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Hikmet KivilcimliTurkish communist, writer and translator, founder of the Rodina Party
Date of Birth: 01.01.1902
Country:  Turkey |
Content:
- Early Life and Political Involvement
- Imprisonment and Literary Contributions
- Further Imprisonment and Trial
- Founding of the Homeland Party
- Last Years and Legacy
Early Life and Political Involvement
In the early 20th century, a young Turkish medical student named Hikmet Kıvılcımlı emerged as a staunch communist. Born in the Ottoman Empire, Kıvılcımlı enrolled in the Military Medical School in Istanbul, where he began to embrace leftist ideologies.
Imprisonment and Literary Contributions
In 1925, Kıvılcımlı joined the illegal Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) and was soon elected to its Central Committee. However, his political activism landed him in prison in 1925 and 1929, during which time he penned numerous theoretical articles and translated works by Karl Marx.
Upon his release in 1932, Kıvılcımlı founded a publishing house to disseminate Marxist literature, including his translations published in a series called "Marksizm Bibliyoteği" (Marxism Library).
Further Imprisonment and Trial
In 1938, Kıvılcımlı's works were discovered at a military academy, leading to his arrest and a 15-year prison sentence alongside renowned poet Nazım Hikmet. Throughout his life, Kıvılcımlı faced a series of arrests and imprisonments (1925, 1927, 1929, 1934, 1938-1950), amounting to nearly two decades behind bars.
Founding of the Homeland Party
In the 1950s, Kıvılcımlı criticized the TKP for its passive stance and established a new party in 1954: the Homeland Party. This party was banned in 1958.
Last Years and Legacy
Following a military coup in 1960, Kıvılcımlı founded the newspaper "Sosyalist" (Socialist) and sought to unite all revolutionary forces. After another coup in 1971, he fled into exile to avoid persecution, traveling through Cyprus and Syria before settling in Yugoslavia. In 1971, Kıvılcımlı succumbed to cancer in Belgrade.
As a prolific writer, translator, and unwavering communist, Hikmet Kıvılcımlı left behind a rich literary and political legacy that continues to inspire those seeking social justice and equality.
