80. Today in 1920s Turkey: 26 April 1924 (The End of “Prohibition” in Turkey)
Türkçe
Eski Tas Eski Hamam: Çalgılı Meyhaneler Yine Kapılarını Açtılar
Men-i müskirat kanununun ta’dilinden sonra çalgılı meyhaneler ile birahaneler kapılarını yine açtılar, ve dilber Rus haraşoları bağrı yanıklara mey sunmaya başladılar. Esasen meyhaneler men-i müskirat kanununun neşrinden sonra da kapılarını kapamamışlardı ya! Hususi ressamımıza yaptırdığımız bu resim Galata’daki meyhanelerin dahilindeki men-i müskirat kanununun ta’dili dolayısıyla şimdiden bayramı tesid edenleri gösteriyor.
English
Some Things Never Change: Taverns with Live Music Have Opened Their Doors Once Again
Following the repeal of the Alcohol Prohibition Law taverns with live music and bars have opened their doors once again, and beautiful Russian women have begun serving wine to the love-sick. As a matter of fact, the taverns had never actually closed their doors when the Alcohol Prohibition Law was initially announced! This picture, which we had our private artist make, shows those who have already started celebrating the holiday in Galata’s taverns which have been affected by the reversal of the Alcohol Prohibition Law.
Comments:
This captioned picture appeared on the back cover of Istanbul’s weekly illustrated journal, Resimli Gazete on the occasion of the lifting of the ban on alcohol in Turkey. Every issue of Resimli Gazete ends on the eighth page with a segment called “A Glance at World Events” (Dünya Vukuatlarına Bir Bakış). Of the six stories included on this page, the present example occupies the largest amount of space. The other stories located on this page provide a sense of the scope of themes common to this section:
- A snippet entitled, “Women, too, are becoming boxers,”
- A blurb about “A car with a chimney,”
- A quick story on “Prefabricated, cheap homes,”
- A picture of a farmer in front of Istanbul’s famous Sultanahmet Mosque,
- A cartoon about the closing of Christian religious schools in Turkey.
Like the other stories, this one includes an illustration. An interesting addition to the arrangement of images, this one was made by the gazette’s “private illustrator” (hususi ressamımız) as mentioned in its own caption. The image bears a signature in the lower left corner which is difficult to read and since the text omitted the name of the artist, I cannot say for sure whose work this represents. Sometimes these kinds of publications include the names of staff members on their cover page; but unfortunately, Resimli Gazete does not include this information.
The unidentified artist’s work illustrates a tavern in Istanbul’s entertainment district of Galata (Pera) that is now able to legally sell and serve alcohol. Four years ago (during the War of Independence), on 14 September 1920 the Turkish Grand National Assembly banned the sale of alcohol with the Men-i Müskirat Kanunu. Whereas recently, on 9 April 1924 the ban was lifted. The blurb accompanying the illustration explains that despite the ban, many taverns still served alcohol which is why the article bears the title “Some Things Never Change.” It is the basic message behind the Turkish proverb Eski tas, eski hamam, which is the original title literally translating to “Old bowl, old hamam.” Like the United States’ experience with alcohol prohibition, Turkish authorities found the law to be fundamentally unenforceable. However, unlike their American counterparts, the Turkish government came to its senses after only four years of it. Whereas it took American lawmakers thirteen long years to realize their mistake (1920–1933).
Finally, the article brings our attention to the unlikely timing of the legislative change by mentioning that those entertaining themselves at the bars must be early revelers for the upcoming religious holiday, Şeker Bayramı or literally “Festival of Sweets” (Eid al-Fitr) due to begin next week, on May 6. A three-day celebration marking the end of Ramadan, Şeker Bayramı constitutes one of two major religious holidays in the Islamic faith. In the case of consuming alcohol, “celebrating” the holiday early means that the patrons of such establishments must not be fasting during the holy month of Ramadan.
Incompatibilities between the social demands of modern life and religious or otherwise traditional practices is a reoccurring theme in the popular press in Turkey at this time. For instance, in post #66 (Father Ramadan Visits the 1920s and Finds People Dancing) we see that by 1927 couples dancing was in the process of gradually being added to the list of acceptable Ramadan (post-fast) pastimes for modern, upwardly mobile, young couples.
This article has been updated and modified from its first iteration published on Steemit on 26 April 2017. For the original version see:
80. Today in 1920s Turkey: 26 April 1924 (The End of “Prohibition” in Turkey)
Originally published at https://steemit.com on April 27, 2019.
