Ahmet Şükrü Esmer

Political historian and journalist (B. 1893, Lefkoşa/Cyprus – D. 19^th January 1982, An­kara). His father is Mehmet Arif, a merchant from Lefkoşa. He completed his primary education in Primary School of Lefkoşa, his secondary education in English High School of Lefkoşa and Cyprus High School. He spent his childhood and youth in a period of political instabilities which prepared the decay of the Ottoman Empire. Meanwhile his father published a weekly newspaper called “Sünuhat” which meant “things which come to one’s mind” and Ahmet Şükrü obtained his first passion about journalism from his father. After graduating from high school he came to Istanbul and entered School of Law in the University of Istanbul. While he was studying there, he won a state scholarship and went to USA. He studied political history and law in Columbia University, New York. He completed his master’s program in the field of law and his PhD in the field of international law and political history. Meanwhile he attended some courses at School of Journalism. During these years the 1^st World War did not finish yet, so he could not return home. He published a weekly newspaper called “Saday-ı Vatan” in New York which is the first newspaper published in USA in Turkish language.

One of his friends with whom he went to USA was the famous journalist Ahmet Emin Yalman. This established a faithful friendship among them. This friendship was a process which led them to be put on trial in Eastern Independence Court together. Ahmet Şükrü gave lectures of English and history at Galatasaray High School starting from 1921 when he returned from USA to Turkey. In the same time he was one of the editors of “Vakit” newspaper. Later he published “Vatan” newspaper with some of his friends, including Ahmet Emin Yalman. Upon the victory of Independence War he followed up Mudanya and Lausanne Conferences as a journalist. Although he did not have any fault during the 1925 Şeyh Sait Revolt, according to Ahmet Emin Yalman, he was arrested and put on trial because of being a partner of “Vatan” newspaper.

After the incident of Eastern Independence Court he returned to Istanbul and published a weekly illustrated magazine with his friends. After this, Esmer started to publish “Milliyet” newspaper in 1926. First he worked as editor of this newspaper and later as chief editor. While he was publishing “Milliyet” he became professor of political history in Ankara University, Faculty of Political Science. He continued to give this lecture in War Academy and High School of Economy and Commerce.

Esmer participated to the conference in Bucharest, organized because of the foundation of Balkan Union of Journalists in 1935, on behalf of Turkish press. On the 27^th of October 1936 School of Political Sciences was transferred to Ankara and he also settled to Ankara. Thus, Esmer’s Ankara years which would last until his death started. Later, he was assigned to Professorship of Political History at Ankara University, Faculty of Political Science. Aside from this duty, he started to write articles on foreign policy in “Ulus” newspaper.

Ahmet Şükrü Esmer was elected PM from Istanbul in 1939 and entered the Parliament. Before becoming a Parliament Member he married Güzin Hanım. On the 30^th of October 1941 he preferred Parliament Membership and left the university, as other professor PMs did. In general elections of 1943 he became a Parliament Member again. He joined San Francisco Conference which established the United Nations in 1945 as consultant of Turkish delegation. In 1946 when the first multi-party-election was realized he had to leave Parliament Membership. He went to New York to establish the News Office in 1948. In 1949 he was assigned to Directorate of Press and returned to Ankara. In 1954 he returned to his duty in the Faculty of Political Science as Professor of Political History and retired in 1969 from there. However, he continued his journalism career throughout his life and continued writing on foreign policy after the “Ulus” newspaper passed into other hands and was renamed as “Barış”. In the words of one of his friends, he did not say “I am retired; I shall retreat from active life”. Even on on the 19^th of January 1982 when he died his article of that day was published in the newspaper.

Ahmet Şükrü Esmer not only published articles on foreign policy, political history, but also numerous researches, analysis writings and travel notes, especially in “Milliyet”, “Ulus” and “Barış” newspapers. Aside from his books “Siyasi Tarih” (published in 1944) and “Siyasi Tarih: 1919-1939” (published in 1953), he also owns Turkish and English books and scientific articles.

MAIN WORKS:

Siyasi Tarih (1933), Otomobil ile 9000 Kilometre (1934),  Siyasi Tarih: 1919-1939 (1953), Hindistan’da Gör­düklerimiz (1953),  Cyprus Past and Present (Milletlerarası Münasebetler Türk Yıllığı, 1962), Turkey and her Neigh­bors (1963),  A political Review (1963), İkinci Dünya Savaşı’nda Türk Dış Politikası (Olaylarla Türk Dış Politikası: 1919-1965, with Prof. Dr. Oral Sander 1969).  

REFERENCE: İbrahim Alaeddin Gövsa /  Türk Meşhurları (1946),  Büyük Larousse Ansiklopedisi (c. 6,  s. 3820, 1986), İhsan Işık / Türkiye Yazarlar Ansiklopedisi (2001, 2004) - Resimli ve Metin Örnekli Türkiye Edebiyatçılar ve Kültür Adamları Ansiklopedisi (2006, gen. 2. bas. 2007) – Ünlü Bilim Adamları (Türkiye Ünlüleri Ansiklopedisi, C. 2, 2013) - Encyclopedia of Turkey’s Famous People (2013), Işıl Arapçı / Yüksek Lisans Tezi (Malatya İnönü Üniversitesi, 2005).