Hakkı Sunata – Occupation Years in Istanbul 2021 Turkish Book Turkey WW1 Ottoman Empire

Hakkı Sunata – Occupation Years in Istanbul (İstanbul'da İşgal Yılları) – Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları Turkish Edition (2021)

Description:

This Turkish edition of Occupation Years in Istanbul (İstanbul'da İşgal Yılları) by Hakkı Sunata was published by Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları in 2021. Printed in Turkish, this memoir recounts daily life in Istanbul between 1918 and 1923 through the eyes of a young Ottoman officer returning from the First World War, offering a firsthand perspective on the city's occupation by the Allied Powers.

The book vividly portrays the atmosphere of occupied Istanbul, describing the presence of British, French, and Italian troops, the social and cultural life of districts such as Pera and Galata, and the psychological impact of foreign occupation on the city's inhabitants. Sunata also records the severe economic hardships of the postwar years, including inflation, shortages, black market trade, and the struggle for survival faced by ordinary citizens.

Another important theme is the gradual rise of the Turkish National Movement. The memoir follows the spread of news from Ankara, the activities of underground resistance networks, and the covert transfer of weapons and volunteers from Istanbul to Anatolia. As both a personal memoir and a historical testimony, the book provides an intimate account of one of the most dramatic periods in modern Turkish history.

Key Features:

• Author: Hakkı Sunata

• Original Title: Occupation Years in Istanbul

• Turkish Title: İstanbul'da İşgal Yılları

• Publisher: Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları

• Publication Date: 2021

• Language: Turkish

• Format: Paperback

• Genre: Memoir; History

• Subject: Istanbul under Allied occupation after the First World War

• Literary Content: Memoir; Historical account

• Themes: Allied occupation; Istanbul; Turkish War of Independence; Daily life; National Movement; Early Republican history

• Historical Focus: Istanbul during the Allied occupation (1918–1923)

• Educational Value: A firsthand memoir documenting the political, social, and economic realities of occupied Istanbul, while illustrating the emergence of the Turkish National Movement and the city's role during the War of Independence.

• Collector Appeal: Modern Türkiye İş Bankası Kültür Yayınları edition of an important eyewitness account of occupied Istanbul, making it an excellent reference for collectors of Turkish history, Ottoman memoirs, and the War of Independence.