Faik Ali Ozansoy

Faik Ali Ozansoy (10 March 1876 – 1 October 1950) was a Turkish politician, poet, and educator. He was the younger brother of Süleyman Nazif, an eminent man of letters and prominent member of the Committee for Union and Progress. Faik Ali was one of the foremost poets and writers of the Servet-i Fünun and Fecr-i Âti literary period. During World War I, Ozansoy served as the governor of Kütahya. Ozansoy is especially known for having saved the lives of thousands of Armenians during the Armenian Genocide. Due to protecting the life of Armenian Christians, Ozansoy was known as the "governor of the infidels" by his contemporaries. On 24 April 2013, the day of remembrance for the Armenian Genocide, various prominent figures of both the Armenian and Turkish community visited his grave to pay tribute.

Faik Ali Ozansoy, who was originally named Mehmet Faik, was born 10 March 1876 in Diyarbakır, Ottoman Empire. He was born into a family that was known for their poetic skill. His father, Saîd Paşa, was a renowned historian of Diyarbakır. His mother, Ayşe Hanim, was a daughter of a prominent member of the Akkoyunlu Turkish tribe. Ozansoy had two sisters and a brother named Süleyman Nazif, who was a famous Turkish poet and politician.

During the Armenian Genocide, Ozansoy served as governor of the Kütahya Province. When orders of deportations reached Ozansoy, he refused to carry them out. His brother, Suleyman Nazif, insisted in a letter that he not "participate in this event, watch out for our family's honor." Meanwhile, while many Armenians were being deported through Kutahya and onto further destinations, Ozansoy protected them and provided shelter. He was then invited to the Istanbul to explain his actions towards the Armenians. Memoirist Stepan Stepanyan describes his encounter with Talaat Pasha:

Talaat asks him why he hasn't deported the Armenians of his town.

He answers that the Armenians of his sandjak have always been faithful Ottomans and that they have always lived with the Turks like brothers.

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