- Source: Ibrahim Demiralay
Ibrahim Demiralay (born; Hafız İbrahim Efendi; 1883 – 29 March 1939) was a Turkish politician and military leader, known for his role in the Turkish War of Independence. He served as a member of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey from 1920 until his death in 1939, representing Isparta in five consecutive terms. While it is widely accepted that he took office in the first assembly in 1920 and died in 1939, some sources suggest discrepancies regarding his electoral terms, indicating that he may have been elected from the second term to the sixth, covering the period from 1923 to 1943.
He served as one of the first deputies of Isparta in the Republic of Turkey and was re-elected to the assembly in the sixth parliamentary term. However, he died before taking office. He also served as a member of the Court of First Instance.
Early life and education
Born as Hafız İbrahim Efendi to Yılanzade Tahir Pasha in Isparta in 1883, he moved to Istanbul in 1902 where he attended the Fatih Madrasah. After seven years of education, he obtained his diploma. Following his studies, he returned to Isparta, where he engaged in agriculture on the land inherited from his father and traded in rose oil. During this time, he also taught religious studies and ethics at Isparta High School from 1911 to 1912.
With the onset of the Turkish National Movement, he became the leader of the movement in Isparta and the surrounding areas. He served as a member of the Bidayet Court (court of first instance) before focusing on his political and military career.
Role in independence
During the Greek invasion of İzmir in 1919, he contributed in organizing national resistance in the Isparta region. He mobilized local leaders and citizens to join the national national movement. He established the Isparta National Defense Committee and the militia group known as the Isparta Mujahideen. He coordinated with other rebel groups, organizing protests against the occupation of Smyrna (in modern-day İzmir).
He also contributed to establishing the Isparta branch of the Defense of Rights Society, which helped organize local resistance and provided logistical support to its allies. His close coordination with the Representative Committee in Ankara further established his influence in the national movement.
He was one of the signatories of the Ankara fatwa, a religious decree prepared under the leadership of Ankara Mufti Mehmet Rifat Börekçi. This fatwa, endorsed by 153 muftis and ulamas, was a direct response to the controversial fatwa issued by the Ottoman scholar Dürrizâde Abdullah on 11 April 1920. Dürrizade's fatwa had declared that killing members of the independence movement forces during the Turkish National Movement was religiously justified. In opposition, the Ankara fatwa rejected this stance, offering religious support to the forces and their resistance activities during Turkish War of Independence.
As a military officer, he also participated in the Italo-Turkish War when Italian forces invaded Adalia. He organised protests and mobilized forces in response to Italian invasion of Isparta in 1919.
Political career
In the first elections of the newly formed Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) in 1920, Demiralay was elected as a deputy for Isparta in 1920, the first parliament.
When Greek forces initiated offensive on 22 June 1920, and began expanding their occupation, he delivered speeches in the Turkish Grand National Assembly, citing the role of national organizations in Isparta and its surrounding areas. As an active member of the assembly, he contributed to support the independence movement. After spending three months in Ankara, he was granted leave by the assembly to command the rebel organizations in the Isparta–Burdur region and to gather volunteers for the front. His leave was approved by both Mustafa Kemal Pasha and the minister of National Defense, Fevzi Pasha. On 13 July 1920, he departed Ankara with the militia forces assigned to him.
Military career
Upon reaching Eskişehir, he took command of a detachment of Beypazarı volunteers preparing to join forces. In October 1920, he formed a regiment of seven military units, consisting three cavalry, three infantry, and one specializing in machine guns. From that point onward, the regiment was formally referred to as Demiralay. The units he formed throughout his military career, were deployed to the affected areas, including to the Western Front. He also mobilized 100 cavalry and 200 infantry within three days. Leading this regiment, initially called the Timur Regiment and later known as Demiralay, he sent a telegram to the assembly on 9 August 1920, informing them of the operation.
In response, Mustafa Kemal Pasha expressed the assembly's gratitude, acknowledging his contributions. Along with the Demiralay group, he arrived in Denizli on August 14. After assessing the situation, they moved to the front lines, where, under his command, Demiralay led a victory against Greek forces on the Western Front near Denizli.
He returned to Isparta to recruit additional volunteers to reinforce Demiralay. By late October 1920, Demiralay's engagements with the enemy had intensified, and under his leadership, the militia played a central role in resisting Greek advances in the Buldan-Güney-Çal-Sarayköy area.
As the transition to a regular army began, the Demiralay organization was formally integrated into the Turkish Land Forces on 2 December 1920, and was designated as the 39th Infantry Regiment in January 1921 under the Menderes Group Command. He subsequently returned to his duties in the assembly.
Attempted assassination
Demiralay was the subject of an assassination attempt in Yenice village by Ramazan who had been on the run for committing murder. Ramazan fired a bullet that grazed his neck while he was seated near a window. Ramazan was captured and sent to work as a blacksmith who later Ramazan served in the freedom movement and eventually became the headman of his village.
A second assassination attempt was orchestrated by Greek forces aiming to eliminate the resistance movement leaders. A Greek warplane attempted to bomb a mansion on Damgacı Street, but the bomb missed its target and fell in the Kaymakkapı cemetery. Demiralay noted in his memoirs that no casualties or damage resulted from the attack.
Death
He died on 29 March 1939 in Ankara. Following his death, his body was transported by train to Isparta. On 31 March 1939, his body was taken from Kutlu Bey Mosque for burial. He was interred in the Gülcü Cemetery of Isparta.
Awards
On 23 April 1925, The government of Turkey conferred the Medal of Independence with Red-Green Strip upon him in recognition of his contributions to the independence movement.
References
Further reading
"Kullanıcı için notlar". Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 Oct 2024.
"Kullanıcı için notlar". Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 Oct 2024.
"Kullanıcı için notlar". Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 Oct 2024.
"Kullanıcı için notlar". Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 6 Oct 2024.
"Memoirs of Hafız İbrahim Demiralay and documents related to the National Struggle in Isparta / ed. ed. Bayram Kodaman, Hasan Babacan". Türk Tarih Kurumu Kütüphanesi (in Turkish). Retrieved 9 Oct 2024.
