Akbaba 1936 Humor Magazine Turkish Turkey France War WW2 era Versailles Telefunken Ethiopia

Akbaba Humor Magazine – “France: They All Turned Out Rotten!” – Issue No. 118 – April 11, 1936 – Turkish Edition

Description:

Akbaba was one of the longest-running political humor magazines in Turkish press history, founded by Yusuf Ziya Ortaç and Orhan Seyfi Orhon, prominent figures associated with the Beş Hececiler literary movement. Published from 1922 to 1977, with interruptions, the magazine addressed social problems, bureaucratic shortcomings, political rivalries, economic difficulties, and everyday life through caricatures, satirical poetry, and humorous writing. It became an influential platform for Turkish satire, featuring contributions from important literary and artistic figures such as Aziz Nesin, Rıfat Ilgaz, and Turhan Selçuk.

This issue, number 118, is dated April 11, 1936. Its cover features a rooster, the national symbol of France, standing on broken eggs labelled “Locarno” and “Versailles.” The illustration carries the caption, “France: They all turned out rotten!” Using the metaphor of spoiled eggs, the cover satirizes the failure or breakdown of international agreements and the uncertainty surrounding European diplomacy during the interwar period. The rooster and the broken treaty-labelled eggs create a memorable visual commentary on the fragility of the international order.

The issue also includes an “Ecnebi Karikatürleri” (“Foreign Cartoons”) section featuring caricatures from abroad. Period advertisements for Bayer Aspirin, Telefunken radios, and Nivea cream provide an additional glimpse into the consumer products promoted to Turkish readers in the 1930s. Combining international political satire, foreign cartoons, and vintage advertising, this issue is an interesting collectible for enthusiasts of Turkish humor magazines and pre-war print culture.

Key Features:

• Publication: Akbaba

• Issue Number: 118

• Publication Date: April 11, 1936

• Language: Turkish

• Publication Type: Political humor and satire magazine

• Founders: Yusuf Ziya Ortaç and Orhan Seyfi Orhon

• Cover Feature: A rooster representing France standing on broken eggs labelled “Locarno” and “Versailles”

• Cover Caption: “France: They all turned out rotten!”

• Political Satire: The fragility and breakdown of international agreements and European diplomatic tensions during the interwar period

• International Cartoon Section: “Ecnebi Karikatürleri” (“Foreign Cartoons”), featuring caricatures from abroad

• Period Advertisements: Bayer Aspirin, Telefunken radios, and Nivea cream

• Historical Interest: Turkish political satire, international caricature, and vintage advertising from April 1936