''Tan'' () was a Turkish newspaper based in Istanbul, Turkey, which existed for ten years between 1935 and 1945. The paper has been known for the attacks against its offices due to the allegations of being a communist publication in December 1945. It is also known for its editors, Zekeriya and Sabiha Sertel.

History and profile

Beginnings

''Tan'' was launched by İş Bankası Publications (a publishing company of a state bank, İş Bankası) in 1935, and the first issue appeared on 15 July 1935. The founding editor-in-chief was a well-known Turkish novelist Yakup Kadri Karaosmanoğlu who served in the post until 1938. He also became the publisher of the paper in 1936 through a publishing company he established. The contributors of ''Tan'' during this period included

Burhan Felek Burhan Felek (May 11, 1889, in Istanbul – November 4, 1982, in Istanbul) was a Turkish journalist, columnist, sportsperson and writer. He was born on May 11, 1889, in Istanbul. After graduating in 1910 from Istanbul Law School, later the Facu ...

, Fikret Adil, Eşref Şefik, Refi Cevat Ulunay, Refik Halit, Niyazi Berkes, Sabiha Sertel and Ahmet Emin Yalman. The latter contributed to the paper from 1936, and his writings were anti-Fascist and anti-Nazi. In 1938 the paper was closed down by the government for three months due to Yalman's articles in which he announced the deteriorating health of the Turkish President Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. Following this incident Yalman left the paper.

The Sertels period

Then Zekeriya and Sabiha Sertel began to guide the paper, and Halil Lütfü Dördüncü funded it. Notable contributors of ''Tan'' under the Sertels included Niyazi Berkes, his wife Mediha Esenel, Aziz Nesin and Behice Boran. Sertels adopted a critical approach against the government denouncing the slowness of the reform activities. The paper also openly criticized the fascist ideology that was popular at the period. As a result ''Tan'' became the most significant media outlet for leftists in Turkey and had a pro-Soviet stance. It published interviews with the leading international figures, including Bogdan Filov, prime minister of the Kingdom of Bulgaria, in 1940. The anti-Nazi approach of ''Tan'' led to its boycott by major German companies which had investments in Turkey, including Bayer and the Daimler Benz. In the period of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

''Tan'' sold 10,000-12,000 copies making it one of the three best selling newspapers in Turkey.

''Tan'' incident and aftermath

Hüseyin Cahit Yalçın published an article in '' Tanin'' newspaper on 3 December 1945 calling for struggle against communism. Upon this nearly 20,000 university students attacked the headquarters of ''Tan'' in Cağaloğlu, Istanbul, on 4 December. In the attack the offices of the paper were destructed. Shortly after this incident, which is called the incident of 4 December and the Tan raid, ''Tan'' ceased publication. The destruction of the paper's offices and its closure had very negative effects on the relations between Turkey and the

Soviet Union The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

, and on 8 December the Soviet Union officially condemned the raid during which a bookstore of a Soviet citizen in Istanbul was also destroyed.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Tan 1935 establishments in Turkey 1945 disestablishments in Turkey Defunct newspapers published in Turkey Newspapers published in Istanbul Newspapers established in 1935 Publications disestablished in 1945 Defunct Turkish-language newspapers Daily newspapers published in Turkey