Saffet Arıkan (1888 – 24 November 1946) was a Turkish politician and former government minister.

Saffet Arıkan
Minister of National Education
In office
16 June 1935 – 28 December 1938
Preceded byZeynel Abiddin Özmen
Succeeded byHasan Âli Yücel
Minister of National Defense
In office
5 April 1940 – 12 November 1941
Preceded byNaci Tınaz
Succeeded byAli Rıza Artunkal
Personal details
Born1888
Erzincan
Died24 November 1946
Istanbul, Turkey
NationalityTurkish
Political partyRepublican People's Party (CHP)
Alma materMilitary academy
OccupationPolitician

Biography

edit

He was born in Erzincan, Ottoman Empire. In 1910 he graduated from the Military Academy. After a brief service in Yemen, he was appointed to an office work in Istanbul. In 1915 he fought in the Battle of Gully Ravine (Kerevizdere) during the Dardanelles Campaign. Later he also served in the Mesopotamia. After the Ottoman Empire was defeated in World War I, he joined the nationalists in the Turkish War of Independence. He served briefly as the military attache of the newly founded Turkey in Moscow.

Beginning by 8 August 1923, he was elected as an MP in the 2nd Parliament of Turkey. He was reelected in the following terms. In the 8th, 9th and the 10th government of Turkey he was the Minister of Education and in the 12th government of Turkey he was the Minister National Defence. Between 1942 and 1944 he was the Turkish ambassador to Germany.[1]

He is known as one of the pioneers of the Village Institutes.[2] Although the project began after his term in the Ministry of Education, another project called "village trainer" (Turkish:köy eğitmeni) which was the predecessor of the village institutes began in 1936 during his term in the office.

He is also known as proposing the surname Atatürk to Turkish national leader Mustafa Kemal.[3]

Arıkan committed suicide on 27 November 1946 in Istanbul.[4]

References

edit
  1. ^ "Saffet Arıkan Biyografi.info. #124; Biography page" (in Turkish). biyografi.info. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  2. ^ "Köy Enstitüleri | Köy Enstitüsü | Village ınstitute page" (in Turkish). koyenstitusu.com. Retrieved 16 December 2016.
  3. ^ "Bütün Dünya".
  4. ^ Türkiye'nin 75 Yılı, Tempo Yayıncılık, İstanbul, 1998 p.100
Political offices
Preceded by Minister of National Education
16 June 1935 – 28 December 1938
Succeeded by
Preceded by Minister of National Defence
5 April 1940 – 12 November 1941
Succeeded by