Müfide İlhan
Encyclopedia
Müfide İlhan was a former mayor of Mersin
, Turkey
in the early 1950s. She is known as being the first woman mayor in Turkey
.
. Her father was Mustafa Nazif, an army officer and her mother was Emine, a homemaker. She was only four years of age when her father Nafiz was killed at Conk Bayırı during the Gallipoli campaign in the World War I
. After the war, Mersin was temporarily occupied by French army
. So, she was sent to Ankara
, where she completed her elementary education. After the liberation of İstanbul
, she moved to İstanbul and completed her secondary education in the Kandilli highschool for girls. In 1928 she finished teachers' college.
She married to Dr. Faruk İlhan. The couple worked in various Turkish cities. They also studied at Pestalozzi-Fröbel-Haus Institute in Berlin
, Germany
. In 1937, they returned home only to make one more foreign travel. This time their destination was Kabul
, Afghanistan
, where her husband, now a professor, had got an invitation to teach in the Medicine school of Kabul University
. They travelled to Iraq
, where they sailed from Basra
to Karachi
. In 1945 towards the end of World War II
, the couple decided to return to Turkey. But because of war time hardships and unrest in Karachi, the couple was not able to sail back. So, they returned home by a car over Iran
, which seemed impossible to many people in 1945. In Turkey, they decided to settle in Mersin in 1946, where she began to get interested in politics.
(DP) defeated the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 1950 general elections, thus ended 27-years rule of the CHP, which later on was called as white revolution. Müfide İlhan became the mayor of Mersin as the candidate of DP, and she created sensation both at home and abroad for being the first ever female mayor of Turkey.
İlhan, as most reformists of the day, was against the authoritarian administration of pre-1950 CHP government. However she was not against the ideology of CHP, so called Kemalism. Thus, some early moves of DP government, which seemed to be against Kemalism, disappointed her. For example, it was difficult for her to accept DP government's lift of the ban on Arabic ezan. It was the CHP government, which initiated ezan in Turkish in 1932 instead of in traditional Arabic.
In 1951, after a year of extensive work, she resigned both from the post and the party. She formed a league named League for supporting independent candidates in Mersin. She also published a short lived bulletin named Mücadele (Struggle).
municipality named a public park after her. One of the art galleries of İçel sanat kulübü
(the main art club of Mersin) is also named after her.
Mersin
-Mersin today:Today, Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with Turkey's second tallest skyscraper , huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban...
, 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...
in the early 1950s. She is known as being the first woman mayor in 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...
.
Life
Müfide was born on February 11, 1911 in MersinMersin
-Mersin today:Today, Mersin is a large city spreading out along the coast, with Turkey's second tallest skyscraper , huge hotels, an opera house, expensive real estate near the sea or up in the hills, and many other modern urban...
. Her father was Mustafa Nazif, an army officer and her mother was Emine, a homemaker. She was only four years of age when her father Nafiz was killed at Conk Bayırı during the Gallipoli campaign in 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...
. After the war, Mersin was temporarily occupied by 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...
. So, she was sent to Ankara
Ankara
Ankara is the capital of Turkey and the country's second largest city after Istanbul. The city has a mean elevation of , and as of 2010 the metropolitan area in the entire Ankara Province had a population of 4.4 million....
, where she completed her elementary education. After the liberation of İstanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
, she moved to İstanbul and completed her secondary education in the Kandilli highschool for girls. In 1928 she finished teachers' college.
She married to Dr. Faruk İlhan. The couple worked in various Turkish cities. They also studied at Pestalozzi-Fröbel-Haus Institute in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
. In 1937, they returned home only to make one more foreign travel. This time their destination was Kabul
Kabul
Kabul , spelt Caubul in some classic literatures, is the capital and largest city of Afghanistan. It is also the capital of the Kabul Province, located in the eastern section of Afghanistan...
, Afghanistan
Afghanistan
Afghanistan , officially the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan, is a landlocked country located in the centre of Asia, forming South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. With a population of about 29 million, it has an area of , making it the 42nd most populous and 41st largest nation in the world...
, where her husband, now a professor, had got an invitation to teach in the Medicine school of Kabul University
Kabul University
Kabul University is located in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan. It was founded in 1931 but officially opened for classes in 1932. Kabul University is currently attended by approximately 7,000 students, of which 1,700 are women. As of 2008, Hamidullah Amin is the chancellor of the university...
. They travelled to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
, where they sailed from Basra
Basra
Basra is the capital of Basra Governorate, in southern Iraq near Kuwait and Iran. It had an estimated population of two million as of 2009...
to Karachi
Karachi
Karachi is the largest city, main seaport and the main financial centre of Pakistan, as well as the capital of the province of Sindh. The city has an estimated population of 13 to 15 million, while the total metropolitan area has a population of over 18 million...
. In 1945 towards the end of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, the couple decided to return to Turkey. But because of war time hardships and unrest in Karachi, the couple was not able to sail back. So, they returned home by a car over Iran
Iran
Iran , officially the Islamic Republic of Iran , is a country in Southern and Western Asia. The name "Iran" has been in use natively since the Sassanian era and came into use internationally in 1935, before which the country was known to the Western world as Persia...
, which seemed impossible to many people in 1945. In Turkey, they decided to settle in Mersin in 1946, where she began to get interested in politics.
Political life
The Democrat PartyDemocratic Party (Turkey)
Democratic Party may refer to:* Democratic Party , current party* Democratic Party a historical party * Democratic Party a historical party...
(DP) defeated the Republican People’s Party (CHP) in 1950 general elections, thus ended 27-years rule of the CHP, which later on was called as white revolution. Müfide İlhan became the mayor of Mersin as the candidate of DP, and she created sensation both at home and abroad for being the first ever female mayor of Turkey.
İlhan, as most reformists of the day, was against the authoritarian administration of pre-1950 CHP government. However she was not against the ideology of CHP, so called Kemalism. Thus, some early moves of DP government, which seemed to be against Kemalism, disappointed her. For example, it was difficult for her to accept DP government's lift of the ban on Arabic ezan. It was the CHP government, which initiated ezan in Turkish in 1932 instead of in traditional Arabic.
In 1951, after a year of extensive work, she resigned both from the post and the party. She formed a league named League for supporting independent candidates in Mersin. She also published a short lived bulletin named Mücadele (Struggle).
Other activities
Between 1968 and 1981 she worked as a teacher in Germany for Turkish immigrants. She worked in a number of social associations. In her later years she donated to hospitals and a retirement home in Mersin.As a mother
Müfide had seven children. In 1965 she was elected as the mother of the year by the Turkish association of mothers.Legacy
YenişehirYenişehir (Mersin)
Yenişehir is a municipality and district governorate in Greater Mersin, Turkey. Mersin is one of the 16 metropolitan centers in Turkey with more than one municipality within city borders...
municipality named a public park after her. One of the art galleries of İçel sanat kulübü
İçel sanat kulübü
Art Club of İçel - Activities :*Each year, the club hosts conferences by celebrated academicians from various universities and literary circles of Turkey. It also hosts series of conferences on specific topics such as archaeology, mythology, philosophy etc...
(the main art club of Mersin) is also named after her.