“An Endless Struggle”: The Founder of the Antalya Newspaper Mehmet Emin and His Opponents (1878-1928)

Abstract

“An Endless Struggle”: The Founder of the Antalya Newspaper Mehmet Emin and His Opponents (1878-1928) In this article, life story of Mehmet Emin, founder of Turkey’s oldest provincial newspaper (Antalya), has been explained in its own historical context, by considering the characteristics of his time and developments that affect his life. Mehmet Emin, the delegate of the Committee of Union and Progress of Antalya, was one of the most important and influential names of Antalya politics since World War I until his death in 1928. Because of the Unionist identity, he carried on many of the characteristics of the Unionists. The controversial and stubborn character, nationalism and idealism were influential on Mehmet Emin’s life. Another happening affecting Mehmet Emin’s life story, was the transformation of Antalya in the period of his strong political influence in the city. Due to this transformation in World War I and National Struggle years, the population structure of the city has changed dramatically, economic resources have been limited, wealth has changed hands and a new class has emerged in the city. In addition to his political identity, this transformation in Antalya caused Mehmet Emin to make lots of enemies in his short life and made him an irreconcilable man of contend. Keywords: Antalya, Mehmet Emin, Antalya newspaper, Italian occupation, local notables, refugees.