Ümit Kaftancıoğlu

Kaftancıoğlu was born in Saskara village, Hanak, Ardahan Province. He graduated from Cilavuz Village Institute in 1957 and worked as a primary school teacher in Derik in Mardin Province and as a teacher in Balıkesir Necatibey Institute of Education before entering into the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT).

He won the Grand Award at the 1970 TRT Art Awards with his short story Dönemeç (The Bend), the 1972 Karacan Award with his interview Hakkullah and came third at the Başkent Awards with his short story Linda (Linda).

On 11 April 1980, he was gunned down in front of his home in Istanbul as he was about to get in his car. The killer justified his action by saying "He was a leftist so I killed him." The killer was sentenced to only 4 years in prison. Later his son has married Canan Kaftancıoğlu. [1]

Short stories

• Dönemeç (The Bend, 1972)
• Çarpana (To One That Hit, 1975)
• İstanbul Allak Bullak (İstanbul Is Confused, 1975)

Novels

• Yelatan (Wind-Blower, 1972)
• Tüfekliler (Gunmen, 1974)

Collections

• Köroğlu Kolları (Köroğlu Arms, 1974)

Research

• Altın Ekin (The Golden Harvest, 1980)
• Hınzır Paşa (Hınzır Paşa, 1980).

Children's literature

• Tek Atlı Tekin Olmaz (One Horseman Is Not Auspicious, 1973)
• Kekeme Tavşan (Stammer Rabbit)
• Kan Kardeşim Dorutay (My Blood Brother Dorutay)
• Dört Boynuzlu Koç (Four Horned Ram)
• Çizmelerim Keçeden (My Boats Are Made of Felt)
• Salih Bey (Salih Bey)
• Çoban Geçmez (Shepherd Does Not Pass)

• List of assassinated people from Turkey

• http://www.santaclauschurch.gov.tr