The Panorama December 25 Museum in southeastern Gaziantep provides guests a glimpse of how valiantly the town fought through the Turkish War of Independence with a plethora of shows, paperwork and gadgets relationship again to that point.
The Turkish War of Independence was fought from May 1919 to July 1922 towards Greece, Armenia, France, the U.K. and Italy after elements of the Ottoman Empire had been occupied by Allied forces after World War I. Gaziantep was at the center of the southern entrance of the struggle towards the French occupation of southern Anatolia, which was additionally backed by native Armenian militia teams. The metropolis was occupied by the French in April 1919, solely to be pushed out a 12 months later by Turkish irregular “National Forces.” Reinforced by troops from occupied Syria, a French army column laid a 10-month-long siege to the town, inflicting nice harm and civilian casualties. The staunch resistance carried out by irregulars prompted the Grand National Assembly, the principle physique of the Turkish National Movement through the War of Independence which went on to develop into modern-day Parliament, awarded Antep with the honorary title “gazi,” or veteran. However, this transfer was solely symbolic as the town surrendered on Feb. 9, 1921. As Turkish National Movement grew in energy and proved profitable in Western and Eastern fronts, The French authorities struck a cope with Ankara and ended their occupation in most Turkish-majority areas claimed by the National Pact, with final French troopers leaving on Dec. 25, 1921.
Organized by the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality, the museum was designed by a fee composed of historians, chamber representatives, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) and public officers, to protect the story of the town’s protection for posterity.
The museum, primarily based in Gaziantep’s Seferpaşa neighborhood, is comprised of 4 chambers lined with oil work by Russian painter Alexander Samsonov, documenting the interval. It additionally contains gadgets donated by struggle veterans and kinfolk of the fallen and doorways and home windows from buildings shattered through the turmoil, in addition to weapons and clothes from the time.
In an interview with Anadolu Agency (AA), Bekir Sıtkı Severoğlu, director of the historical past board of the Panorama December 25 Museum, mentioned that he joined the mission on a voluntary foundation as each of his grandfathers had been some of the various who joined within the wrestle.
Underlining the legendary standing of the protection of Gaziantep, Severoğlu famous that the wrestle was waged by your complete metropolis and was a novel instance of energy and resolve towards the invading French and British.
He said that the individuals of Gaziantep had lengthy dreamed of a museum that would protect the reminiscence of the battle, including that the museum would function a sort of faculty the place World War I, the War of Independence and the town of the time might be taught about.
Severoğlu mentioned the museum shall be of nice significance for commemorating those that gave their lives within the battle. “We have 1000’s of martyrs to carry pricey, however we don’t even know some of their names. This museum is essential. Here, we can maintain their reminiscence alive. It’s because of them that we will reside on this land,” he mentioned.
The museum will even contribute to the unearthing of many historic occasions, the director mentioned. “This museum is essential for its social worth and its capability to assist educate younger individuals about what occurred. All the occasions we’ve got depicted on this museum are primarily based on paperwork belonging to each the enemy and the Turks. We will current a quantity of info within the museum, which present what the French did on this metropolis. The French authorities will come to apologize to the individuals of Gaziantep once they see what’s proven right here,” he mentioned.
Touching on the massive position Gaziantep performed within the War of Independence, Severoğlu mentioned: “The metropolis was at the center of the southern entrance of the struggle. There was a novel wrestle in Adıyaman, Kahramanmaraş, Adana, Hatay, Kilis and Şanlıurfa right here. There was a extra protracted, monthslong resistance in Gaziantep, specifically. The French went to nice lengths to grab this metropolis. When we look at the French newspapers and magazines of that point, we see that they wished management of the town at all prices. There are stories written by French officers saying that it will solely be attainable to dominate the area by way of the domination of Gaziantep.”
Welcoming 1 million vacationers
Severoğlu mentioned guests can be taught many classes and new data at the museum. “The constructing housing the Panorama December 25 Museum used to function a warehouse and later as a gendarmerie area. When you enter the museum, you’ll be able to see a map from the 12 months 1920. We even have on present outfits worn by the British, the French, the civilian inhabitants, in addition to the Senegalese and the Algerian legionnaires from a century in the past. A complete of 14 oil work are on display displaying 14 completely different incidents primarily based on enemy paperwork,” he mentioned.
He famous that the museum is well accessible and can add to the dynamism of tourism in Gaziantep. “Visitors is not going to encounter a throng of vacationers. There shall be no stampede. We can simply welcome 1 million vacationers a 12 months. After leaving the museum, guests may also tour the city to see buildings that stood all through the battle,” Severoğlu mentioned.
“We will showcase the protection of Gaziantep with visible and animated results. There will even be smoke, sound and sensory results, such because the scent of a medical tent and gunpowder. One will have the ability to benefit from the sound of the water flowing beneath the Elmalı Bridge and we’ve got a quantity of bushes and stones collected from the positioning. We even have architectural works from the time,” he mentioned.
Severoğlu mentioned the opening date of the museum shall be decided according to the creating COVID-19 outbreak in Turkey.
