Belemedik
Encyclopedia
Belemedik is small village in Adana Province
, Turkey
. But it was one of the important settlements on Toros Mountains during the early years of the 20th century and especially the World War I
years.
district of Adana Province. It is a secluded mountain village situated at the west bank of Çakıt River ( a tributary of the Seyhan River
) in Toros Mountains. The only means of access to Belemedik is via a road from Pozantı at the north. Distance to Pozantı is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) and to Adana
is 122 kilometres (75.8 mi). The altitute of the village at the river bank is about 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) with respect to sea level.
company within the scope of Berlin-Baghdad Railway, one of the most prestigious transportation projects of the early 20th century. The population of the village increased by the inlux of Turks
as well as the German construction workers. During the seven years of construction 41 Germans died of natural causes and they were buried in Belemedik .
After the World War I Belemedik, like other settlemets around Çukurova
, was occupied by the French army
. The headquarters of the French mountain troops was in Pozantı and nearby Belemedik was used as a site for military hospital. The commander's wife Mme. Mesnil was working as a nurse in the hospital. However, Turkish nationalists
(also called Kemalist) captured Belemedik on 10 April 1920 . On 28 May the rest of the French troops also surrendered during the battle of Karboğazı
. French soldiers including Major and Mme. Mesnil were held captive up to 25 September 1921.
During the rest of the war, the hospital in Belemedik was used by the Turkish nationalists. After the war, Belemedik continued to be a stop on the railroad. But because of the lack of agricultural land and landslips in 1969, the population decreased sharply.
.
word Bilemedik meaning We couldn't guess. During the railway construction, each tunnel was bored by two teams working at the opposite sides of the tunnel. The teams were required to meet at the mid point. When for any reason, one team failed to accomplish the task, the excuse was the word bilemedik and in German pronounciation it became belemedik.
Adana Province
Adana Province is a province of Turkey located in south-central Anatolia. With a population of 2,085,225, it is the fifth most populous province in Turkey. The administrative seat of the province is the city of Adana, home to 78% of the residents of the province...
, Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
. But it was one of the important settlements on Toros Mountains during the early years of the 20th century and especially the World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
years.
Geography
Belemedik at 37°21′N 34°54′E is in PozantıPozanti
Pozantı is a small city and a large district in Adana Province of Turkey, on the main road from the city of Adana up across the Taurus Mountains. Pozantı stands in the foothills, at the bottom of a rare pass through these high mountains...
district of Adana Province. It is a secluded mountain village situated at the west bank of Çakıt River ( a tributary of the Seyhan River
Seyhan River
The Seyhan River is the longest river in Turkey that is flowing into Mediterranean Sea. The river is 560 km and flows southwest from its headwaters in the Tahtalı-Mountains in Anti-Taurus Mountains to the Mediterranean Sea via a broad delta...
) in Toros Mountains. The only means of access to Belemedik is via a road from Pozantı at the north. Distance to Pozantı is 12 kilometres (7.5 mi) and to Adana
Adana
Adana is a city in southern Turkey and a major agricultural and commercial center. The city is situated on the Seyhan River, 30 kilometres inland from the Mediterranean, in south-central Anatolia...
is 122 kilometres (75.8 mi). The altitute of the village at the river bank is about 700 metres (2,296.6 ft) with respect to sea level.
History
In the early years of the 20th century, the population of the village was of Turkmen origin, also called Tahtacı (tahta means wood), referring to their employment in forestry. In 1907 Belemedik became the center of railroad construction activities of the Philipp HolzmannPhilipp Holzmann
Philipp Holzmann AG was a German construction company based in Frankfurt am Main.The company was founded in 1849 by Johann Philipp Holzmann at Sprendlingen in present-day Dreieich near Frankfurt am Main as Philipp Holzmann & Cie...
company within the scope of Berlin-Baghdad Railway, one of the most prestigious transportation projects of the early 20th century. The population of the village increased by the inlux of Turks
Turkish people
Turkish people, also known as the "Turks" , are an ethnic group primarily living in Turkey and in the former lands of the Ottoman Empire where Turkish minorities had been established in Bulgaria, Cyprus, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Greece, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Romania...
as well as the German construction workers. During the seven years of construction 41 Germans died of natural causes and they were buried in Belemedik .
After the World War I Belemedik, like other settlemets around Çukurova
Çukurova
Çukurova , historically known as Cilicia, is a geographic, economic and cultural region in south-central Turkey, covering the provinces of Mersin, Adana, Osmaniye and Hatay...
, was occupied by the French army
French Army
The French Army, officially the Armée de Terre , is the land-based and largest component of the French Armed Forces.As of 2010, the army employs 123,100 regulars, 18,350 part-time reservists and 7,700 Legionnaires. All soldiers are professionals, following the suspension of conscription, voted in...
. The headquarters of the French mountain troops was in Pozantı and nearby Belemedik was used as a site for military hospital. The commander's wife Mme. Mesnil was working as a nurse in the hospital. However, Turkish nationalists
Turkish National Movement
The Turkish National Movement encompasses the political and military activities of the Turkish revolutionaries which resulted in the creation and shaping of the Republic of Turkey, as a consequence of the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I....
(also called Kemalist) captured Belemedik on 10 April 1920 . On 28 May the rest of the French troops also surrendered during the battle of Karboğazı
Battle of Karboğazı
Battle of Karboğazı was a clash between Turkish nationalists and the French battalion on Toros Mountains during the Turkish war of independence. - Background :...
. French soldiers including Major and Mme. Mesnil were held captive up to 25 September 1921.
During the rest of the war, the hospital in Belemedik was used by the Turkish nationalists. After the war, Belemedik continued to be a stop on the railroad. But because of the lack of agricultural land and landslips in 1969, the population decreased sharply.
Present day Belemedik
The population of the village is only 54 . The few people still staying in Belemedik are retired people. Although the few residents enjoy a picturesque scenery and clean air, because of the lack of dwellings, Belemedik is not considered as a yayla (resort)Yayla (resort)
Yayla is a name given to the summer mountain resorts in Turkey.- Etymology :Nomadic herdsmen of Turkic origin used to call their herding locations by different names depending on the season. Yazlak, yaylak, güzlek and kışlak referred to herding locations of different seasons of the year...
.
Triva
According to one source the name of the village is the corrupt form of the TurkishTurkish language
Turkish is a language spoken as a native language by over 83 million people worldwide, making it the most commonly spoken of the Turkic languages. Its speakers are located predominantly in Turkey and Northern Cyprus with smaller groups in Iraq, Greece, Bulgaria, the Republic of Macedonia, Kosovo,...
word Bilemedik meaning We couldn't guess. During the railway construction, each tunnel was bored by two teams working at the opposite sides of the tunnel. The teams were required to meet at the mid point. When for any reason, one team failed to accomplish the task, the excuse was the word bilemedik and in German pronounciation it became belemedik.