First Victory of The National Struggle: The National Struggle and Heroism of Marash
Anatolia was invaded by the Allied Powers after the signing of the Armistice of Mudros. Marash was also invaded by the British towards the end of 1918. The Armenians who had been relocated prior to this started to return to their homelands after the announcement of the ‘Decree of Return’. This could have caused some tension; however, the British did not let these tensions arise by not interfering with the lives of the locals. The British Invasion lasted for approximately eight months after which the French took over the city. The French Army was financed by Agop Hirlakian who was the richest person of the city. Hirlakian, who was a catholic, also served as a representative of Marash in the Ottoman Parliament after the 1914 elections. The people of Marash formed a national defense community and got organized. This was pioneered by people such as Evliya Efendi and Aslan Beg. Preparations were made to save all the neighborhoods of Marash. The people of Marash refused to practice Friday’s prayers when the city was under invasion and defended the city against the French and the Armenians wearing French uniforms. As a result, a war broke out which continued for 22 days and 22 nights. The people of Marash heroically defended the city. The French and the Armenians were much better equipped, and also had the numbers and psychological advantage; however, the determination of the people of Marash prevailed. The victory of Marash was honored by the Turkish Parliament and Marash was given the ‘Medal of Liberty’. The ‘Heroism’ title was given to Marash in 1973. However, it is clear that this title had in fact been given to Marash long before, and this will be discussed in the papers. In this study, the national struggle and the liberation of Marash will be examined. The fact that the determination of the people of Marash increased the moral of the Turkish nation and increased the courage of the people to save the whole of Anatolia will be examined. The main bibliography will consist of documents from the Archive of the Turkish Parliament, Republic Archives and Military Archives as well as the memoirs of the people who served in the national struggle of Marash.
Milli Mücadelenin İlk Zaferi: Maraş Millî Mücadelesi ve Maraş’ın Kahramanlığı
Mondros Mütarekesi’nin imzalanmasından sonra Anadolu İtilaf Devletleri tarafından işgal edildi. Maraş da 1918 yılı sonlarında İngiliz işgaline uğradı. Daha önce tehcir edilen Ermeniler mütarekenin imzalanmasından hemen sonra çıkarılan “Geri Dönüş Kararnamesi”yle memleketlerine dönmeye başladılar. Bu bazı gerginliklerin çıkmasına sebep olabilirdi. Ancak İngilizler, şehri işgal ettikten sonra yerli halkın yaşantısına müdahale etmemeye özen göstermek suretiyle huzursuzluk çıkmasına fırsat vermedi. Maraş’taki İngiliz işgali sekiz ay kadar devam etti ve onların yerini Fransızlar aldı. Fransız ordusu, şehrin en zengin kişisi olan Agop Hırlakyan tarafından finanse edildi. Katolik mezhebine mensup olan Hırlakyan, aynı zamanda 1914 seçimlerinden sonra Osmanlı Mebusan Meclisi’nde Maraş mebusu olarak yapmıştı. Maraş halkı, Müdafaa-i Milliye Cemiyeti kurup örgütlendi. Bu örgütlenme; Evliya Efendi, Aslan Bey gibi isimlerin önderliğinde gerçekleştirildi. Maraş’taki mahallelerin tamamında işgalden kurtulmak için hazırlık yapıldı. Maraşlılar, düşman işgali altında Cuma namazı kılmayı ret ederek Fransızlara ve Fransız üniforması giymiş Ermenilere karşı şehri müdafaa etti. Bunun sonucunda Maraş’ta 22 gün 22 gece süren savaş başladı. Maraşlılar şehri kahramanca savundular. Silah ve kuvvet olarak Fransız ve Ermeniler Maraş halkından daha iyiydi. Psikolojik üstünlük de onlardaydı. Ancak bu üstünlük Maraş halkının kararlılığı karşısında başarılı olmayı sağlayamadı. Maraş halkının elde ettiği başarı TBMM tarafından onurlandırıldı. Maraş’a “İstiklal Madalyası” verildi. Maraş’a “Kahramanlık” unvanı 1973 yılında verildi. Ancak Maraş’a bu unvanın verilmesi için çok daha önce çalışmalar yapıldığı, ancak kanun taslağının onaylanmadığı tespit edilmiştir. Bu çalışmada; Maraş milli mücadelesi ve Maraş’ın düşman işgalinden kurtuluşu incelenecektir. Maraş halkının milli mücadelede gösterdiği kararlılığın, Türk milletinin moralini yükseltmesi ve Anadolu’nun tamamının düşman işgalinden kurtarılması için milletin cesaretini artırması ele alınacaktır. Çalışmada; Cumhurbaşkanlığı Osmanlı Arşivi, Cumhuriyet Arşivi ve ATASE Arşivi’nden elde edilen belgelerle Maraş milli mücadelesinde görev almış kişilerin anıları kaynak olarak kullanılacaktır.
After World War I, the Armistice of Mudros was signed between the Ottoman Empire and the Allied Powers. This deal, often criticized for being too harsh, had granted the Allies to occupy and seize any strategic points in case of a threat to the Allied security (via its 7th Stipulation), and the right to demobilize the Ottoman Army. However, incursion by the Allies into Anatolia in the name of restoring order without any casus belli soon followed.
Marash was occupied by the British Forces in November 1919. During this time, Armenians who were deported from Marash in 1915/1916 were on their way back to the city. The British Administration decided to settle these Armenians in some neighborhoods or villages which were not traditionally inhabited by the Armenian Communities. This led to mutinies between the Armenian and Turkish communities within the city. After 8 months, the British handed over Marash to the French.
Marash housed a considerable amount of Armenian Catholics. When the French, who had seen themselves as the sole protector of the Catholic world for centuries, seized the city, the Armenian Community was quite satisfied with the developments, and welcomed the French in a very hospitable manner. In return, the French Army militarized the Armenian Community of Marash by leasing them weapons and building protected headquarters for their use. This move only resulted in increased tension between the Muslims and the Armenian minority
In contrast, the Muslim Community did not have sufficient materials with which to fight. Seeing the Armenian preparations and witnessing the arrests of their leaders by the French Army, the Muslims also started to prepare for a clash which was inevitable. Muslim leaders, Dr. Mustapha, his brother Pharmacist Lutfi, Kadızada Hacı Hasan Efendi, his son Mehmet Ziya, Katipzada Mehmet, Vehbizade Hasıp, Kocabashzade Omar, Mustapha and Nazim, who wanted to merge the Muslim response to the French occupation under a single banner, created the “Marash National Struggle Committee” on October 28th, 1919 in Albistan, Marash. These individuals tried to gather much needed weapons and ammunition. Ali Rıza Begh and his friends founded a resistance organization led by a board of directors.
The Committee of Representation, which governed from Sivas, incorporated Marash into its sphere of influence. The leader of the Committee of Representation, Mustapha Kemal Pascha, elected Kilic Ali to mount an organized defense of the city. Kilic Ali selected 3 wellknown locals form both Marash and Aintab as his companions. Arslan Begh, Evliya Efendi and Hafız Ali Efendi were selected from Marash, and Sadik Efendi, Kazim Efendi and Mulazim Mustapha Efendi were selected from Aintab. Kilic Ali, who quickly organized the forces of Marash and Aintab, carefully planned the defence of Marash and Aintab in consultation with the Beghs and Efendis mentioned earlier.
Captain Kilic Ali Begh, Leader of the Atmali Tribe’s Yakup Hamdi and Memik Agha would take up positions in Pazarcik. Their main duty was to cut off French supply bands and reinforcements which would be sent to Marash from Aintab immediately after the beginning of the clashes. Captain Yoruk Selim would be deployed in Goksun with Pharmacist Lutfi Bey. Major Ali Begh and Nakipzada Mehmet Begh would be responsible for the communications with the Committee of Representation for additional troops. Arslan Begh was selected to the Marash National Struggle Committee as the president with Kirmaci Hadji Efendi being his deputy. They would separate Marash into 10 zones and take up commanding duties during the struggle.
On January 20th, French soldiers lowered the Turkish Flag and replaced it with the French Flag. This move was not accepted by the exasperated Muslim Community and resulted in skirmishes between the Turks and the Occupiers. For 22 days and 22 nights they clashed in the streets of Marash. Turkish casualties numbered around 200 martyrs and hundreds if not thousands of veterans. General Querette, commander of the French Occupation Force, retreated from Marash on the night of February 11th and was soon followed by his forces and Armenian collaborators.
The victory at Marash created a spark which would turn into a fire when it also saved Aintab, Urfa and Adana from occupation and this fire would save a nation from its annihilation. TBMM (Grand Assembly of Turkey) awarded Marash with the Independence Medal (İstiklâl Madalyası) in 1925 and would add the word “hero” into its name as a title in 1973, hence the name Kahramanmarash.
