Kemal Tahir and Leftist Circles in the 1930s

Abstract

This study examines Kemal Tahir’s introduction to left-wing thought following his entry into journalism in the 1930s and the relationships he forged with the left-wing circles of the time. Through his upstairs neighbor Sarı Mustafa (Mustafa Börklüce), the author established contact with the leading left-wing intellectuals of the time, developing increasingly strong bonds with such figures as Nâzım Hikmet, Kerim Sadi, Abidin Nesimi, and Dr. Hikmet Kıvılcımlı. The discussions on socialism and literature held at the homes of Sabiha Sertel and Kerim Sadi formed the foundation for transformation in Kemal Tahir’s intellectual world. Initially keeping his distance from the communist poet Nâzım Hikmet, Tahir eventually changed his mind and grew so close to him that he came to refer to him as “Our Master.” Despite not being a member of any party, he sided with Nâzım Hikmet and Sarı Mustafa during the factionalism and allegations of espionage within the Turkish Communist Party. The most significant turning point of this period was Türkiye’s 1938 Case at the Military Court of the Naval Headquarters. Kemal Tahir was arrested on the grounds that he had smuggled Marxist and socialist books onto the Yavuz warship through his brother Nuri Tahir who was a petty naval officer, thereby inciting the army to rebellion. Tried alongside many other left-wing figures including Nâzım Hikmet, Hikmet Kıvılcımlı, Hamdi Alev, and Kerim Korcan, the writer was sentenced to a 15-year imprisonment. The years spent in Istanbul Detention Center and Çankırı Prison, which began with this trial, marked a turning point in his life.