Akbaba 1966 The Cyprus War Turkish Magazine Turkey Greece Georgios Papandreou Gulliver's Travels

Akbaba – “The Cyprus War!” – January 5, 1966 – Turkish Edition

Description:

Akbaba was one of the longest-running political satire magazines in Turkish press history. Founded in 1922 by Yusuf Ziya Ortaç and Orhan Seyfi Orhon, two prominent poets associated with the “Five Syllabists” (Beş Hececiler) literary movement, the magazine continued publication, with interruptions, until 1977. It became well known for its political cartoons, social commentary, and satirical treatment of current affairs.

This issue, dated January 5, 1966, features the headline “Kıbrıs Savaşı!” (The Cyprus War!). The cover cartoon depicts two political leaders using a map of Cyprus like a club to strike one another. The older figure in the red jacket represents Georgios Papandreou, then Prime Minister of Greece, while the figure in the blue checked suit represents Süleyman Demirel, Prime Minister of Turkey. Through this striking visual metaphor, the cartoon satirizes the escalating political confrontation between Greece and Turkey over Cyprus.

The cartoon reflects the continuing tensions surrounding the Cyprus question following the intercommunal violence of December 1963 and the subsequent disputes over the island’s future. The Greek government’s position was associated with the idea of Enosis, or union with Greece, while Turkey emphasized the security of the Turkish Cypriot community and its rights as a guarantor power. By portraying both leaders wielding the island’s map against each other, Akbaba turns a serious diplomatic and military dispute into a pointed piece of political satire.

The issue contains numerous additional cartoons on the Cyprus question. It also features a comic strip titled “Gulliver,” illustrated by Turkish cartoonist Bülent Şeren and adapted from Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. The combination of topical political satire and illustrated storytelling reflects the magazine’s broad appeal to readers interested in both current affairs and humorous visual culture.

For collectors of vintage Turkish satire magazines, political cartoons, and comic-strip history, this issue offers a vivid snapshot of the Cyprus tensions of the mid-1960s. Its cover caricature of the Greek and Turkish prime ministers, additional Cyprus-related cartoons, and Bülent Şeren’s “Gulliver” strip make it an appealing example of Akbaba’s satirical publishing tradition.

Key Features:

• Title: Akbaba

• Publication Date: January 5, 1966

• Language: Turkish

• Founders: Yusuf Ziya Ortaç and Orhan Seyfi Orhon

• Publication Format: Political satire and humor magazine

• Cover Headline: “Kıbrıs Savaşı!” (The Cyprus War!)

• Cover Figures: Georgios Papandreou, Prime Minister of Greece; Süleyman Demirel, Prime Minister of Turkey

• Cover Illustration: The two leaders using a map of Cyprus as a weapon, satirizing the political confrontation over the island

• Main Topics: The Cyprus question; Greek–Turkish relations; political and military tensions

• Additional Content: Multiple cartoons concerning Cyprus

• Comic Strip: “Gulliver,” illustrated by Turkish cartoonist Bülent Şeren and adapted from Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels

• Historical Context: Cyprus-related tensions between Greece and Turkey in the mid-1960s

• Collector Appeal: Vintage Turkish political satire magazine combining Cyprus-related cartoons with a classic literary comic-strip adaptation