big city of Istanbul and battling homesickness
as he prepares for his classes to begin after the
turn of the year.
He wrote a letter to Cemile, writing her name
in the diary for the first time, but 10 days later
he got a "return to sender" reply :(
In 1933-1934 Albert Einstein asked Atatürk to
allow 40 German-Jewish scientists to come to
Turkey, since they could no longer work in
Nazi Germany. Atatürk's Jewish dentist, Sami
Günzberg, helped facilitate the contact between
the two great men. Some of Selahattin's
professors at Istanbul University may have been
among these migrating Jewish scientists.
Einstein-Atatürk-Günzberg click her for the
story.//
1930s Beyazit, Istanbul, in front of IU.
December
Friday, 1 December 1933
We played ‘fitil’ at the coffee house until noon. In the
afternoon while walking around I mailed the letter to my
father. I ran into Avni from Tokad in Beyoğlu. In the
evening when I came to the school, I learned that Namık
had come by a half hour earlier. Henceforth I’ve done what
I can. Osman said that Namık said we shouldn’t come
anymore and he won’t either. With his pessimistic thoughts,
Namık will always lead a sad life. Actually, I had a feeling
he would say this. So the ties of our close friendship are
fraying. There’s no need to decide who’s right and who’s
wrong. According to him I’m wrong and according to me
he’s wrong.
Saturday, 2 December 1933
We took care of the clothing issue in the afternoon and I
ended up giving the difference for an 8-lira garment.
Monday, 4 December 1933
We got up early for the night bath but since it wasn’t open
we went to see the Justice Palace. The entire building
burned. There were a few more fires during the afternoon.
Istanbul is nice, except for the fires.
Tuesday, 5 December 1933
In the afternoon Şemsettin and I went to a fitting but
since the material has been cut yet I’ll have to wait until
tomorrow. I had measurements taken for my raincoat.
Toward evening Namık came and said that he won’t be
at school on Thursday. We got our second inoculations.
Wednesday, 6 December 1933
We had our fittings. Along the road we ran into Suavi,
who said that next Thursday he will go to Europe. In the
evening I wrote a letter to Cemile.
Thursday, 7 December 1933
In the afternoon Mehmed and I went to the Ferruh Cinema.
The films were “Kadın Severs” and “İki Ahbab Çavuşlar”.
I had a good time.
Friday, 8 December 1933
I wrote letters to my father, Behcet and Reşad. I mailed the
letter to Cemile. Namık came in the afternoon and we toured
around until 4 o’clock. God willing, I’ll get a positive
response to my last letter. As I was entering the dormitory, I
saw Hamdi from Tokat and gave him a letter and newspaper
that Mehmed had left for him.
Saturday, 9 December 1933
I bought two Birlik newspapers to send to friends. It rained
quite a bit.
Sunday, 10 December 1933
In the morning when Tevfik came to class he had a pained
expression because he got an inoculation.
Monday, 11 December 1933
We went for the second fitting for our clothes. I got my
raincoat today. I ran into Lütfi and Abdullah along the way.
I sent one Birlik newspaper to Reşad and the other one to
Behcet.
Tuesday, 12 December 1933
It rained until evening. We went to the coffee house for
a while in the afternoon.
Wednesday, 13 December 1933
We got bath money from the school and went to the
Cağaloğlu Bath. After than we went to the coffee house
until 6 o’clock.
Thursday, 14 December 1933
It rained until evening. I wrote a letter to my father and
mailed it. We stayed at the coffee house until 10 o’clock
at night.
Friday, 15 December 1933
Thankfully, I got a letter from my father. We went to Beyoğlu
in the afternoon and coming back we ran into Namık. We had
a long chat. Later we gave 30 kuruş for ‘şapograph’ (copies)
and started to take notes.
Saturday, 16 December 1933
We went to Şark Cinema in the afternoon and saw “Çöl Kızı”.
Monday, 18 December 1933
The letter I’ve been hoping for came and I opened it with
great excitement. But I was greatly disappointed. The lines
that depressed me were these: “Sir, Cemile is not here so
I’m returning your letter. A friend.”
Istanbul 1930s.
Tuesday, 19 December 1933
Wednesday, 20 December 1933
It rained from 9 o’clock on. Then it snowed.
Thursday, 21 December 1933
The weather is cold and it keeps on snowing. In the
afternoon I went to the Helâl Cinema with Tevfik and we
saw "Demir Pençe” and “İki Pençe”, which was really
very good.
Friday, 22 December 1933
The weather is still cold, with the storm and snow continuing.
Saturday, 23 December 1933
It was very stormy and it even snowed.
Monday, 25 December 1933
We went to the cinema in the afternoon. We saw “Cici
Berber” and “Naşit Dolandırıcı” with both Turkish words
and songs. “Cici Berber” was really terrific. I bought
pajamas.
Tuesday, 26 December 1933
afternoon. Later I got my clothes from the tailor. In the
evening I wrote letters to home, to Taci and to Reşad.
Wednesday, 27 December 1933
I mailed the letters at noon time. In the afternoon I wrestled
with the ‘şapograf’ (copy machine). At around 2 o’clock
Suavi came to say goodbye. He is leaving for Berlin at
seven thirty tonight.
Thursday, 28 December 1933
Birliği Cemiyeti (Turkish Student Union Community) about
local goods. The meeting was very lively and enthusiastic.
There were some demands expressed the same day.
Friday, 29 December 1933
I received a letter from my mother and father. In the
afternoon, I went to see the Fenerbahçe-İstanbulspor match
for 50 kuruş. The match was exciting. The crowd was
rambunctious. In the end, Fenerbahçe won with a second-
half goal.
Saturday, 30 December 1933
I sent New Years cards to the Principal and to Hazım Bey
yesterday. In the afternoon we went to the Engineering
School, where we talked with Hayri, Akif, Çerkes Ahmed
and İbrahim. Later we went to see Namık and left him
after chatting for 15 minutes. We celebrated New Years
in the dorm in the evening.
1933 – you are now history.
New Years in Istanbul, 1930s.
1934
January
Monday, 1 January 1934
At one minute past midnight Remzi of Samsun woke me up
and wished me a happy New Year. A little later we checked
on the tickets in Haber newspaper. So far, there’s nothing
about the house nor about our tickets. We didn’t have class
at the faculty in the morning. I got a letter from Taci and
wrote one back to him. I saw mathematics teacher Faik Bey.
Halit and I went up in the Beyazid Tower. The view is
great. But because the wind was so strong we came down
right away. Three of us looked at cadavers in the dissecting
room.
Tuesday, 2 January 1934
The weather is cold. The wind reminds me of Sivas. I’m
getting lost in some memories. In the afternoon we went to
the coffee house. In the evening because of the ‘şapograf’
(copy machine) we didn’t get to bed until 11.
Wednesday, 3 January 1934
In the afternoon I walked around with Taci. In the evening
I read Güzide Sabri’s 198-page “Hüsran”. It’s really a very
good novel.
Thursday, 4 January 1934
“?Saygun? Asabani”, which was pretty bad.
Monday, 8 January 1934
I started reading Selami İzzet’s “Gönül Acısı” yesterday and
finished it today. It’s a very good novel. I saw “Karım Beni
Aldatırsa” at the Milli Cinema. Because there was an excess
of music, it didn’t have literary value.
Saturday, 13 January 1934
I haven’t written in my diary for five days because I’m
depressed. And even now there’s no important thing to write
about. On Thursday, I was in the room when the Tayyare
Piyangosu (lottery) was announced. Of course, I didn’t win.
On Friday, Fenerbahçe lost to Beşiktaş 2-3. I got
congratulatory cards for friends today and mailed them. The
real reason I’m feeling low is that I haven’t got any money
or a letter from my father. I’m right in feeling bad about this.
I haven’t gotten responses to two letters I’ve sent. Then he
didn’t send any money. So I wrote a rather stern letter home.
Let’s see what kind of answer I get. If no response comes I
won’t write again.
Snowy İstiklal Caddesi, Beyoğlu, Istanbul, 1930s.
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