Politician, writer. (B. 1902, Rize
– D. November 18, 1983, Berlin). He worked as an engine machinist in Istanbul
where he migrated with his family as a child; when Istanbul was occupied by
Entente, he participated in several demonstrations between 1918 and 1922. He
joined the illegal Turkish Communist Party in 1922; and was sent to Soviet
Union by the party in order to receive training. He was trained in Eastern
Proletariat People University (KTUV) for 3 years. After returning to Turkey in
1925, he organized the workers in Adana. He helped 1927 Adana Railroads
Workers’ strike to be implemented. He was arrested in 1929 Izmir TKP Arrests;
he was put on trial and sentenced. He was released in 1933 with the Repentance
Law for the 10th year of Republic and went to Moscow. He never
returned to his homeland until his death.
He was the key person for the
relations between the Turkish Communist Party and Comintern and Soviet Union.
In 1960s, he and Zeki Baştımar have carried the party headquarters to East
Germany. After the death of Baştımar in 1973, he became the general secretary
of the party, which is the highest rank. After March 12 military interventions;
he provided the participation of many people to TKP both within and outside the
country, thereby strengthening it. He played a very important at the
participation of new generations to the political party and reproducing the
party tradition through this generation. With the 5th Party Congress
in 1983, he quit being the general secretary of the party, and became the
symbolic-functioning party president. He died a couple days after this
congress.
WORKS:
İstanbul
Hemşerileri (1999), Savaş Yolu /
Üstüngel’den Notlar (Preface: Nazım
Hikmet, Rıza Yörükoğlu, 1999), TKP MK Genel Sekreteri Kısa Biyografi (2004),
İhsan Işık (TEKAA, 2009).
