Aziz Nesin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Aziz Nesin
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| Born |
Mehmet Nusret
20 December 1915 |
| Died | 6 July 1995 (aged 79) Alaçatı, Çeşme, Turkey
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| Nationality | Turkish |
| Occupation | Writer and humorist |
| Years active | 1945–95 |
| Spouse(s) | Vedia Nesin (m. 1939–48) Meral Çelen (m. 1956–67) |
| Children | Oya Nesin Ali Nesin Ateş Nesin Ahmet Nesin |
Aziz Nesin (born Mehmet Nusret, 20 December 1915 – 6 July 1995) was a famous Turkish writer and humorist. He wrote more than 100 books. When he was born, people in Turkey didn't have official last names. After a law was passed in 1934, he chose the surname "Nesin." In Turkish, "Nesin?" means "What are you?".
Contents
About His Names
Aziz Nesin often used the name "Aziz Nesin." "Aziz" was actually his father's nickname. He started using it as a pseudonym, which is a fake name a writer uses. He wrote under more than fifty different pen names. For example, he used "Vedia Nesin," which was his first wife's name, for love poems.
His Life Story
Aziz Nesin was born in 1915 on Heybeliada, one of the Princes' Islands near Istanbul. This was during the time of the Ottoman Empire.
After working as an officer in the military for some years, he became an editor. He worked on magazines that used humor and satire to talk about social issues. He believed in fairness for all people. Because of his strong opinions, he was sometimes put in jail or watched by the government.
Nesin wrote stories that showed how unfair things could be for ordinary people. He often made fun of strict rules and showed when people didn't have equal chances. His stories mixed local details with ideas that everyone could understand.
He won many awards in Turkey and other countries like Italy and Bulgaria. His books have been translated into over thirty languages. Later in his life, he was one of the few Turkish authors who could live only from the money he earned from his books.
In 1956, he married Meral Çelen, who also worked at the Akbaba magazine.
Nesin Foundation
In 1972, Aziz Nesin started the Nesin Foundation in Catalca. This foundation helps children who are poor or don't have a home. Each year, it takes in four children and provides them with everything they need. This includes a place to live, education, and training, from elementary school until they finish high school or learn a skill.
Aziz Nesin gave all the rights to his books and other works to the Nesin Foundation. This means that any money earned from his books, plays, films, or TV shows goes to help the children at the foundation.
Standing Up for Writers
Aziz Nesin was also very active in politics. After a military takeover in Turkey in 1980, many writers and thinkers faced difficulties. Aziz Nesin led a group of intellectuals who spoke out against the military government. They wrote a special letter called the "Petition of Intellectuals" to express their views.
He was also the president of the Turkish Writers' Union twice. He held this role from 1975 to 1980, and again from 1987 to 1989. He worked hard to protect the rights of writers.
Later Years and Challenges
In his later years, Aziz Nesin spoke out against religious extremism. In the early 1990s, he started translating a book called The Satanic Verses by Salman Rushdie. This book was very controversial and made some religious groups in Turkey very angry.
On July 2, 1993, Aziz Nesin was at a cultural festival in the city of Sivas. A large group of angry people gathered around the hotel where the festival guests were staying. After many hours, they set the hotel on fire. Firetrucks eventually got close enough for Aziz Nesin and many others to escape. However, 37 people died in the fire. This sad event is known as the Sivas massacre. It showed how dangerous it can be when people's freedom of speech is attacked.
Aziz Nesin spent his last years fighting against extreme religious views. He died on July 6, 1995, in Çeşme, İzmir, from a heart attack. According to his wishes, he was buried in an unknown spot on the land of the Nesin Foundation, without any ceremony.
See also
In Spanish: Aziz Nesin para niños
