Researchers find lost graves of literary figures in Istanbul

ISTANBUL

A group of researchers in Istanbul is searching for the lost graves of prominent Turkish poets and writers.

While some graves in Istanbul’s old cemeteries are well-maintained and monumental, others are neglected, with fallen, nameless and ruined tombstones.

Although burial records have been kept in recent years, many graves, including those of prominent figures in Turkish literature, have disappeared or been damaged.

In recent years, researchers have uncovered the graves of Ahmet Haşim and Abdülhak Şinasi Hisar, whose tombstones were illegible. However, they have been unable to find the graves of Ziya Osman Saba and Osman Cemal Kaygılı.

Literary researcher Mehmet Nuri Yardım told the state-run Anadolu Agency that, upon the advice of literary historian and writer Ahmet Kabaklı, he and a group of fellow literary figures began searching for the graves of Ziya Osman Saba and Ahmet Haşim.

Yardım explained that they discovered the grave of Ahmet Haşim, regarded as the “father of modern Turkish poetry,” in Eyüpsultan Cemetery, near the grave of Marshal Fevzi Çakmak.

“When we found Ahmet Haşim’s grave, it was in a miserable state. The tombstone was pitch black, the iron railings were broken, and the grave had collapsed. That’s how we found it. The Culture and Tourism Ministry and the Eyüpsultan Municipality restored it,” he said.

Speaking about their unsuccessful search for Ziya Osman Saba’s grave, Yardım noted: “Saba, who was beloved for his poems and stories about the afterlife, family life and children, passed away on Jan. 29, 1957. He was buried in Eyüpsultan Cemetery, but over time, his grave disappeared and no trace of his family cemetery remained. We visited Eyüpsultan with cultural historian Dursun Gürlek, Muhsin Karabay and the poet’s sons, Osman and Orhan Saba, but found nothing. As a child, he would come here from Kadıköy with his father to visit his mother’s grave. He was deeply connected to this place, often referencing Eyüpsultan Cemetery in his poems and stories."

"The Saba family’s cemetery, located in the Kırk Merdivenler area frequently mentioned in Ziya Osman’s poetry, was filled with new graves and old structures have been replaced by shantytowns. I once spoke with his late wife, Rezzan. She told me that she had visited the grave regularly until 1984, but after falling ill, she could no longer go, and later, the grave was lost,” he added.

Osman Cemal Kaygılı’s grave missing

Yardım also mentioned that the exact location of Osman Cemal Kaygılı’s grave in Eyüpsultan’s Tokmaktepe Cemetery remains unknown.

“Kaygılı was a writer of Istanbul. His works, including the novel Çingeneler [The Gypsies] and many other novels and short stories, feature magnificent depictions of old Istanbul. While researching Kaygılı, I learned that he was buried in Tokmaktepe Cemetery. I went there, but unfortunately, I couldn’t find any trace of his grave or tombstone. Through further research, I discovered that in 1995, when a road was built through Tokmaktepe Cemetery, the graves were relocated. The saddest part is that the world’s greatest calligrapher, Hamid Aytaç, had inscribed Kaygılı’s tombstone. Was it lost because of its artistic value, or was it truly displaced during the relocation? We don’t know,” he said.

Yardım noted that Eyüpsultan serves as an open-air museum, as it has been a burial site since before the conquest of Istanbul.

He explained that they organize a monthly program called The Eternal Residents of Eyüpsultan at the Yeni Dünya Foundation. After academic discussions, they visit the mentioned graves to offer prayers.

Yardım recalled that in 2013, during a meeting of the Literature, Art and Culture Research Association (ESKADER) commemorating the 50th anniversary of the death of Abdülhak Şinasi Hisar, described as “the great writer of the Bosphorus and Istanbul,” they decided to visit his grave.

“The records indicated that his grave was in Zeytinburnu’s Merkezefendi Cemetery. We searched everywhere but found no sign, plaque or marker. We combed the entire area to no avail," he said.

"Finally, with the help of a caretaker in a nearby hut, we located the grave. However, the tombstone had fallen and was buried in the soil. There were trash bins and swarms of flies nearby. When we lifted the tombstone, we saw ‘Abdülhak Şinasi’ beautifully inscribed. It was a heartbreaking sight. We recited Fatiha, offered our prayers, and later contacted the Zeytinburnu Municipality. Thankfully, they responded with sensitivity and restored the grave,” he added.

A ‘cultural loss’

Yardım described the disappearance of the graves of historical figures as a cultural loss, highlighting the lack of systematic records and inventories for Istanbul’s old cemeteries.

To prevent such losses, he urged cemetery management authorities and municipalities to collaborate and catalog unrecorded graves.

Emphasizing the historical and artistic significance of tombstones, Yardım noted, “Cemeteries are not only places for the dead; they are sacred spaces that preserve a nation’s past and culture.”