Aziz Nesin

Aziz Nesin was a Turkish writer, humorist and the author of more than 100 books. Born in a time when Turks did not have official surnames, he had to adopt one after the Surname Law of 1934 was passed. Although his family carried the nickname "Topalosmanoğlu", after an ancestor named "Topal Osman", he chose the surname "Nesin". In Turkish, "Nesin?" means "What are you?". Nesin was born on December 20, 1915, on Heybeliada, one of the Princes' Islands of Istanbul, in the days of the Ottoman Empire. He graduated from the military academy as an engineer officer in 1937 and served in the army until 1944, when he resigned after being accused of communist activities. He then started his literary career as a writer and editor of various newspapers and magazines, such as Karikatür, Yedigün, and Marko Paşa. He wrote satirical stories, novels, plays, poems, and essays, often with a socialist slant. He was jailed several times and placed under surveillance by the National Intelligence Organization (MAH in Turkish) for his political views. He also faced censorship, lawsuits, and assassination attempts for his controversial writings. Nesin was a prolific and versatile writer, who experimented with different genres and styles. He wrote more than 100 books, some of which were translated into over 30 languages. He was especially known for his humorous stories, which often mocked the hypocrisy, corruption, and oppression of the Turkish society. He created memorable characters, such as Zübük, the cunning and unscrupulous politician, and Memleketin Birinde, the fictional town where absurd and hilarious events take place. He also wrote adaptations of foreign classics, such as Don Quixote, The Three Musketeers, and The Count of Monte Cristo, as well as original works based on Turkish folklore and history, such as The Tales of Nasrettin Hoca, The Dance of the Eagle and the Fish, and The History of the Turkish Revolution. Nesin was not only a writer, but also a social activist and philanthropist. He devoted his last years to combating religious fundamentalism and promoting secularism, democracy, and human rights. He was one of the signatories of the Petition of Intellectuals, which denounced the military coup of 1980 and demanded the restoration of civil liberties. He also founded the Nesin Foundation in 1972, which provides education and shelter for poor and orphaned children. He donated all his copyrights and royalties to the foundation, which also houses a library, a museum, and a cultural center. Nesin died on July 6, 1995, in Çeşme, İzmir, due to a heart attack. After his death, his body was buried at an unknown location in land belonging to the Nesin Foundation, without any ceremony, as requested in his will.