Aziz Nesin
A fearless satirist who used laughter as a weapon against tyranny, spending years in prison for mocking Turkey's political and religious elites.
1915–1995 (age 80)·Turkish writer, humorist and author·Birthday: December 20·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Aziz Nesin's life was a testament to the power of humor as a form of resistance. Born in 1915 on the eve of monumental changes in Turkey, he lived through the transition from empire to republic, serving as an officer before finding his true calling in writing. His chosen surname, 'Nesin'—meaning 'What are you?'—was a fitting banner for a career dedicated to questioning authority. As a journalist and author of over a hundred books, his short stories and novels wielded sharp, absurdist wit to lampoon social injustice, bureaucratic incompetence, and dogmatism of all kinds. This courage came at a steep cost: he was imprisoned multiple times by different regimes and faced numerous lawsuits. In 1955, he co-founded the left-wing magazine 'Marko Paşa', which was repeatedly shut down. Perhaps his most tragic legacy is the 1993 Sivas massacre, where a mob firebombed a hotel targeting intellectuals; Nesin survived, but 37 people died. He dedicated his later years to establishing the Nesin Foundation, which provides education for disadvantaged children. He died in 1995, remembered as a national jester who never stopped speaking uncomfortable truths to power.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Aziz was born in 1915, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Aziz Was Born
The biggest hits of 1915
#1 Movie
The Birth of a Nation
Aziz's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1915Born
The Lusitania is sunk by a German U-boat
President: Woodrow Wilson
1920Started school
Women gain the right to vote in the US
Home: $3,395President: Woodrow Wilson"Swanee" — Al Jolson
1928Became a teenager
Alexander Fleming discovers penicillin; Mickey Mouse debuts
President: Calvin Coolidge"Ol' Man River" — Paul WhitemanBest Picture: Wings
1931Could drive
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1933Could vote
FDR's New Deal launches; Prohibition ends
Gas: $0.18/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stormy Weather" — Ethel WatersBest Picture: Cavalcade
1936Turned 21
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1945Turned 30
WWII ends; atomic bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $4,600Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Sentimental Journey" — Les Brown & Doris DayBest Picture: The Lost Weekend
1955Turned 40
Rosa Parks refuses to give up her bus seat
Gas: $0.29/galHome: $9,550Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Rock Around the Clock" — Bill Haley & His CometsBest Picture: Marty
1965Turned 50
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1975Turned 60
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1985Turned 70
Live Aid concerts raise money for Ethiopian famine
Gas: $1.12/galHome: $62,900Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Careless Whisper" — Wham!Best Picture: Out of Africa
1995Turned 80
Oklahoma City bombing; Windows 95 released
Gas: $1.15/galHome: $96,500Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Gangsta's Paradise" — CoolioBest Picture: Braveheart
Key Achievements
- Founded the Nesin Foundation, which runs a free mathematics village and educational programs for underprivileged children.
- Wrote more than 100 books, many of which are classics of Turkish satire and social commentary.
- Co-founded the influential and controversial political satire magazine Marko Paşa in the 1940s.
- Was a two-time winner of the International Editors' Award from Italy for his courageous journalism.
Did You Know?
He chose his surname, 'Nesin', from a question posed to him by a census official.
Nesin translated many works, including 'The Little Prince' by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, into Turkish.
He survived the 1993 Sivas massacre, where a mob set fire to a hotel he was staying in.
Despite his political troubles, he served a term as President of the Turkish Writers' Union.
“I write so that those who read me will not be able to sleep.”
