Mehmet Önder

Poet and writer (b.1 March 1926, Karkın Town / Konya – d.  23 August 2004).  He attended primary and secondary school in Konya (1944). After he finished Ankara University, Faculty of Language, History and Geography, Department of Art History (1949), he studied to be a specialist museum curator in France.  He worked as an assistant at Konya Mevlana Museum (1950-53), as Director of Konya Mevlana Museum (1954-63), as General Director of Museums and Ancient Works of Art (1964-67), as the Permanent Undersecretary of Culture at the Ministry of National Education (1968-71), as the Permanent Undersecretary of Culture at the Prime Ministry (1971-76), as Permanent Undersecretary of Culture at the Ministry of Culture (1972-73) and as a culture consultant at Bonn Embassy (1977-83). After he retired, he worked as a culture consultant at the İş Bank (1987-2004).

His first articles were published in the journal Konya Halkevi in 1945 and in various literature journals and especially in the newspaper Tercuman in the following years. He wrote poems at first and then he turned to research on cultural subjects. He received about 30 awards and token of appreciation in Turkey and abroad, also from the Presidents of Germany and Pakistan. Apart from being a member of more than 10 clubs and associations, he is also a founding member of the Atatürk Culture, Language and History Higher Institute.  Related to his area of study, he gave communiqués and participated in congresses and seminars in Turkey and abroad.

WORKS:

POETRY: Köyün Bağrından (From the Heart of the village / 1947), Zafer Yolunda (On the Victory Road, 1947), Mevsim Sonu (End of Season, 1949).

RESEARCH: Seyahatnameler (Travel Books, 1948), Konya Basın Tarihi (Konya Press History, 1949), Konya Maarif Tarihi (Konya Education History, 1952), Millî Mücadelede Konya (Konya in the National Independence War, 1953), Mevlânâ Şehri Konya (City of Mevlana-Konya, 1955), Gönüller Sultanı Mevlânâ (Mevlana, Sultan of the Heart, 1958), Aydınlık Kapı Şemsi Tebrizî (The Door to Clarity, Şemsi Tebrizi, 1963), Mevlânâ Bibliyografyası (Bibliography of Mevlana, 2 books, 1973, 74), Efsane ve Hikâyeleriyle Anadolu Şehir Adları (Anatolian City Names with Legends and Stories, 1969), Güldüren Gerçek Nasreddin Hoca (The Real Nasreddin Hoca, Making People Laugh, 1971), Anadolu Efsaneleri (Anatolian Legends, 1966), Anadolu Fetih Destanları (Anatolian Conquest Epics, 1970), Şehirden Şehire (From City to City, 3 books, 1972), Anadolu'yu Aydınlatanlar (People Illuminating Anatolia, 2 books, 1974), Atatürk'ün Yurt Gezileri (Atatürk’s Homeland Journeys, 1975), Aldı Sözü Anadolu (Anatolia Took the Word, 1976), Atatürk Evleri Atatürk Müzeleri (Atatürk’s Homes and Atatürk Museums, 1970), Türkiye Müzeleri (Museums in Turkey, in Turkish and English, 1977), Yurtdışı Müzelerinde Türk Eserleri (Turkish Works in Foreign Museums, 1984), Eski Eserler Ansiklopedisi (Encyclopedia of Ancient Works of Art, 1987), İzmir Yollarında Atatürk (Atatürk on the Roads of İzmir, 1989), Antika ve Eski Eserler Klavuzu (Guide to Antique and Ancient Works of Art, 1995), Şehirden Şehire Anadolu (Anatolia from City to City, 1995), Şaheserler Konuştukça (As Masterpieces Speak, 1996).

His anthologies and translations were also published.