Contribution of Abdullah Zühtü to Turkish culture and art life

Abdullah Zühtü, who lived between 1869-1925, is one of the prominent names of his period with various aspects. Abdullah Zühtü, who is a graduate of Mekteb-i Sultani, begins his journalism activities at a young age. Abdullah Zühtü, who started press activities with the Payidar newspaper, works with important newspapers and magazines of the period such as Zuhur, Saadet, Tarik, Sabah, İkdam, Tercüman-ı Hakikat, Mektep, Resimli Kitap, Hanımlar Âlemi, Servet-i Fünun and Peyam-ı Sabah, writes works. During his journalism activities, he was the editor-in-chief of the newspapers Sabah, İkdam, Tercüman-ı Hakikat and Peyam-ı Sabah from time to time. He wrote many stories, novels, poems, anecdotes/articles, including copyright and translation, in these newspapers and magazines. At the same time, grammar treatises, small treatises on scientific subjects and a history book with Süleyman Tevfik Özzorluoğlu are among his writing experiences. Abdullah Zühtü is the pioneer of the "quit work" initiative, which can be considered the first "press strike" in the history of the press. After the declaration of the Second Constitutional Monarchy, he took part in the first attempt with Hüseyin Cahit to announce this event. In the same period, he put forward the idea of establishing a press society and played a leading role in the establishment of the Ottoman Press Society. II. After the proclamation of the Constitutional Monarchy, he became the "boss" by establishing the Yeni Gazete. Yeni Gazete is an extremely popular publication between the years 1908-1913. Abdullah Zühtü had to close his newspaper after the Babıali Raid (1913). Until 1918, Abdullah Zühtü's signature was not seen in any newspaper article. When he started to publish Yeni Gazete again in 1918, he began to express his criticisms against the Committee of Union and Progress. Unable to withstand the social, political and economic conditions of the Armistice Period, he had to close the Yeni Gazete again in 1919. Abdullah Zühtü, who was the General Manager of the Press in 1920 during the Damat Ferit Pasha Government, resigned after a short period of four months, due to his temperament. He started to write articles in Sabah and Peyam-ı Sabah again. He writes anecdotes/articles about the social and political developments of the period. At the same time, with a different approach from his previous stories, he takes a critical look at innovation/modernization and the European wannabe lifestyle. Saying goodbye to the printing press in 1922, he started to make a living with the "antique trade". Abdullah Zühtü, who has extremely important works in his antique collection, is appreciated by many famous names of the period in this area. With this study, the importance of Abdullah Zühtü, who was almost forgotten after his death, although he was very popular during his work, was drawn attention to both his works and the history of the press, and it was aimed to contribute to the studies to be made about him.