Giresun Turkish Hearths and it's historical development (1917-1931)

Turkish Hearths (Türk Ocakları) is one of the most significant systematical organizations which were constituted by the sense of nationalism strengthened power after the French Revolution in our country. Turkish Hearths, which was officially founded in 1912, is the most active and determined server of Turkish Nationalism. We can array the followings as the main research interests of Turkish Hearths which have carried out several missions on behalf of the Turkish Nation since it was founded: science, culture, art, sports, and donation. It served in a wide range of fields to the Turkish Nation. Even though Turkish Hearths which showed a firm stance with regard to keep away from politics since its foundations were sympathized to some political parties from time to time, it introduced itself as a nonpolitical science-culture foundation and dominated its researches in this way. In this study, the development of Turkish Nationalism is explained principally, and the organizations which were contributed to this process are established. After these organizations, the related part with Giresun branch of Turkish Hearths is examined in details by supplementing the historical process of Turkish Hearths. The main section of this study started by emphasizing the year 1917 when Giresun Turkish Hearth that we analyze in consideration of Turkish Hearths was first opened. After founded in 1917, it maintained its presence at the end of 1918. Bilgi Yurdu Association, being a Turkish organization, was founded in Giresun in 1923, and it was transformed into Turkish Hearths after the visit of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk to Giresun in 1924. Turkish Hearths, sustaining its activities in Giresun between the years of 1925-1931, is a non-governmental organization which served for Giresun in many fields particularly in science, culture, art, sports, and donation with a Turkish consciousness. In this research, we attempted to present chronologically that all Turkish Hearths were closed in the whole country in 1932 and what Giresun Turkish Hearths did in that 6 years interval. Moreover, Turkish Hearths opened many branch offices in many places in today's borders of Giresun. These branch offices constituted an important part of our study. These are also included in this study that the closing of all Turkish Hearths in the whole country in 1931 and the transferring of all movables, immovables, claims and debts to the Republican People's Party. Finally, it was determined that Giresun Turkish Hearth and its branch offices, which were opened in the districts of Giresun, pioneered many cultural developments within the borders of Giresun from 1917 to 1931. It is provided to emerge this study by these Turkish Hearths opened in Giresun by contributing greatly to the development of cultural and social life in this region.