Toplumsal Hafızada Mardin Direnişi ve Onur Günü’ne Dönüşüm Süreci
Mardin Resistance in Social Memory and Honor Day Transformation Process

Summary/Abstract: Mardin resistance refers the superior effort of Mardin local notables and military staff for not to concede the region after British and French occupation forces wanted to invade the city in the national struggle years. This resistance has a special place in the national struggle and history writing. The invasion attempts seen in Antep, Maraş and Urfa cities and the endeavors for preventing invasions in the Mardin resistance are the topics which should be assessed under different categories. Mardin resistance, that took place between 1919 and 1920, was started to be celebrated since 1940. Starting from the first years of 1950s, December 21 Celebrations, which gained a formal nature locally, is defined in the local literature in different was such as the “Day of Independence”, “Independence Bairam”, “Independence Wedding”, Independence Day of Mardin”, “Independency Anniversary of Mardin”, “Anniversary of Liberation of Mardin from Invasion Attempt”, “Mardin Honor and Independency Day”, and “Honor Day”. Even though “Independency” term is used widely in these definitions, it should not be thought that it is preferred starting from the similarities for what were lived in Mardin and the “Independency” days of Antep, Maraş and Urfa cities because assessing the content of the writings in which the definition of “independency” was selected as the title, it is seen that the way for preventing invasions, by learning from the results of the invasions occurred in the neighboring provinces, is mentioned in glowing terms. It is understood that this elaborate attitude of the 1950s generation for the contents according to the historical knowledge and findings, continued for a long time. The content of the celebrations has changed in time and it transformed in to a content meaning only “anniversary of independence”, instead of the “liberation from invasion attempt” meaning. In this study, the specific nature of Mardin resistance and content changes in the way of social remembering of December 21 Celebrations, referring the ceremonial side of this resistance, discussed and evaluated by using the archive documents in the Military History and Strategical Survey (ATASE) Department of General Staff, local/national papers of the period and survey works.

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