Turkism Day

Turkism Day (Turkish: Türkçülük Günü) is celebrated on the 3 May since 1945 in memory of the rallies in defense of Nihal Atsız,[1] who was prosecuted for defamation on demands by Sabahattin Ali, who was called a Soviet spy by Atsız in an article he wrote.[2] The manifestation was mainly composed of racists and Turanists who shouted slogans against communists, specifically Sabahattin Ali, in court.[2][3] Following the manifestation, many participants were arrested and some of them had to stand trial in the Racism-Turanism trial.[4] Reha Oğuz Türkkan, Atsız, Alparslan Türkeş, Nejdet Sançar and others, all imprisoned in the Tophane Military prison, held a reunion on the 3 May 1945 to remember the demonstrations in support of Atsız. This meeting is seen as the beginning of the celebration of a Turkism Day.[5][4] Turkism day is celebrated by the Turkish Hearths,[6] the Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) (under the name of Nationalists' Day),[7] the Good Party (İyi Party),[8] also some politicians of the Justice and Development Party (AKP).[9] and other Turkish nationalist organisations.

Defendants of the Racism-Turanism trials