Rıfat Ilgaz
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Rıfat Ilgaz (7 May 1911 – 7 July 1993) was a Turkish teacher, writer and
poet A poet is a person who studies and creates poetry. Poets may describe themselves as such or be described as such by others. A poet may simply be the creator (thought, thinker, songwriter, writer, or author) who creates (composes) poems (oral t ...
. He became especially known for his novel "Hababam Sınıfı". He maintained a socialist line both in his writings and in his personal life. His magazine work, which continued Turkey's most turbulent political flow, caused him to spend time in courthouse corridors and prison, like many writers of the same period. In his very productive literary life, he wrote works in many different fields, from poetry to humorous stories, from novels to children's books. His work "Karartma Geceleri", which was once confiscated, was included in the list of 100 Essential Works in 2004. The author's works are now protected by Çınar Publications, which he founded together with his son Aydın Ilgaz. These books are printed by Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları. 0


Biography

He was born in Cide, in the Kastamonu Vilayet of the
Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...
(present-day Turkey). Ilgaz was one of Turkey’s best-known and most prolific poets and writers, having authored over sixty works. Ilgaz started writing poetry during his junior school years and evolved into one of the prolific social-realist writers of the 20th-century
Turkish literature Turkish literature () comprises oral compositions and written texts in the Turkish language. The Ottoman form of Turkish, which forms the basis of much of the written corpus, was highly influenced by Persian and Arabic literature,Bertold Sp ...
. His poems are considered prime examples of socialist-realistic writing. While he has never really been a partisan of political ideologies, the fact that he has written about the sufferings of the people placed him at a left wing perspective. Like other writers of his time, Ilgaz was imprisoned as a result of one of his publications.Rıfat Ilgaz's novel Sarı Yazma (The Yellow Headscarf) serves as an autobiographical account while simultaneously depicting the struggles of a generation of Turkish intellectuals. Ilgaz penned Sarı Yazma to chronicle his own life from childhood through his mid-forties, including his education, teaching career, literary journey, and experiences in prison and sanatoriums. The narrative prominently features his deep connection to his hometown of Cide, Kastamonu, where he spent his early years. Beyond personal history, the novel acts as a social commentary, illustrating Turkey's political landscape and literary scene from the Turkish War of Independence to the 1950s. It particularly highlights the hardships faced by the 1940 Generation of social realist intellectuals, who endured political pressures, exiles, poverty, and suffering. Ilgaz expressed his motivation as a desire to "start anew, to be reborn and live, to grow and age, and to look back at the past more consciously and enjoy it," indicating a reflective engagement with his life experiences and the broader societal context. The title, Sarı Yazma, symbolizes the hardworking women of the Black Sea region. In addition to his writing, he led an accomplished career as a lecturer in Turkish literature. He was among the contributors of the literary magazine '' Adımlar'' between 1943 and 1944. In 1946 he founded a leading satirical weekly magazine, ''
Marko Paşa ''Marko Paşa'' (literally ''Marco Pasha'') was a weekly political satire magazine which was in circulation between 1946 and 1950. The magazine was based in Istanbul, Turkey, and subtitled, ''Political Satire Periodical for the People''. It is on ...
'', with
Aziz Nesin Aziz Nesin (; born Mehmet Nusret, 20 December 1915, Istanbul, Ottoman Empire – 6 July 1995, Izmir , Turkey) was a Turkish writer, humorist and the author of more than 100 books. Born in a time when Turks did not have official surnames, ...
and
Sabahattin Ali Sabahattin Ali (25 February 1907 – 2 April 1948) was a Turkish people, Turkish novelist, short-story writer, poet, and journalist. Early life He was born in 1907 in Ardino, Eğridere township (now Ardino in southern Bulgaria) of the San ...
. Rıfat Ilgaz died in
Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
on 7 July 1993 due to lung failure. He was buried at
Zincirlikuyu Cemetery The Zincirlikuyu Cemetery () is a modern burial ground in the European part of Istanbul, Turkey. It is administered by the Metropolitan Municipality. Many prominent figures from the world of politics, business, sports and arts rest here. The ce ...
.


English language bibliography

One collection of Ilgaz's short stories has been published in English translation.


Fourth Company

A
2001 The year's most prominent event was the September 11 attacks against the United States by al-Qaeda, which Casualties of the September 11 attacks, killed 2,977 people and instigated the global war on terror. The United States led a Participan ...
short story collection by Turkish writer
Rifat Ilgaz Rifat or Rifaat is both a given name and a surname. Notable people with the name include: * Rifaat Hussain (1952–2025), Pakistani political scientist, professor, defense analyst and television personality * Rifaat Turk (born 1954), Team Israel Ol ...
published by Milet Books, in dual Turkish and English translation by Damian Croft, as part of its series of Turkish-English Short Story Collections. The publisher states that, “In the deftly comic six-part story, ''Fourth Company'' and two further stories, Rifat Ilgaz turns his sharp but affectionate wit on compulsory military service, holidays at home and the pathological fear of doctors.” The volume consists of the stories; *''Fourth Company'' (Parts 1–6) *''Off to Exchange Bayram Greetings'' *''A Fear of Doctors''


Editions

*


Selected works

* Apartıman Çocukları * Bacaksız Okulda * Bacaksız Plajda * Cart Curt * Çalış Osman Çiftlik Senin * Devam * Don Kişot Istanbul'da * Garibin Horozu * Geçmişe Mazi * Güvercinim Uyur mu? * Hababam Sınıfı (1975) (made into a movie) * Hababam Sınıfı Sınıfta Kaldı (1975) (made into a movie) * Hababam Sınıfı Baskında (made into a movie) * Hababam Sınıfı İcraatın İçinde * Hababam Sınıfı Uyanıyor * Hoca Nasrettin Ve Çömezleri * Karadeniz'in Kıyıcığında * Karartma Geceleri (1990) (made into a movie) * Kırk Yıl Once Kırk Yıl Sonra * Kulağımız Kirişte * Nerde Kalmıştık * Nerde O Eski Usturalar * Ocak Katırı Alagöz * Öksüz Civciv * Pijamalılar * Radarın Anahtarı * Rüşvetin Alamancası * Sarı Yazma * Sınıf * Soluk Soluğa/Karakılçık/Uzak Değil * Sosyal Kadınlar Partisi * Şeker Kutusu * Üsküdar'da Sabah Oldu * Yarenlik * Yaşadıkça * Yıldız Karayel * Yokuş Yukarı * Halime Kaptan


See also

* List of contemporary Turkish poets


References

"Şiir yazdı hapse atıldı". Habertürk. 23 Mayıs 2020 tarihinde kaynağından arşivlendi. Erişim tarihi: 13 Şubat 2021. "İşte yeni yılda öğrencilere okutulacak 100 temel eser". Hürriyet. 19 Mart 2018 tarihinde kaynağından arşivlendi. Erişim tarihi: 13 Şubat 2021. 0"Türkiye İş banaksında biyografisi". 30 Haziran 2015 tarihinde kaynağından arşivlendi. Erişim tarihi: 27 Haziran 2015. {{DEFAULTSORT:Ilgaz, Rifat 1911 births People from Cide People from Kastamonu vilayet Gazi Eğitim Enstitüsü alumni Turkish schoolteachers Turkish male writers Turkish novelists Turkish male poets Turkish prisoners and detainees Prisoners and detainees of Turkey 20th-century Turkish novelists 20th-century Turkish poets Turkish Marxists 1993 deaths Burials at Zincirlikuyu Cemetery Turkish magazine founders