastern Anatolian province of Erzurum.
Non-Muslim financial independence was similarly affected by the events of Sept. 6-7, 1955, which left a stain on Turkey’s recent history. Tension between Turkey and Greece had been increasing because of the Cyprus problem while public opinion was very sensitive toward further provocation, meaning that even the slightest spark could cause a societal explosion. This inferno duly happened.
On Sept. 6, the Istanbul Express reported that Atatürk’s house had been bombed in Thessaloniki. People rushed into the streets, attacking Greeks, Armenians and Jews over the course of two days. The Minasoğlu family was also attacked, shortly after losing its wealth in the wake of the Wealth Tax. Minasoğlu had to leave school.
Following the events, Kodak closed down its branch office in Turkey. With reference letters from the company in hand, Minasoğlu left Turkey for Beirut and traveled on to Paris.
Minasoğlu finds a champion
Now, in honor of the photographer, artist Tayfun Serttaş has published “Studio Osep,” a Turkish- and English-language work from Aras Publishing that features the results of his 10 years of research on Minasoğlu. Furthermore, an exhibition displaying photos compiled from Minasoğlu’s archives has opened at Gallery Non in Istanbul’s Tophane district. The exhibition runs through Nov. 14.
All photos in the book and exhibition were compiled from 6,500 images found in Minasoğlu’s single-room house in Tarlabaşı. The sociologist, speaking to the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review, recounted the photographer’s 70-year story.
“I have been researching the life of Minasoğlu for 10 years. I spent most of my days with him, but I only realized that I was with such a legend five years ago,” said Serttaş. “Osep’s photos document Turkey’s recent history.”
New faces of Turkish cinema
Minasoğlu’s Paris adventure ended because of the 1956 war between France and Algeria; because of pressures against immigrants, he was forced to return to Istanbul. He opened a studio in Sirkeci and took tourist photos using a Polaroid camera.
Minasoğlu said the Polaroid camera was not used in Turkey during those years, meaning that Minasoğlu was able to take advantage of the technology and earn good money within a short time.
Later on, Studio Osep moved to a new location covering 350 square meters on Topağacı Street in Taksim. Minasoğlu began to take photos of future actors and actresses. Turkey’s Hollywood, Yeşilçam, gained new faces thanks to him. Fittingly for a photographer involved with actors and actresses, the studio is also remembered today as the first in Turkey to retouch photos.
Serttaş, who offers a sociological perspective on Studio Osep’s years capturing Yeşilçam, said: “Only some of the prospective future actresses who came to the studio for a photo shoot actually became famous. Osep’s skillful photos had a great share in this. However, those who could not gain fame were often sent to brothels on Cihangir’s Abanoz Street. Actually, Minasoğlu unwittingly photographed the sociology of Beyoğlu for 40 years.”
Minasoğlu not only photographed actors and actresses but also politicians and ambassadors. He is also the first photographer to shoot for pornographic magazines in Turkey. “I was not interested in women’s bodies while taking their photos, because I was a professional,” he said. “Turkey was freer in those years. There was no alienation from women’s bodies in the country [as there is today].”
BOX
Archives perished in a fire
Minasoğlu said he had never shared the secrets of his 70-year career with anyone, adding, “I used methods of lighting and retouching method while shooting Yeşilçam’s future actresses. I preferred special light for hair. I took photos in a special, large room and, in this way, I could take candid shots of the models.”
Minasoğlu kept a copy of all his photos. There were thousands of photos in his studio at the time of his bankruptcy in 1990. When his studio was repossessed, Minasoğlu entrusted his archives to one of his friends. However, as the result of a fire, all his archival documents, historically significant correspondence and technical formulas were reduced to ash.
2 Kasım 2009 Pazartesi
Armenian media debates the identity of mysterious historian
Armenian media debates the identity of mysterious historian
Monday, November 2, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
Armenian media outlets are speculating on the identity of historians chosen for a controversial history commission after the Daily News reported that the participants have already been selected. Nationalist Tashnak-affiliated Yerkir Media says it has already found out the name of the Istanbul-born Armenian historian said to be in charge of the committee
A recent report by the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review has caused a stir among Armenian media outlets as journalists there seek to uncover the names that were kept undisclosed by the newspaper.
The Oct. 19 report, “Yerevan picks historians for commission,” was based on information the Daily News had obtained from a high-level Armenian authority and confirmed with sources in Turkey.
Armenian authorities, however, denied the report immediately after it was published.
According to the report, Yerevan has already picked the Armenian historians to participate in a history commission that will be set up under the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.
The report said an Armenian historian who was born in Istanbul was unofficially put in charge of the committee by the Turkish government and is already holding meetings in Turkey about the establishment of the commission.
The only information the paper revealed about this person was that he was the first historian of Armenian origin to be granted special permission by former President Fahri Korutürk to conduct research using the Ottoman archives, back in 1974.
Although not mentioned in the protocols, Turkey has been naming a settlement on the long-standing territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh and the establishment of the history commission as preconditions for reconciliation with its ex-Soviet neighbor. Ankara says the joint history commission should study and discuss the deaths of Armenians in 1915, during the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian and his government meanwhile say that the events of 1915 were “genocide,” and that they will never retreat from their stance on this, nor would they accept Turkey’s preconditions.
Yerkir Media’s claim
In a special report Friday, the Armenian media news site Yerkir Media, which is affiliated with the nationalist Tashnak Party, said it had discovered the identity of the Istanbul-born Armenian historian set to head the commission. The topic was also picked up by daily Aravod.
Yerkir Media claims that the historian is Parsegh Tuğlacıyan, who is known by the name “Pars Tuğlacı” in Turkey.
The Daily News called Yerkir Media and asked the news organization’s director of information and political programs, Gegham Manukyan, how he had reached this conclusion. “We were researching the facts presented in your article and concluded that the Turkish-Armenian historian’s name is Pars Tuğlacı because all of the data points to his name,” Manukyan said. “In 1974, he entered the Ottoman Archives to do research.”
Tuğlacı also went to Yerevan last year to conduct research using the archives of the Genocide Museum.
According to Yerkir Media’s report, Tuğlacı is currently in Yerevan and has refused to answer questions on the subject. The same report said Tuğlacı would be visiting Yerevan again in three months and would make a statement on the subject.
The historic agreement aimed at normalizing relations has yet to be ratified by either parliament.
The history commission, which is expected to be part of an intergovernmental commission between the two countries, is one of the most delicate matters in the recently signed diplomatic protocols.
Though Sarkisian’s government has rejected Turkey’s suggestion of a history commission, calling it “politically motivated,” Yerevan has reportedly already chosen its historians for the commission.
The names for the commission were selected by Sarkisian’s administration, a senior Armenian government official told the Daily News, speaking on condition of anonymity due the sensitivity of the issue. Another diplomatic source from the Turkish side also verified the appointments, adding that the commission would begin working immediately after the diplomatic protocols are ratified by both parliaments.
The Armenian side would offer only Armenian historians to the commission, he said, adding that historians from the diaspora, who have been carrying out research in the archives of many countries, would not be included.
Ara Sarafian, a leading diaspora historian and the director of the London-based Gomidas Institute, said the commission is a political matter and he did not want to comment on the issue. In a previous interview with the Daily News, Sarafian said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s call for a history commission was a positive move, but added that Armenia is not the right place to address the issue. “The archived documents in Armenia are insufficient. The freedom of historians is limited,” he said. “Thus a delicate matter such as genocide will be pulled into the political arena.”
Monday, November 2, 2009
VERCİHAN ZİFLİOĞLU
ISTANBUL – Hürriyet Daily News
Armenian media outlets are speculating on the identity of historians chosen for a controversial history commission after the Daily News reported that the participants have already been selected. Nationalist Tashnak-affiliated Yerkir Media says it has already found out the name of the Istanbul-born Armenian historian said to be in charge of the committee
A recent report by the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review has caused a stir among Armenian media outlets as journalists there seek to uncover the names that were kept undisclosed by the newspaper.
The Oct. 19 report, “Yerevan picks historians for commission,” was based on information the Daily News had obtained from a high-level Armenian authority and confirmed with sources in Turkey.
Armenian authorities, however, denied the report immediately after it was published.
According to the report, Yerevan has already picked the Armenian historians to participate in a history commission that will be set up under the protocols signed between Turkey and Armenia aimed at normalizing relations between the two countries.
The report said an Armenian historian who was born in Istanbul was unofficially put in charge of the committee by the Turkish government and is already holding meetings in Turkey about the establishment of the commission.
The only information the paper revealed about this person was that he was the first historian of Armenian origin to be granted special permission by former President Fahri Korutürk to conduct research using the Ottoman archives, back in 1974.
Although not mentioned in the protocols, Turkey has been naming a settlement on the long-standing territorial dispute over Nagorno-Karabakh and the establishment of the history commission as preconditions for reconciliation with its ex-Soviet neighbor. Ankara says the joint history commission should study and discuss the deaths of Armenians in 1915, during the last days of the Ottoman Empire.
Armenian President Serge Sarkisian and his government meanwhile say that the events of 1915 were “genocide,” and that they will never retreat from their stance on this, nor would they accept Turkey’s preconditions.
Yerkir Media’s claim
In a special report Friday, the Armenian media news site Yerkir Media, which is affiliated with the nationalist Tashnak Party, said it had discovered the identity of the Istanbul-born Armenian historian set to head the commission. The topic was also picked up by daily Aravod.
Yerkir Media claims that the historian is Parsegh Tuğlacıyan, who is known by the name “Pars Tuğlacı” in Turkey.
The Daily News called Yerkir Media and asked the news organization’s director of information and political programs, Gegham Manukyan, how he had reached this conclusion. “We were researching the facts presented in your article and concluded that the Turkish-Armenian historian’s name is Pars Tuğlacı because all of the data points to his name,” Manukyan said. “In 1974, he entered the Ottoman Archives to do research.”
Tuğlacı also went to Yerevan last year to conduct research using the archives of the Genocide Museum.
According to Yerkir Media’s report, Tuğlacı is currently in Yerevan and has refused to answer questions on the subject. The same report said Tuğlacı would be visiting Yerevan again in three months and would make a statement on the subject.
The historic agreement aimed at normalizing relations has yet to be ratified by either parliament.
The history commission, which is expected to be part of an intergovernmental commission between the two countries, is one of the most delicate matters in the recently signed diplomatic protocols.
Though Sarkisian’s government has rejected Turkey’s suggestion of a history commission, calling it “politically motivated,” Yerevan has reportedly already chosen its historians for the commission.
The names for the commission were selected by Sarkisian’s administration, a senior Armenian government official told the Daily News, speaking on condition of anonymity due the sensitivity of the issue. Another diplomatic source from the Turkish side also verified the appointments, adding that the commission would begin working immediately after the diplomatic protocols are ratified by both parliaments.
The Armenian side would offer only Armenian historians to the commission, he said, adding that historians from the diaspora, who have been carrying out research in the archives of many countries, would not be included.
Ara Sarafian, a leading diaspora historian and the director of the London-based Gomidas Institute, said the commission is a political matter and he did not want to comment on the issue. In a previous interview with the Daily News, Sarafian said Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s call for a history commission was a positive move, but added that Armenia is not the right place to address the issue. “The archived documents in Armenia are insufficient. The freedom of historians is limited,” he said. “Thus a delicate matter such as genocide will be pulled into the political arena.”
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