Halkevleri

The Halkevleri ( Turkish Folk houses ) was a project funded by the Turkish state-building project 1932-1951, and a citizens ' organizations from 1963 and 1980. Halkevleri The movement is active since 1987. The aim of the People's Houses was to improve the educational situation and the learning of modern European culture at the same time reflecting on the Turkish folk culture.

One of the most famous teachers in the People's houses was the Alevi Âşık Veysel Şatıroğlu.

Scope of the project

The Halkevleri were an Enlightenment project, which was originally addressed to city residents to compensate for material damage and intellectual losses of the First World War and the Turkish War of Independence. It was planned by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Turkish state.

On February 17, 1932 branches of Halkevleri were opened in 17 cities: Adana, Ankara, Bolu, Bursa, Canakkale, Denizli, Diyarbakir, Eskisehir, Istanbul, Izmir, Konya, Malatya and Samsun. Soon, the number rose to 478 Around 1940 villages were also included in the project. The branches in the villages were called Halkodaları ( German People's rooms). Around 1950 exceeded the total number of the 4,000 mark.

Activities

The intent behind the project was to improve the educational situation in Turkey to educate the people in the context of European culture and to limit the influence of neo- Ottoman and neofundamentalist circles. Free courses were offered in the fields of literature, drama, music, Fine Arts, speech technology and writing and the craft and the craft cutter. Folk dances and folk music are also included. The Halkevleri also had 761 libraries and reading rooms.

First Era 1932-1951

The Halkevleri worked 1932-1951 as a state organization and were from the ruling Kemalist Republican People's Party (CHP) provided. After the multi-party period since 1945, the People's houses were severely criticized. After the by opposing Democratic Party won the elections in 1950, the Halkevleri were closed on August 8, 1951 on the orders of Adnan Menderes and confiscated their property.

Second Era 1963-1980

On April 12, 1961, the People's Houses as Türk Kültür Ocaklari opened again, but not as a government organization, but as a civil society. On April 21, 1963 she was again renamed Halkevleri. This second era was in contrast to the 1932-1951 era completely independent of the government. The Halkevleri acted from now on as an umbrella organization of more leftist movements that were relatively influential in front of the Turkish military coup in 1980. Some supported the leftist movement Devrimci Yol, who was also active in many Halkevleri branches. This was one of the main reasons why the People's houses were closed after the military coup in 1980.

Third era since 1987

In 1987, the Halkevleri were opened again. Today the Halkevleri act as an umbrella organization, which campaigns for comprehensive rights including the "right to free education ", the "right to free medical treatment" and the "right to shelter ". The current chairman is the lawyer Oya Ersoy.