Turkism Day

Turkism Day (Turkish: Türkçülük Günü) is celebrated on 3 May since 1945 in memory of the rallies in defense of Nihal Atsız,[1] who was prosecuted for defamation by Sabahattin Ali, whom Atsiz called a Soviet spy in an article he wrote.[2] For the second hearing in his trial against Ali, Atsiz's supporters welcomed him arriving at Ankara train station, where they burned books by Ali and Nâzım Hikmet.[3] The rally was mainly by racists and Turanists who shouted slogans against communists.[2][4] During the trial, they massed in the courtroom, as well in front of the court.[3] They later marched to Ulus Square where they eventually clashed with the police.[3] Following the rally, many participants were arrested and some of them were defendants in the Racism Turanism trial.[5] Reha Oğuz Türkkan, Atsız, Alparslan Türkeş, Nejdet Sançar and others, who were imprisoned in the Tophane Military prison, held a reunion on 3 May 1945 to remember the rallies in support of Atsız. This was the start of a 'Turkism Day' celebration;[6][5] Turkism day is celebrated by the Turkish Hearths,[7] the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) (under the name of Nationalists' Day),[8] the Good Party (İyi Party),[9] also some politicians of the Justice and Development Party (AKP)[10] and other Turkish nationalist organizations. In 1967 the Union of Turkish Nationalists published a book in memory of Turkism day.[11]

Defendants of the Racism-Turanism trials