Muhittin Memduh Üstündağ’ın İstanbul Valiliği ve Belediye Reisliği Dönemi (1926-1938)
Songül GüneşMuhittin Memduh Üstündağ, Türkiye Cumhuriyeti’nin ikinci emniyet genel müdürü ve inkılaplar dönemi İstanbul’unu 12 yıl 10 ay boyunca yönetmiş önemli bir bürokrat ve devlet adamıdır. 1926 yılında atandığı İstanbul Şehreminliği vazifesinin yanı sıra 1928 yılında vekâleten İstanbul Valisi olarak görevlendirilmiştir. 1936 yılı itibarıyla Cumhuriyet Halk Partisi’nin İstanbul İl Başkanlığı’nı da uhdesinde bulunduran Üstündağ, Atatürk’ün ölümünden iki hafta sonra emekliye sevk edilmiştir. Bu çalışmada, süreli yayınlar, meclis kararları, akademik eserler ve arşiv belgeleri ışığında Muhittin Memduh Üstündağ’ın İstanbul’u yönettiği dönemdeki faaliyetlerinin incelenmesi amaçlanmaktadır.
Istanbul Governorship and Mayorship Period of Muhittin Memduh Üstündağ (1926-1938)
Songül GüneşMuhittin Memduh Üstündağ was the second Director General of Public Security of the Turkish Republic and an influential bureaucrat and statesman who ruled Istanbul during the reform period for 12 years and 10 months. In addition to his appointment as the Mayor of Istanbul in 1926, he was appointed as the Deputy Governor of Istanbul in 1928. Üstündağ, who also held the Istanbul Provincial Presidency for the Republican People’s Party since 1936 was retired two weeks after Atatürk passed away. This study examines the activities of Muhittin Memduh Üstündağ during the period he ruled Istanbul, in the light of periodicals, parliamentary decisions, academic works, and archival documents.
Muhittin Memduh Üstündağ was born on October 20, 1884 in Chios, one of the territories of the Ottoman Empire. Muhittin Bey, son of an Ottoman governor, received his primary education in Istanbul. His graduation from the Istanbul Civil Service High School in 1902 was followed by another from the faculty of law of the university in 1909. After serving as an assistant prosecutor in Anatolia, he was appointed to the Beyoğlu Arnavutköy Police Center as an officer, between 1913 and 1915. In 1918, he became the Director of the Uskudar Municipality Office. Due to frequent health problems, he was dismissed from his duty after a short time. He was appointed as the Central Trust Inspector in 1919, and he continued this duty until 1923. He was appointed as Director General of the Public Security of the Republic of Turkey in February 15, 1924, after the abolition of the caliphate. He also played a role in driving abroad the last Caliph Abdülmecid Efendi.
Muhittin Bey resigned from his Director General duties in June 1925. Thereafter, he worked as the General Inspector of the Republican People’s Party of Thrace for a short time and was later appointed as the Mayor of Istanbul on January 27, 1926, making him the 49th and last Mayor of Istanbul during his reign, the Mayoralty of Istanbul was nullified and transformed into the Istanbul Municipality with the enactment of the Municipal Law No. 1580. The Law was the first municipal law in the history of the Republic and was implemented in 1930. In 1928, he was appointed the Governor of Istanbul, although he had already been acting by proxy, and so, he served as both the Governor and Mayor of Istanbul between 1930 and 1938. In 1936, governors also assumed the task of Republican People’s Party (RPP) Provincial Presidency of their cities, in line with the decision taken by the ruling Republican People’s Party in the Seventh Congress. Thus, the RPP Istanbul Provincial Presidency became part of his responsibility, in addition to his duties as governor and mayor.
The period which Muhittin Bey had a duty in Istanbul was a period when reconstruction activities were underway after the occupation and war years of the city. The French architect Henry Prost who was invited by Atatürk has prepared the development plan of the city. In 1929, the effects of the global economic crisis also impacted on Istanbul and at a time when the new capital Ankara was being reconstructed, that is, Istanbul faced a serious lack of resources. Important investments such as the reconstruction of the Unkapanı Bridge and its consequent renaming as the Gazi (Atatürk) Bridge, the extension of the Eminönü Square, and implementing the reconstruction plan of Istanbul took a long time. During the reign of Muhittin Bey, the Zincirlikuyu Cemetery was constructed, and electricity was delivered to the Anatolian Sides and the Islands. Many actions, such as putting the Üsküdar-Kadıköy Tram into service, installing the first traffic lights of the city, and consummating the Heybeliada Quay were also implemented during his reign.
The 1930s were also the period of reforms in the history of the Republic. During the term of Muhittin Bey’s mayoralty in 1927, President Atatürk came to Istanbul for the first time after a long hiatus. Atatürk went on to spend a significant part of his time in Istanbul, except for the capital city, Ankara. During these years, he became close friends with Muhittin Bey. Revolutions have largely progressed in Istanbul. Two weeks after the death of Atatürk, however, Muhittin Bey, was dismissed from his position as governor and mayor.
He retired from administrative regulation in 1939, but still served as an Independent Deputy of Istanbul between 1945 and 1946. In 1951, he wrote a letter in Arabic to Adnan Menderes, the prime minister of the time, and demanded an administrative duty. He did not receive any response for this request. He passed away on April 30, 1953.
