Hüsnü ADA (

187 Pages·2004·2.4 MB·English

THE FIRST OTTOMAN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATON IN
THE SERVICE OF THE OTTOMAN STATE: The Case of the
Ottoman Red Crescent (Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti)

by
HÜSNÜ ADA

Submitted to the Graduate School of Administrative and Social Sciences
in partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the degree of
Master of Arts

Sabancı University
September 2004

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02.09.2004

Approval of the Institute of Social Sciences

___________________________
Prof. Dr. Nakiye Boyacıgiller
Director

I certify that thesis satisfies all the requirements as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts

___________________________
Prof. Dr. Ahmet Alkan
Dean

This is to certify that we have read this thesis and that in our opinion it is fully adequate, in
scope and quality, as a thesis for the degree of Master of Arts.

__________________________
Asst. Prof. Dr. Selçuk Akşin Somel
Supervisor

Examining Committee Members

Name _________________________
Asst. Prof. Dr. Hülya Canbakal

Name _________________________
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Ali Çarkoğlu

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© Hüsnü Ada 2004

All Rights Reserved

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ABSTRACT

THE FIRST OTTOMAN CIVIL SOCIETY ORGANIZATON IN
THE SERVICE OF THE OTTOMAN STATE: THE CASE
OF THE OTTOMAN RED CRESCENT (OSMANLI HİLAL-İ
AHMER CEMİYETİ)

Hüsnü Ada
M..A., Department of History
Supervisor: Assist. Prof Selçuk Akşin Somel
September 2004

This study focused mainly on the organization and structure of the Ottoman Red
Crescent (Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti) under an analytical perspective. This included the
history, regulation, central and provincial administration, types of activities, the Ottoman Red
Crescent Delegation of Women, financial data and the personalities of the leading figures of
the Ottoman Red Crescent. By this, I aimed to discuss the nature of the Ottoman Red
Crescent, which might help the readers to go beyond the conception that the Ottoman Red
Crescent was an extension of the state. As will be understood from the title of this study, in
many ways the Ottoman Red Crescent was in the service of the Ottoman state. What becomes
evident is that the Ottoman Red Crescent had a huge network of organization, and the
Ottoman society internalized it. The combination conjectural factors with the successful
administration led the Ottoman Red Crescent to gain a respectable place both among the
Ottoman ruling elite and the Ottoman public which had the following results : the Ottoman
Red Crescent as a place for the unification for the Ottoman elite with the Ottoman society,
and the huge donations made by the Ottoman public. This study provided a picture depicting
the Ottoman Red Crescent as a quasi-autonomous association from the state.

Keywords: Hilal-i Ahmer (Kızılay), Ottoman Red Crescent, Ottoman Public Space, Civil
Society, Civil Society Organization, Second Constitutional Period,
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ÖZ

OSMANLI DEVLETİ’NİN HİZMETİNDEKİ İLK SİVİL
TOPLUM ÖRGÜTÜ: OSMANLI HİLAL-İ AHMER CEMİYETİ

Hüsnü Ada
Yüksek Lisans, Tarih Bölümü
Tez Yöneticisi: Yard. Doç. Dr. Selçuk Akşin Somel
Eylül 2004

Bu tez Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti’nin organizasyonel yapısını analitik bir
perspektifle ele almaktadır. Bu bağlamda Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti’nin tarihi,
yönetmeliği, merkez ve taşra teşkilatı, sergilediği faaliyetler, Hanımlar Merkezi, finansal
bilgileri ve önde gelen yöneticilerinin kişilikleri incelenmiştir. Bu şekilde bildik Osmanlı
Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti’nin devletin uzantısı olduğu yaklaşımının ötesine geçilmesine imkan
verecek şekilde Cemiyetin doğası üzerinde tartışmayı amaçladım. Tezin başlığından da
anlaşılacağı gibi Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti bir çok açıdan Osmanlı Devleti’nin
hizmetindeydi. Dahası Cemiyetin çok kapsamlı bir organizasyonu vardı ve Osmanlı toplumu
tarafından özümsenmişti. Konjöktürel faktörlerin başarılı bir yönetim ile oluşturduğu
birliktelik, cemiyete hem yönetici elit hem de halk nezdinde saygın bir konum sağladı.
Böylece Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti hem Osmanlı yönetici eliti ile Osmanlı halkının
kaynaştığı bir yer oldu hem de yüksek meblağlar tutan yardımlar toplanabildi. Bu çalışmanın
sonucunda devletten yarı otonomi kazanabilmiş bir Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Cemiyeti resmine
ulaştım.

Anahtar Kelimeler: Hilal-i Ahmer (Kızılay), Osmanlı Kamusal Alanı, Sivil Toplum, Sivil
Toplum Örgütü, II. Meşrutiyet

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To the Memory of Hilal-i Ahmer volunteers

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Had the staffs of the libraries of Türk Tarih Kurumu and Atatürk University, it would be
impossible to complete this thesis. I was also fortunate enough to receive comments from my
dear friend Ahmet İzzet Bozbey. It gives me pleasure to mention Nancy Karabeyoğlu’s
invaluable assistance by giving many hours to reviewing and correcting the text. I am also
indebted to Professor Hülya Canbakal for she provided me with her counselling throughout
the writing of the thesis. My special thanks go to Professor Selçuk Akşin Somel without
whose guidance this thesis would not come into existence. Last but not the least, I am deeply
grateful to my fiancee Burcu who never quit supporting me with her dearest love.

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ABBREVIATIONS:

CS: Civil Society
CUP: Committee of Union and Progress
ICRC: International Committee of Red Cross
IFRC: The International Federation of the Red Cross and the Red Crescent
Societies
IRCM: International Red Cross and Crescent Movement
OHAC (1330-1334): 1335-1919 Senesinde Mün'akid Hilâl-i Ahmer Meclis-i Umûmisi Heyet-i
Muhteremesine Takdim Edilen 1330 - 1334 Senelerine Aid Merkez-i
Umûmi Raporu, Matbaa-i Orhaniye, İstanbul 1335/1919.
OHAC Salname: Osmanlı Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemiyeti Sâlnâmesi. 1329-1331 Senesi, Ahmed
İhsan ve Şürekâsı Matbaacılık Osmanlı Şirketi, İstanbul, 1329/1913.
OHAM: Osmanlı Hilal-i Ahmer Mecmuası (1921-1922)
OL: Ottoman Lira
THAC (1335-1338): Türkiye Hilâl-i Ahmer Cemiyeti Merkez-i Umûmîsi Tarafından 1339
Senesi Hilâl-i Ahmer Meclis-i Umûmîsine Takdim Edilen '1335 - 1338'
Dörd Senelik Devreye Aid Rapor, Ahmed İhsan ve Şürekâsı
Matbaacılık Osmanlı Şirketi, İstanbul, 1339/1923.
THAM: Türkiye Hilal-i Ahmer Mecmuası (1922-1928)
TKD 73 Yıl: Türkiye Kızılay Derneği, 73 Yıllık hayatı (1877-1949), Ankara, 1950

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

ABSTRACT iv

ÖZ v

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vii

ABBREVIATIONS viii

TABLE OF CONTENTS ix

INTRODUCTION 1
Literature Review 4

Primary Sources 10

Outline 12

CHAPTER I Historical Backgrounds of IRCM and the Ottoman Red Crescent 13
1.1 The International Red Cross and Crescent Movement 13

1.2 The Ottoman Red Crescent: A Survey on the History of the ORC 21

1.3 Background of the Founders and Early Members of
the Ottoman Red Crescent 37

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CHAPTER II The ORC Phenomenon: A Close Outlook on the Institutional Identity 46
2.1 A Brief Survey on the Ottoman Legal Text Pertaining Associations 48

2.2 The Regulation and The General Characteristics of
the Ottoman Red Crescent 53

2.3 The Types and Nature of Ottoman Red Crescent Activities 60

2.4 Centers, Branches and Representative Agencies:
Provincial Organization of the Ottoman Red Crescent 87

2.5 Delegation of Women at the Ottoman Red Crescent:
Structure and Activities 98

2.6 Financial Data 106

2.7 The Organizational Structure of the Ottoman Red Crescent:
The Leading ORC Figures 113

CHAPTER III Exploring the Ottoman Red Crescent Phenomenon 127
3.1 The Nature of The Ottoman Red Crescent 127

3.2 The Ottoman Red Crescent Mission 137

3.3 How the Ottoman Public Perceived the Ottoman Red Crescent 142

CONCLUDING REMARKS 146

APPENDICES 150

BIBLIOGRAPHY 169
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