Aziz Nesin

1915

Born Mehmet Nusret on 20 December on Heybeliada, İstanbul.

1920

Learns to read and write from Uncle Galip. In this and subsequent years, Galip also teaches him calligraphy, Arabic, French and mathematics.

1921

Attends a neighbourhood religious school for a time and memorises surahs of the Quran.

1923

Becomes a hafiz, having memorised the Quran. Writes a play inspired by a performance at an improvisational theatre.

1925

Passes the entrance examination for the third year at Kanuni Sultan Süleyman Primary School in Süleymaniye, İstanbul.

1926

Enters the fourth primary year at Darüşşafaka. His mother dies on 15 September. He is later expelled from the fifth year for absenteeism.

1928

Enters the sixth year at Vefa Middle School in Cağaloğlu but has to repeat the year because of absences.

1929

Writes his first novel and enters a playwriting competition organised by Millet Theatre.

1930

Enters Çengelköy Military School in the seventh year.

1932

Graduates from military middle school on 28 June and moves to Kuleli Military High School in September.

1935

Graduates from Kuleli Military High School in May. By September he is at the Military Academy in Ankara.

1937

Becomes an officer while also studying Eastern decorative arts at the İstanbul Academy of Fine Arts.

1938

Becomes a lieutenant on 28 February. On 17 December, he becomes engaged to Vedia, his first wife.

1939

His stories and poems appear in Millet and Yedigün. Marries his first wife, Vedia, on 31 December.

1940

Is assigned to evacuate an army ammunition depot destroyed by the Erzincan earthquake. Is injured in a bomb accident. His first child, Oya, is born on 16 December.

1941

Becomes a first lieutenant in Kars on 30 August.

1942

His second child, Ateş, is born on 21 December.

1943

Works as a writer and editor at 7 Gün, where his poems are published. Becomes a company commander in Safranbolu on 20 August.

1944

From 1 January, his stories appear in Millet under the pen name Aziz Nesin. Enters Paşakapı Prison in Üsküdar on 23 September.

1945

Begins writing professionally, contributes columns to Tan and publishes the weekly magazine Cumartesi.

1946

Publishes the weekly satirical newspaper Markopaşa with Sabahattin Ali, Rıfat Ilgaz and cartoonist Mim Uykusuz.

1947

Is arrested by the martial-law authorities on 30 April over the pamphlet Nereye Gidiyoruz. Is sentenced to ten months’ imprisonment and four and a half months’ internal exile.

1948

Is released on 20 February and sent into exile in Bursa. Publishes his second book, Azizname, which leads to proceedings at İstanbul’s Second High Criminal Court.

1949

Markopaşa is succeeded by Hür Markopaşa, Yedi-Sekiz Paşa, Bizim Paşa and Öküz Mehmet Paşa.

1950

Is sentenced to sixteen months in prison over a text he is alleged to have translated from French: the preface to Politzer’s philosophy lectures.

1951

Serves time in Sultanahmet, Üsküdar and Nevşehir prisons. Writes Biraz Gelir misiniz in Üsküdar Prison and opens Oluş Bookshop.

1953

With a partner, establishes Paradi Photography Studio in a newly built commercial building on Bursa Street in Beyoğlu. Continues writing poetry.

1954

Writes for Akbaba under pseudonyms.

1955

Founds Düşün Publishing with Kemal Tahir. Publishes his first poetry book, On Dakika. Is arrested during the events of 6–7 September.

1956

Marries Meral Çelen. Wins the Golden Palm for Kazan Töreni. His second son, Ali Nesin, is born.

1957

Wins the international Golden Palm humour-story competition a second time, with Fil Hamdi. His fourth and youngest child, Ahmet Nesin, is born.

1958

Writes columns for Akşam, Ulus and Yeni Gazete. An İstanbul investigating judge orders proceedings over five stories in Mahallenin Kısmeti.

1959

Receives the İstanbul Journalists’ Association’s first prize for newspaper columns.

1960

Is sentenced to internal exile. Attends the Yassıada trials and writes about his impressions.

1961

Donates one of his Golden Palm awards to the state treasury.

1962

The Düşün publishing house he founded with Kemal Tahir is set on fire. Publishes the satirical weekly Zübük. His father, Abdülaziz Efendi, dies on Sunday, 11 February.

1965

Travels abroad for the first time, attending the Anti-Fascist Writers’ Meeting in Berlin and Weimar.

1966

Wins the Golden Hedgehog for Vatani Vazife at the International Humorous Stories Competition in Bulgaria.

1967

After returning from a trip abroad, is detained by the political police and illegally interrogated for eight hours.

1968

Wins first prize with Üç Karagöz Oyunu in Milliyet’s Karacan competition for Karagöz plays.

1969

Wins the Golden Crocodile in Moscow for İnsanlar Uyanıyor. Writes the column Eller Aya Biz Yaya in Günaydın.

1970

Marries Meral Çelen for a second time. Wins the Turkish Language Association’s play award for Çiçu.

1971

After the 12 March coup, is detained for four days at the Maltepe Armoured Brigade barracks. Writes Zat-ı Devletleri İbiş Hazretleri while in detention.

1972

Establishes the Nesin Foundation before a notary on 27 April. Begins the second volume of Böyle Gelmiş Böyle Gitmez.

1974

Receives the Afro-Asian Writers’ Association’s Lotus Award. Is elected president of the Writers’ Union of Türkiye.

1977

Receives the international Hitar Petar Award in Bulgaria and an honorary press card.

1978

Wins the Madaralı Novel Award for Yaşar Ne Yaşar Ne Yaşamaz.

1982

Is questioned in the Writers’ Union trial and by martial-law prosecutors as a founder of the Peace Association.

1983

The Writers’ Union trial begins. On 26 November he suffers a stroke, losing speech and movement on his right side. Two days later he begins writing poetry with his left hand.

1984

An article he wrote in Öncü twenty-four years earlier prevents him from obtaining a passport to travel to the United States for heart surgery. Publication of his defence in the Intellectuals’ Petition trial is banned.

1985

Is named the People’s Choice Writer of the Year in a poll organised by TÜYAP.

1986

The Ekin-Bilar and Writers’ Union trials begin. Helps establish the Human Rights Association and prepares the Bread and Rights Declaration.

1987

Files a lawsuit against President Kenan Evren for insult.

1988

Works with the Turkish-Greek Friendship Association. Is tried by the State Security Court for defending the cultural independence of Kurds.

1989

As Writers’ Union president, holds a press conference on human-rights violations against Turks in Bulgaria. Resigns as president at the end of the year.

1990

Is chosen by the public as honorary writer of the year for a second time at the TÜYAP Book Fair. Receives the Tolstoy Gold Award and the Vienna Theatre Award.

1991

Receives a knighthood decoration from the French state.

1992

Receives the Writers’ Association’s honorary award and gold medal, the Abdi İpekçi Peace and Friendship Award and the Karşıyaka Municipality Human Rights Award. Writes poetry.

1993

Receives the Dionysos Poetry Award and the Carl von Ossietzky Medal.

1994

Is named journalist of the year by the American journalists’ association and receives a human-rights award.

1995

Receives the Orhan Apaydın Democracy and Peace Award and the Hiroshima Foundation Award. Dies around 00:30 on 6 July in Çeşme, where he had gone to give a talk and sign books.