ISTANBUL
The house of Orhan Kemal, one of the masters of Turkish literature, located in the metropolis of Istanbul’s Fatih district, has been put on sale by the owner for 10 million Turkish Liras.
The prominent writer resided in the house between 1954 and 1966, describing this indigent district of Istanbul and its people in many of his novels.
Işık Öğütçü, the son of Kemal, who was born in this house in 1957 and grew up there, claims that the owners refused to let him purchase the house back in 2000, and that he does not possess the pecuniary resources at present.
The house is too small for a museum, but it may be converted into a library and children’s writing house, according to Öğütçü.
There have been occasional attempts in this direction by the local authorities in Istanbul, but they have failed to yield any concrete outcomes. At present, the sole trace that Kemal ever resided in this house is the street sign bearing his name.
Kemal, who was born in Adana in 1914, is well-known for his realistic books that depict the lives of Türkiye’s impoverished, as well as numerous plays and screenplays for movies.
“72.Koğuş” (Cell 72), his drama about life in prison in the 1940s, has been adapted into a feature film twice, most recently in 2011.
Kemal’s other books such as “Cemile,” “Baba Evi” (Father’s house), “Avare Yıllar” (Vagabond Years) and “Murtaza” have also been translated into other languages.
The renowned writer passed away in Sofia, Bulgaria in 1970 due to an intracranial hemorrhage, at the age of 56.
The Orhan Kemal Literature Museum was established in Beyoğlu in honor of the novelist in 2000.
