Description

Original autograph letter. 3 p. No letterhead on paper neither on envelope. In Ottoman script. Stamped envelope. It's written on envelope: "Istanbul'da (Bayezid) [?] (Mercan)'da Muradiye Sokagindaki [.] Ibnülemin Mahmud Kemal Inal Beyefendiye.". Starts as 'Birader kemalâtperverim.' [= My brother virtuous!]. It is a poetic style of Nazif. Signed as 'Süleyman Nazif'. Dated 29 Eylül 1932, Nisantasi. Nazif was an eminent Ottoman-born Turkish poet. He mastered Arabic, Persian, and French languages and worked as a civil servant during the reign of Sultan Abdul Hamid II. He contributed to the literary magazine Servet-i Fünun ("Wealth of Knowledge") until it was censored by the Ottoman government in 1901. Nazif, ever critical of the European imperialist powers, attracted once more their hostility when he wrote his satirical article "Hazret-i Isa'ya açik mektup" (Open letter to Jesus) in which he described to Jesus' all the crimes that were perpetrated by his followers in his name. Two weeks later he published "The reply of Jesus" in which he, as if Jesus was talking, refuted the charges and replied that he is not responsible for the Christians' crimes. These two letters caused a furore among Christians in Turkey and Europe, putting Nazif on the verge of being put on trial. In the end this did not materialize, Nazif apologizing but being not less critical of the "Crusader mentality" of the imperialist Europeans, targeting Turkey in order to extend their power on its soil. Ibnülemin Mahmud Kemal Inal, (1871-1957) was an Ottoman-Turkish intelligent and 'the last biographer'.

Lingue: Turkish, Ottoman (1500-1928)