Fakir Baykurt
| Fakir Baykurt | |
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Fakir Baykurt
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| Born | Tahir Baykurt June 15, 1929 Yeşilova, Burdur, Turkey |
| Died | October 11, 1999 (aged 70) Essen, Germany |
| Occupation | Poet, novelist and trade unionist |
| Nationality | Turkish |
Fakir Baykurt or born Tahir Baykurt (15 June 1929 - 11 October 1999) was Turkish author and trade unionist.
Fakir Baykurt was born Tahir on 15 June 1929, son of Elif and Veli Baykurt, in Akçaköy which is a district of Burdur, Turkey. His birth date is not known accurately however he pointed out that he was born in middle of June, 1929 by his mothers memoirs. His family gave him name of his uncle Tahir who died in battle. Tahir enrolled at Akçaköy Primary School in 1936 and lost his father just two years later. After his father's death, Tahir moved to Burhaniye, Bursa by aid of his uncle Osman Erdoğuş in purpose of earning money by textile works. During World War II, his uncle Osman joined Turkish army and that event helps Tahir to continue his education freely. 1942 was a year Tahir began to writing poems when he was deeply malaria ill.
After graduation from primary school, he enrolled at a village institute in Gönen, Isparta. During institute daygs, he focused on poetry and had a chance to read many books. On village institutes, he said: "Village Institute was huge chance for me. I was not able to enter any high school after graduation from primary school, my family couldn't afford. Village institutes were attracting students in the villages who have own wish for high education like me." In these years, Tahir read poems of Nazım Hikmet, a leftist poet and novelist who is under arrest at that time, he had to read most of these poems in privacy due to political pressure on communists in Turkey.
His first published poem Fesleğen Kokulum (My Basil-Scented) took place in a local journal Türke Doğru. In 1947, Tahir used Fakir Baykurt as pen name first time, his pen name Fakir is known more than his real name Tahir among Turkish literature society. One year later Fakir graduated from village institute and he was assigned to Kavacık Village, which is near by Fakir's native hometown, as teacher. During his career, he met poets and authors several times. In 1951 he married Muzaffer, he was appointed to Dereköy and his home was investigated under prosecution process. Two years later Fakir entered Turkish Literature Department of Gazi Faculty of Education. Fakir is judged next year due to some of his writings in Gayret journal. In 1955 he graduated from Gazi Faculty of Education, his first book Çilli (Freckled Face) was published. In 1957 he was conscripted, his daughter Işık was born, a year later, Fakir won Yunus Nadi Novel Award by his first published novel Yılanların Öcü (Revenge of the Snakes). However he and committee of the Yunus Nadi Award were prosecuted due to this decision. After this prosecution, Fakir began writing for Cumhuriyet which is a secular and republican Turkish daily newspaper. Fakir was unseated by virtue of his articles in Cumhuriyet, after removal of authoritarian Democrat Party by succeeded coup d'état, Fakir had chance to get back on task; he was assigned to Education Inspector of Primary Schools in Ankara and his book Efkar Tepesi (Hill of Pensiveness) was published.
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