The Reflection of Armistice Period Istanbul on Turkish Poetry

Abstract

One of the darkest periods that Istanbul experienced was the Armistice Period. Istanbul remained under occupation during this five-year period, which started with the Armistice of Mudros in 1918 and ended with the Treaty of Mudanya in 1923.  During the occupation years of Istanbul, Beyoğlu in particular became a district where the invaders lived as they wished. Foreign flags were hung all over Beyoğlu, in an attempt to distance this district from being a Turkish district in appearance. The years of occupation of Istanbul also caused great destruction in the spiritual world of the people. While the people are struggling to survive with the poverty brought on by the war, they are also struggling with the pessimistic atmosphere of the occupation.  The occupation forces mistreat the people during the occupation and try to make their lives difficult. The people of Istanbul feel the psychological devastation caused by the occupation in every aspect  The Armistice Period was the subject of Turkish poetry, and the pessimistic mood created by the occupation was also mentioned in the poems. In this study, it is discussed how the occupation of Istanbul was reflected in the poems about Istanbul during the Armistice Period