Şükrü Saracoğlu Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Şükrü Saracoğlu
Saracoğlu in 1931

5th Prime Minister of Turkey
In office 9 July 1942 – 7 August 1946
President	İsmet İnönü
Preceded by	Ahmet Fikri Tüzer
Succeeded by	Recep Peker
7th Speaker of the Grand National Assembly
In office 1 November 1948 – 22 May 1950
President	İsmet İnönü
Prime Minister	Hasan Saka Şemsettin Günaltay
Preceded by	Ali Fuat Cebesoy
Succeeded by	Refik Koraltan
Member of the Grand National Assembly
In office 28 June 1923 – 14 May 1950
Constituency	Izmir (1923, 1927, 1931, 1935, 1939, 1943, 1946)

Personal details
Born	Mehmet Şükrü 17 June 1887 Ödemiş, Ottoman Empire
Died	27 December 1953(1953-12-27) (aged 66) Istanbul, Turkey
Political party	Republican People's Party (CHP)
Spouse	Saadet Saracoğlu
Alma mater	Mekteb-i Mülkiye University of Geneva
Signature

Mehmet Şükrü Saracoğlu (1887–1953) was an important Turkish politician. He served as the fifth Prime Minister of Turkey and was also the Minister of Foreign Affairs during the early part of World War II. He helped keep Turkey out of the war by signing a friendship agreement with Germany in 1941. Besides his political roles, he was also the chairman of the famous Turkish sports club Fenerbahçe S.K. for 16 years.

Early Life and Education
Becoming a Leader
Prime Minister and Beyond
A Love for Sports
Later Years
Images for kids
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Early Life and Education

Şükrü Saracoğlu when he was younger

Şükrü Saracoğlu was born in 1887 in a town called Ödemiş, which was then part of the Ottoman Empire. His father was Saraç Mehmet Tevfik Usta. Şükrü went to primary and middle school in Ödemiş. For high school, he attended the well-known İzmir Atatürk Lisesi in İzmir.

After high school, he studied at the School of Civil Service and graduated in 1909. He worked as a mathematics teacher for a while. In 1915, he went to Geneva, Switzerland, to study at the Academy of Political Sciences.

When the Turkish War of Independence began, he returned to Turkey. He joined the fight in the areas of Kuşadası, Aydın, and Nazilli.

Becoming a Leader

Şükrü Saracoğlu began his political journey in 1923. He was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (Turkey's parliament) to represent Izmir. Soon after, he became the Minister of National Education. In this role, he was in charge of schools and learning for the country.

Later, he became the Minister of Finance. This meant he managed Turkey's money and economy. He also traveled to the United States to discuss economic matters. In 1933, he helped solve a big financial problem from the Ottoman Empire's time.

In 1934, a new law in Turkey required everyone to have a surname. Mehmet Şükrü chose "Saracoğlu," which means "son of Saraç," after his father.

Prime Minister and Beyond

Şükrü Saracoğlu became the Minister of Foreign Affairs. This role involved dealing with other countries. During World War II, he worked hard to keep Turkey neutral and out of the fighting. He even spent months in Moscow talking with leaders from the Soviet Union.

In 1942, he was chosen to be the Prime Minister of Turkey. He led the country during a very difficult time. He served as Prime Minister until 1946, when he resigned due to illness. After that, he was elected as the President (Speaker) of the Grand National Assembly in 1948, a position he held until 1950.

A Love for Sports

Beyond his political life, Şükrü Saracoğlu had a great passion for sports. He was the chairman of the famous Turkish football club Fenerbahçe S.K. for 16 years, from 1934 to 1950. This included the time he was Prime Minister! The home stadium of Fenerbahçe, the Şükrü Saracoğlu Stadium, is named after him to honor his contributions.

Later Years

Şükrü Saracoğlu retired from politics in 1950. He was known for speaking both French and English fluently. He was married and had three children. He passed away on December 27, 1953, in Istanbul.