Who killed Talaat Pasha?
Perhaps the most far-reaching of those assassinations – certainly the most sensational – was that of Talaat Pasha, who was killed in broad daylight in Berlin, on March 15, 1921. Soghomon Tehlirian was the one who pulled the trigger.
Where is Talaat Pasha buried?
He is buried in Fresno, at the Ararat Cemetery, underneath an obelisk capped by an eagle with outstretched wings attacking a snake. Talaat Pasha’s remains were moved from Nazi Germany to Istanbul in 1943, buried with full honours at a national monument that still stands.
What did Talaat Pasha do in WW1?
As the leader of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), Talaat Pasha (1874–1921) was the last powerful grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Considered the primary architect of the Armenian genocide, he ordered the deportation of nearly all of the empire's Armenian population to the Syrian Desert in 1915, to wipe them out.
Who was Mehmet Talaat Pasha?
Mehmet Talaat Pasha (1874-1921) (also known as Talaat Bey) was the principal architect of the Armenian Genocide. Born in Edirne (Adrianople), Talaat became a telegrapher at a young age.
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Where is Talaat Pasha buried?
Islamischer Friedhof, Berlin, GermanyŞişli, İstanbul, TurkeyTalaat Pasha/Place of burial
Where is Soghomon Tehlirian grave?
Masis Ararat Armenian Cemetery, Fresno, CASoghomon Tehlirian / Place of burialThe Ararat Massis Armenian Cemetery, commonly known as the Ararat Cemetery, is an Armenian cemetery in Fresno, California. Established in 1885, the cemetery is the burial place of many prominent figures of Armenian American history including Soghomon Tehlirian, Victor Maghakian, and William Saroyan. Wikipedia
When did Talaat Pasha flee?
Talaat Pasha fled the Ottoman capital in a German battleship on 3 November 1918, from Constantinople harbor to Berlin. Just a week later the new Grand Vizier Ahmed Izzet Pasha and his government capitulated to the Allies and the Armistice of Mudros was signed.
Who killed Talaat in Berlin?
Talaat was assassinated in Berlin in 1921 by Soghomon Tehlirian, a member of the Armenian Revolutionary Federation, as part of Operation Nemesis.
What was the role of Talaat in the Young Turk Revolution?
Talaat's role during the Young Turk Revolution was to organize a plot to assassinate the garrison commander of Selanik, Ömer Nazım, who was suspected to be loyal to the Hamidian government. Nazım would survive with injury, but the incident, as well as other assassinations carried out by the CUP during the revolution, intimidated the Hamidian establishment enough to reopen the parliament and reinstate the constitution. In the following election, Talaat was elected as a deputy for Adrianople in the Ottoman Parliament, and then the parliament's vice-president.
What did Talaat believe?
By 1912 Talaat definitely abandoned the belief that constitutionalism and rule of law would unite the multiethnic and fragmented " Ottoman nation " , which was the original raison d'être of the Young Turks, and turned to more radical politics.
What happened to the CUP after the assassination of Mahmud?
After the assassination of Mahmud Şevket Pasha in July 1913, the CUP established a one-party state in the Ottoman Empire. Talaat returned as interior minister in Said Halim Pasha 's cabinet, who was a puppet of the committee.
When did Talaat become Minister of Post and Telegraph?
He became Minister of Post and Telegraph in January 1912. Talaat urged for Mahmud Şevket Pasha, who was appointed Minister of War after the 31 March Incident, to resign as in the lead-up to the 1912 coup d'etat, something he wrote that he regretted once Şevket Pasha did so in support of the Savior Officers.
What was Talaat's role in the Balkan War?
The Ottomans soon joined the war, retaking the city even though the great powers had forced the Ottomans to surrender Adrianople only months earlier. This was a failure of diplomacy by the great powers; for Talaat and the CUP, this moment would make them learn to not take international diplomacy seriously if the situation on the ground reflected otherwise. Talaat would lead the negotiations with Bulgaria in the Istanbul conference, which resulted in a population exchange and formalizing Ottoman reassertion of sovereignty over Adrianople. Talaat would negotiate another peace with Greece too.
Early life
Mehmed Talaat was born in 1874 in Kırcaali town of Edirne Vilayet into the family of a junior civil servant working for the government of the Ottoman Empire. His father was from a village in the mountainous southeastern corner of present-day Bulgaria. He had a powerful build and a dark complexion.
Young Turk Revolution
In 1908 he was dismissed for membership of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), the nucleus of the Young Turk movement. However, after the Young Turk Revolution of 1908 he became deputy of Edirne in the Ottoman Parliament, and in July 1909 he was appointed Minister of Interior Affairs.
Armenian Genocide
On 24 April 1915, Talaat issued an order to close all Armenian political organizations operating within the Ottoman Empire and arrest Armenians connected to them, justifying the action by stating that the organizations were controlled from outside the empire, were inciting upheavals behind the Ottoman lines, and were cooperating with Russian forces.
Grand vizier, 1917–1918
In 1917, Talaat became the Grand Vizier but was unable to reverse the downward spiral of Ottoman fortunes in his new position.
Exile, 1919–1921
Talaat Pasha fled the Ottoman capital in a German submarine on 3 November 1918, from Istanbul harbour to Berlin. Just a week later the Porte capitulated to the Allies and signed the Armistice of Mudros.
Posthumous memoirs
Shortly after the assassination of Talaat in March 1921, the "Posthumous Memoirs of Talaat" was published in the October volume of The New York Times Current History. In this memoir, he accepted that the deportation was not carried out lawfully everywhere.
Burial
He was buried in the Turkish Cemetery in Berlin. In 1943, his remains were taken to Istanbul and reburied in Şişli. His war memories were published after his death.
What happened to the Armenians in 1915?
And sometimes they were still victims of violent marauders, who, not sparing, killed them. Already in June of the same year, 1915, an order was issued that absolutely all Armenians living in the eastern part of the Ottoman Empire had to be exiled to the desert.
What was Mehmed Pasha's position in the Ottoman Empire?
Not much time passed, as early as 1909Mehmed Pasha receives a high-ranking post in the government, namely the post of Minister of Internal Affairs of the Ottoman Empire. And it is important to note that by 1909 Mehmed became one of the most influential people of the Ottoman Empire. And, taking this position, the nationalist takes severe measures against the national minorities, and especially this manifested itself in relation to the Armenian nation, which, on the orders of the pasha, was regularly exterminated. The political figure of the Ottoman Empire once wrote in his memoirs that he is very apprehensive that the Armenian nation will proclaim an independent state.
What was the Young Turk movement?
Thus, the Young Turk movement (members of the givenmovements are often called "Young Turks") is a political movement in the Ottoman Empire , which began its existence in 1876. Its purpose was to carry out certain reforms in the state and create a directly constitutional state structure. In fact, the achievements of the Young Turk movement are very important, because the Young Turks managed to overthrow Abdul-Hamid II and carry out a number of certain reforms. However, it is important to note that the power in the hands of this political movement lasted not so long. After the fall of Turkey in the First World War, the Young Turks lost all control over the state.
What was Mehmed Talaat Pasha's career?
Famous politician MehmedTalaat Pasha began his career growth from the position of clerk in the telegraph office. But over time, he actively began to be interested in political activities. Being still a clerk in the office, Pasha also actively fought against the abdulgamido tyranny, and decided to become a member of the Young Turk movement. However, in order to gain a deeper understanding of this topic, it is necessary to explain what the Young Turk movement is and what its goals were.
Where is Enver from?
Enver is from Istanbul.Born in 1881 in the family of an ordinary worker of the railway. The family was large enough, consisting of five children. Enver was the eldest. From the very childhood, he knew that he wanted to be a military man, and in his youth went to military school. Then he graduated from the academy with the rank of captain. But over time he received the rank of major.
Who was the Ottoman Empire's interior minister?
March 15 in Germany in the city of Berlin wasThe Interior Minister of the Ottoman Empire, Mehmed Talaat Pasha, was shot dead at the age of 47. Witnesses say that it was a sunny day and Pasha was walking along the avenue, and there was an unknown person who came to the meeting, who suddenly shot at the Minister of Internal Affairs. But who killed Talaat Pasha? The story says that the political figure of the Ottoman Empire was killed in the framework of Operation Nemesis, which punished the perpetrators of the Armenian genocide. And at the number 1 in the list for the murders was exactly the name of Talaat Pasha. The murder of Mehmed was not a big surprise, because at that time all those who had punished the Armenians began to be executed for their criminal activities. And Mehmed was the direct organizer and ideological inspirer of the Armenian genocide.
Is Talaat Pasha a Jew?
As the story goes, Talaat Pasha is a Jew from the Dönme sect. But what kind of sect is this? And how did it affect the future fate of Mehmed?
Why did Talaat resign?
He resigned his post in October 1918 as the empire neared total defeat. Aware of the consequences he faced because of the declared intentions of the Allied Powers to hold him and his associates responsible for the extermination of the Armenians, Talaat fled to Germany where he lived under an assumed name.
What was Talaat's profession?
Born in Edirne (Adrianople), Talaat became a telegrapher at a young age. He was active in the Young Turk movement seeking to overthrow Sultan Abdul Hamid (Abdulhamit) II. He joined the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) and quickly emerged a leader in the secret organization. His profession gave him access to the principal means ...
What crimes did Talaat commit?
During the tribunal convened in Constantinople by the post-war Ottoman government, Talaat was tried in absentia, found guilty of capital crimes, including massacre, and was condemned to death.
What was the role of the Minister of Interior in the Armenian Genocide?
As Minister of the Interior, he assumed primary responsibility for planning and implementing the Armenian Genocide. He employed the system of provincial administration subordinate to his direct authority as the main instrument for carrying out the deportations.
Who was the Minister of the Interior in 1913?
The 1913 coup saw the rise of the so-called Young Turk triumvirate consisting of Talaat as Minister of the Interior, Enver as Minister of War, and Jemal as Minister of the Marine. Talaat was one of the main advocates of the Turkification of the Ottoman Empire. As Minister of the Interior, he assumed primary responsibility for planning ...
Who was the most influential politician in the Ottoman Empire?
After the 1908 Young Turk Revolution, Talaat became one of the most influential politicians of the Ottoman Empire. In 1909 he was appointed Minister of the Interior and then Minister of Posts. By 1912 he was Secretary General of the CUP, which the following year seized complete power in the Ottoman Empire.
When were Talaat's remains returned to Istanbul?
The jury, hearing the eyewitness testimony of German officers, acquitted Tehlirian. As for Talaat's remains, they were returned to Istanbul in 1943 by Nazi Germany and given burial with full honors. --Rouben Paul Adalian.
Overview
Trial
At the beginning of the police investigation, Tehlirian was offered a Turkish-speaking interpreter, but he refused to speak Turkish. On 16 March, the police recruited an Armenian interpreter, Kevork Kaloustian, who was part of the Nemesis operation. Tehlirian admitted he had killed Talaat out of vengeance and planned the act before he came to Germany, but told police he acted alon…
Background
As the leader of the Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), Talaat Pasha (1874–1921) was the last powerful grand vizier of the Ottoman Empire during World War I. Considered the primary architect of the Armenian genocide, he ordered the deportation of nearly all of the empire's Armenian population to the Syrian Desert in 1915, to wipe them out. Of 40,000 Armenians deported from Er…
Talaat Pasha’s exile in Berlin
After the Armistice of Mudros (30 October 1918), following elaborate preparations, Talaat fled Constantinople on a German torpedo boat with other CUP leaders—Enver Pasha, Djemal Pasha, Bahaeddin Şakir, Nazım Bey, Osman Bedri, and Cemal Azmi—on the night of 1–2 November. Except for Djemal, all were major perpetrators of the genocide; they left to evade punishment for the…
Operation Nemesis
After it became clear that no one else would bring the perpetrators of the genocide to justice, the Dashnaktsutyun, an Armenian political party, set up the secret Operation Nemesis, headed by Armen Garo, Shahan Natalie, and Aaron Sachaklian. The conspirators drew up a list of 100 genocide perpetrators to target for assassination; Talaat headed the list. There was no shortage of volu…
Assassination
On a rainy Tuesday (15 March 1921) around 10:45 a.m., Talaat left his apartment intending to purchase a pair of gloves. Tehlirian approached him from the opposite direction, recognized him, crossed the street, closed in from behind, and shot him at close range in the nape of his neck outside Hardenbergstraße 27, on a busy street corner, causing instant death. The bulle…
Funeral
Initially, Talaat's friends hoped he could be buried in Anatolia, but neither the Ottoman government in Constantinople nor the Turkish nationalist movement in Ankara wanted the body; it would be a political liability to associate themselves with the man considered the worst criminal of World War I. Invitations from Hayriye and the Oriental Club were sent to Talaat's funeral, and on 19 March, h…
Press coverage
The assassination and trial received widespread international press coverage and brought attention and recognition to the facts of the genocide. Contemporaries understood the trial to be more about the Armenian genocide than Tehlirian's personal guilt. News coverage reflected the tension between public sympathy for the Armenian victims of genocide and the value of law an…
Overview
Mehmed Talaat (1 September 1874 – 15 March 1921), commonly known as Talaat Pasha or Talat Pasha, was a Turkish Ottoman politician and convicted war criminal of the late Ottoman Empire who served as its de facto leader from 1913 to 1918. Talaat Pasha was chairman of the Union and Progress Party, which operated a one-party dictatorship in the Ottoman Empire during World Wa…
Early life: 1874–1908
Mehmed Talaat was born in 1874 in Kırcaali, Adrianople (Edirne) Vilayet into a middle-class family of Romani and Pomak descent. His father, Ahmet Vasıf, was a kadı from Çeplece, a nearby village. His mother Hürmüz was from a family that migrated from Dedeler village, Kayseri. Talaat also had two sisters. Talaat's family fled to Constantinople when their home was occupied by Russian troop…
Rise to power: 1908–1913
The Unionists found themselves at the behest of a spontaneous revolution in 1908, which started with Niyazi and Enver's flight into the Albanian hinterlands. Talaat's role during the Young Turk Revolution was to organize a plot to assassinate the garrison commander of Salonika, Ömer Nazım, who was a Hamidian loyalist and spy master of the area. Nazım survived his hired Fedai wi…
Union and Progress regime: 1913–1918
Once Şevket Pasha was out of the picture due to his assassination in 12 July 1913, the CUP established a de facto one-party state in the Ottoman Empire. Talaat returned as interior minister in Said Halim Pasha's cabinet. He kept this post until the CUP's fall from power following the Ottoman Empire's surrender in World War I in 1918. Talaat, with Enver and commandant Ahmet Cemal, forme…
Exile: 1918–1921
Talaat Pasha delivered a farewell speech in the last CUP congress on 1 November, where it was decided to dissolve the party. With Enver, Cemal, Nazım, Şakir, Azmi, and Osman Bedri, he fled the Ottoman capital on a German torpedo boat that night where they landed in Sevastopol, Crimea and scattered from there. Before escaping the Ottoman Empire, he wrote a letter to İzzet Pasha pr…
Assassination and funeral
With most CUP leaders in exile, the Armenian Revolutionary Federation organized a plot to assassinate the perpetrators of the Armenian Genocide, known as Operation Nemesis. On 15 March 1921 Talaat was assassinated with a single bullet as he came out of his Hardenbergstraße house to purchase a pair of gloves. His assassin was a Dashnak member from Erzurum named Soghomon T…
Personality and relationships
Many of Talaat's contemporaries wrote of his charm but also of a melancholy spirit. Some occasionally noticed his naivety and others commented on his intimidation skills.
His life-long friend Mehmed Cavid wrote of the fall of Talaat and the CUP into a delusional "all or nothing" approach for salvation by war via the July Crisis. Krik…
Legacy
Talaat Pasha is widely considered one of the main architects of the Armenian Genocide by historians.
In his posthumously published memoirs, he propagated a "national myth – that all Ottoman Armenians were rebels, betrayers, secessionists, and that they were responsible for the massacres that took place in 1915-1916". The memoirs were published many times especially w…