Ottoman Identity Document 1919 İstanbul Muslim Female Citizen Fatma Safinaz

Ottoman Identity Document (Tezkire-i Osmaniye) – Fama Safinaz Hanım, Istanbul (1919)

Description:
An original Ottoman identity document (Tezkire-i Osmaniye) issued to Fama Safinaz Hanım, daughter of Ali Efendi and Şerife Hadice Hanım. Dated 14 Mayıs 1335 (14 May 1919), the document bears official Ottoman seals and tax stamps, remaining legible and well-preserved.

The Tezkire-i Osmaniye functioned as the principal identity card in the late Ottoman Empire, recording vital details such as name, lineage, religion, place of residence, and physical characteristics. It represents the Ottoman state’s efforts to establish a centralized population registration and identification system.

Colloquially known as “kafa kağıdı” (head paper), these documents earned their nickname because men folded them and kept them inside the pocket of their fez. During identity checks, officers would command “Kafa kağıdını çıkar!” (“Take out your head paper!”), and those unable to produce it could be detained. This anecdote illustrates the document’s deep integration into everyday Ottoman social life and the emergence of modern administrative identity practices.

In this case, Fama Safinaz Hanım was born in Istanbul on 11 Nisan 1330 (24 April 1914). Her registered address is Istanbul, Fatih Ali Paşa Kazası, Arap Cami Mahallesi, House No. 14. The document confirms her Muslim identity, as indicated by the family names and format.

Issued in the final years of the Ottoman Empire, this tezkire captures a moment of transition between empire and republic and reflects the state’s continuing bureaucratic order even amid the social and political upheavals following World War I.

Key Features:

• Document Type: Tezkire-i Osmaniye (Ottoman Identity Certificate)

• Holder: Fama Safinaz Hanım

• Father’s Name: Ali Efendi

• Mother’s Name: Şerife Hadice Hanım

• Birthplace and Date: Istanbul, 11 Nisan 1330 (24 April 1914)

• Religion (Millet): Muslim

• Residence: Istanbul, Fatih Ali Paşa Kazası, Arap Cami Mahallesi, No. 14

• Date of Issue: 14 Mayıs 1335 (14 May 1919)

• Material: Official Ottoman document with fiscal stamp and government seals

• Condition: Good – clear text and visible stamps

• Historical Significance:

  • Issued at the end of the Ottoman Empire, just before the Turkish War of Independence.

  • Reflects the state’s organized population registration system during the late empire.

  • Provides a detailed record of female identity documentation, which became increasingly standardized in the early 20th century.

  • A valuable example of everyday bureaucratic life in post-World War I Istanbul.