Yunus Nadi ABALIOGLU

Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu (1879-1945) was a Turkish journalist, politician and the founder of Cumhuriyet newspaper. Yunus Nadi, who led a life intertwined with journalism throughout the Ottoman and Republican periods, is one of the important names of the Turkish press.

Who is Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu?

Yunus Nadi was born in 1879 in Seydiler Village of Fethiye district of Muğla in 1879. His father was Abalızade Halil Efendi, one of the notables of Fethiye. After completing his primary education in Fethiye, he went to Rhodes and studied at the Süleymaniye Madrasah. He then moved to Istanbul and attended Galatasaray Sultanisi and Istanbul Law School. Yunus Nadi, who became interested in journalism from a young age, started writing for the newspaper Malumat during his student years. He was involved in activities against Abdülhamid II, for which he was arrested and exiled to Midilli. During his exile in Fethiye, he married Nazime Hanım and had four children from this marriage. In 1908, he joined the Committee of Union and Progress and returned to Istanbul with the declaration of the Constitutional Monarchy and continued his journalism career unabated.

Journalism Life

Yunus Nadi's life as a journalist marked the last period of the Ottoman Empire and the first years of the Republic of Turkey. After returning to Istanbul, he worked as a writer for the newspapers İkdam and Tasvir-i Efkar. He also worked as the chief writer at Rumeli Newspaper, the publication organ of the Committee of Union and Progress in Thessaloniki. His campaign for the liberation of Edirne during the Balkan Wars was highly appreciated. During World War I, he published Mustafa Kemal's writings and made his ideas reach a wide audience. In 1918, he founded Yeni Gün newspaper and continued to support the National Struggle in Anatolia. His newspaper was shut down several times by Sultan Vahdettin and the British, but he continued his struggle without giving up. In 1920, he moved the newspaper to Anatolia, where he published articles supporting the National Struggle. After the proclamation of the Republic in 1923, Yunus Nadi returned to Istanbul and founded the Cumhuriyet newspaper and continued to support Atatürk's revolutions.

Influence and Legacy

Yunus Nadi was not only a journalist but also a politician who left a deep mark on the Turkish press. He staunchly defended the revolutions of Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, and played an important role in this process. By taking part in the establishment of the Cumhuriyet newspaper, he brought a modern perspective to the Turkish press. In addition to his career as a journalist, he also served as an MP in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey for 6 terms. He pioneered the establishment of the Anadolu Agency and made a great contribution to the victorious outcome of the National Struggle. After his death, the Yunus Nadi Award, the first award given in the field of art in Turkey, continues to keep his name alive. Yunus Nadi Abalıoğlu died in Geneva in 1945 and his legacy has left a lasting mark on the Turkish press and politics for many years to come.