Akbaba 1937 Humor Magazine Turkish Turkey Pirate in the Mediterranean War WW2 era Westinghouse Bayer

Akbaba Humor Magazine – “Pirate in the Mediterranean: Aha, I’ve Caught the Enemy!” – Issue No. 197 – October 15, 1937 – 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, including Aziz Nesin, Rıfat Ilgaz, and Turhan Selçuk.

This issue, number 197, is dated October 15, 1937. Its cover features a striking political cartoon titled “Pirate in the Mediterranean,” depicting a skeleton using a submarine periscope to spy on a small boat marked “Peace,” represented by an angel-like figure. The accompanying caption reads, “Aha, I’ve caught the enemy!” Through this darkly humorous scene, the cover portrays peace as being watched and threatened by forces associated with death and conflict. The maritime imagery reflects concerns about Mediterranean tensions and the fragile prospects for peace during the late 1930s.

The issue also includes an “Ecnebi Karikatürleri” (“Foreign Cartoons”) section featuring caricatures from abroad, adding an international dimension to its satirical content. Period advertisements for Bayer Aspirin, Dentol, and Westinghouse refrigerators offer a glimpse into the consumer products promoted to Turkish readers in the 1930s. Combining political symbolism, international 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: 197

• Publication Date: October 15, 1937 (15 Teşrinievvel 1937)

• Language: Turkish

• Publication Type: Political humor and satire magazine

• Founders: Yusuf Ziya Ortaç and Orhan Seyfi Orhon

• Cover Feature: “Pirate in the Mediterranean,” depicting a skeleton observing a small boat marked “Peace” through a submarine periscope

• Cover Caption: “Aha, I’ve caught the enemy!”

• Political Satire: The vulnerability of peace and the tensions surrounding the Mediterranean in the late 1930s

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

• Period Advertisements: Bayer Aspirin, Dentol, and Westinghouse refrigerators

• Historical Interest: Turkish political satire, international caricature, and vintage advertising from October 1937