Turkey Olympic Games FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
Date of Issue: 08 August 2008

Denominations:
25 Yeni Kuruş: Archery
65 Yeni Kuruş: Taekwondo
80 Yeni Kuruş: Wrestling
80 Yeni Kuruş: Weightlifting

Comment: It's interesting, Turkish athletes have won medal in all of high denominations' events (65, 80 and 80 Yeni Kuruş). But the low denomination (25 Yeni Kuruş), Turkish athletes got nothing.

Estonia 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Gold Medalist Autographed FDC
Estonia 2008 Beijing Olympic Games Silver Medalists Autographed Postal Stationery

2008 Beijing Olympic Games FDCs:
Algeria, Belarus, Canada, Czech Republic, Estonia, Estonia Sheetlet, Great Britain, Hong Kong, Hong Kong M/S, Indonesia, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Portugal M/S, Romania, Russia, Singapore, Slovakia, Sri Lanka, Turkey, Ukraine.

2008 Beijing Paralympic Games FDCs:
Czech Republic, Slovakia.

Turkey Humanity FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Precedent For Humanity
Date of Issue: 17 July 2008

Denominations:
65 Yeni Kuruş: Necdet Kent (1911-2002)
He served as Turkey's Vice-Consul General in Marseille between 1941-1944. During the Second World War, he issued Turkish passports to Jews and saved their life.

Necdet Kent was informed that Turkish Jews had been loaded into cattle cars to be transported to the concentration camps in Germany. He immediately went to the Saint Charles train station. In the cars there were 80 people crammed one on top of the other. The Gestapo commander in the station approached Necdet Kent and told him to leave right away. However, forcing the limits of his usual gentleness, Kent responded that those people were Turkish citizens and that there was a mistake that had to be corrected immediately. The Gestapo commander replied that he was only processing the orders and that the people in the cars were not Turks but "ordinary Jews". Seeing that his warnings beared no result. Kent suddenly jumped into the train by pushing aside the soldier who was trying to stop him and the official from the Foreign Ministry who had come with him. Outside there was a car waiting for taking Necdet Kent back. But he did not move. He explained that more than 80 Turkish citizens were loaded into these cattle cars just because they were Jewish and that he was the representative of a government which could not accept such an attitude. The Germans, puzzled by the firm stance of Necdet Kent, made everybody in the train get off and this drama was concluded.

80 Yeni Kuruş: Selâhattin Ülkümen (1914-2003)
He served as the Consul General of Turkey in Rhodes between 1943-1944. Opposing the German Nazi forces who occupied the Island during the Second World War, he saved 42 Jews from death.

Nazi Germany occupied Rhodes in 1943. Adolf Hitler's plan to annihilate Jews was directly put in practice in the Island. 1800 Jews were living in Rhodes at that moment. In 1944, the Nazi regime sent Anton Burger to the Island with the duty to direct the transportation of the Jews on Island to the Auschwitz Concentration Camp. The Commander of the Nazi armies in the Aegean region, German Lieutenant General Ulrich Kleeman, was ordered to fulfill Burger's instructions. The Germans ordered on the 19t of June the Jews in Rhodes to get together in the Italian headquarter on the Island and bring with themselves belongings for 10 days. The Rhodesian Jews were told that they would be resettled on a nearby island. The Turkish Consul General, Selâhattin Ülkümen, was concerned by these developments and demanded that the Turkish Jews living on the Island be released. Ülkümen told the German General: "According to Turkish laws, there is no difference between Jews, Muslims and Christians. If the Turkish Jews are not let go immediately. I will inform the Turkish Government and this will lead to an international crisis." At the end, Kleeman accepted to set free the Turkish Jews.

While he was serving as Consul General in Rhodes during the Second World War, Selâhattin Ülkümen prevented the expedition of 42 Jews to the Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration camps with his personal efforts.

Comment: This is a good issue for Jews. Many people saved and helped Jews during WWII. My city, Shanghai, also saved about 20,000 Jewish refugees' lives during WWII. They are called "Shanghai Ghetto". BTW, it seems that Turkish Post had changed their registered label.

Turkey World Environment Day FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: World Environment Day
Date of Issue: 05 June 2008

The consequence of increased CO2 gasses in the atmosphere which cause the "Green House" effect which in turn is blamed for "Climatic Changes" is known as "Global Warming". The basic reasons of Global Warming are particularly attributed, mainly to excessive increase of CO2 emissions and green house gasses into the atmosphere, produced by the industrial countries. With the increase and density of these gasses, which absorb and hold the sunlight for an indefinite period of time in the atmosphere, consequently cause a gradual increase of temperature over the surface of the earth.

World wide climatic change which so far caused floods, hurricanes and extensive forest and bush fires, not forgetting the destruction of vegetation as well of live-stocks, not being quite used to this sort of climatic changes. With the decline of green pastures and the destruction of trees large swaths of the world are now reduced to desolate deserts. If the necessary drastic measures are not immediately taken, the consequences of universal climate change are thought to result in the demise of millions of lives due to viral epidemic diseases.

Global Warming and universal Climate Change are now considered and accepted phenomena which will culminate in the most devastating and dangerous environmental disasters. To reduce the effect of Global Warming upon the world, benign energy resources must be encouraged to be sought, economic and diligent use of energy must be considered; protection, preservation, cultivation and increase of green land must be encouraged and most importantly the use of fossilised energy products must be restricted.

At present our country still has not signed up yet to the KYOTO AGREEMENT, which effectively is a serious a serious attempt and humanitarian duty by the signatories thereof to ward off the impending disasters by reducing the CO2 emissions into the atmosphere. To ward off the impending dangers of Global warming is indeed a serious matter and therefore it is incumbent upon the world and the hole humanity as a duty to tackle it.

Various civil organisations as the foundation TEMA (Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion) are institutions that are engaged in disseminating useful information against the disastrous onslaught of Global Warming.

Comment: After the Joint Issue with Thailand in May. Turkey and Thailand issued the same topic again on same day. But it is not a joint issue this time.

2008 Indonesia World Environment Day FDC
2008 Indonesia World Environment Day Minisheet FDC
2008 Thailand World Environment Day FDC
2008 Turkey World Environment Day FDC

Turkey The Cities FDCs

Turkey FDCs
Name: The Cities (Definitive Issue)
Date of Issue: 28 May 2008Denominations:
5 YENİ KURUŞ: Zonguldak
Zonguldak (Greek: Sandraka) is a city and the capital of Zonguldak Province in the Black Sea region of Turkey. Its population according to the 2000 census was 104,276. It is an important port on the Black Sea, and is famous for its coal mines.

50 YENİ KURUŞ: Yozgat
Yozgat (also Yuzgat or Yuzgad, Armenian: Յոզգաթ), formerly Bozok, is a city and the capital district of Yozgat province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 113,614 of which 73,930 live in the city of Yozgat.

65 YENİ KURUŞ: Aksaray
Aksaray is a city in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey and the capital district of Aksaray Province. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 236,560 of which 129,949 live in the city of Aksaray. The district covers an area of 4,589 km² (1,772 sq mi), and the average elevation is 980 m (3,215 ft), with the highest point being Mt. Hasan at 3,253 m (10,673 ft).

85 YENİ KURUŞ: Van
Van (Turkish: Van, Armenian Վան, Kurdish: Wan; from Armenian Van - village, settlement) is a city in eastern Turkey and the seat of Van Province, and is located on the eastern shore of Lake Van. The city's population in 2005 was 284,464. According to the Encyclopedia of the Orient, Kurds form the majority though no census based on ethnicity was ever held in Turkey.
Denominations:
65 YENİ KURUŞ: Kırıkkale
Kırıkkale is the capital of the Kırıkkale Province in the Central Anatolia region of Turkey. It is located 80 km east of Ankara. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 225,005 of which 205,078 live in the city of Kırıkkale. The name of the city means broken castle.

The town of Kırıkkale is located on the Ankara-Kayseri railway near the Kızıl River in central Turkey. Formerly a village, it owes its rapid rise in population mainly to the establishment of steel mills in the 1950s. These works, among the largest in the country, specialize in high-quality alloy steel and machinery. In the 1960s chemical plants were added.

80 YENİ KURUŞ: Karaman
Karaman (formerly Larende) is a town in south central Turkey, located north of the Taurus Mountains, ca 100 km (62 mi) south of Konya. It is the capital district of the Karaman Province. According to 2000 census, population of the district is 152,450 of which 105,834 live in the town of Karaman. The district covers an area of 3,686 km² (1,423 sq mi), and the town lies at an average elevation of 1,039 m (3,409 ft). The Karaman Museum is one of the major sights.

1 YENİ TÜRK LİRASI: Bayburt
Bayburt (Armenian: Բաբերդ, Baberd) is the provincial capital of Turkey's Bayburt Province. Bayburt was once an important center on the ancient Silk Road and it was visited by Marco Polo and Turkish excursionist Evliya Celebi. There are remains of its Byzantine castle still exist. There are several interesting mosques, Turkish baths and tombstones in the city as well as the Catalcesme Underground City and the natural wonder Sirakayalar Waterfall.

4.50 YENİ TÜRK LİRASI: Batman
Batman (short for Batı Raman Mountains) is the provincial capital of Batman Province, Turkey, also known as Êlih or Iluh in Kurdish, is a city on the Batman River in the predominantly Kurdish southeast of Turkey.

Turkey Thailand Relation FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: 50th Anniversary of Thailand - Turkey Diplomatic Relations (Thailand - Turkey Joint issue)
Date of Issue: 12 May 2008

Designs:
65 YENİ KURUŞ: Loha Prasat, Wat Ratchanaddaram, Bangkok, Thailand
Wat Ratchanaddaram (Thai: วัดราชนัดดาราม) is a buddhist temple (wat) located at the intersection between Ratchadamnoen Klang and Mahachak Road, in Phra Nakhon district, Bangkok. Meaning Royal Niece, the temple was built to the order of King Nangklao (Rama III) for Mom Chao Ying Sommanus Wattanavadi (หม่อมเจ้าหญิงโสมนัสวัฒนาวดี) in 1846.

The temple is best known for the Loha Prasat (โลหะปราสาท), a one of a kind in structure Thailand. The pagoda is a replica of the Loha Prasat built in India. It is 36 m high and has 37 metal spires, signifying the 37 virtues toward enlightenment. In the past, Loha Prasat was hidden behind an old movie theatre named Chalerm Thai. The theatre was demolished in 1989 as a project to improve scenery along Ratchadamnoen Road. More...

80 YENİ KURUŞ: Blue Mosque, Istanbul, Turkey
The Sultan Ahmed Mosque (Turkish: Sultanahmet Camii) is a historical mosque in Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey and the capital of the Ottoman Empire (from 1299 to 1923). The mosque is one of several mosques known as the Blue Mosque for the blue tiles adorning the walls of its interior. It was built between 1609 and 1616, during the rule of Ahmed I. Like many other mosques, it also comprises a tomb of the founder, a madrasah and a hospice. The Sultan Ahmed Mosque has become one of the greatest tourist attractions of Istanbul. More...

Comment: According to my Turkish friend's explanation. He sent this FDC from SİRKECI Post office (Istanbul GPO), this is the nearest post office from the Blue Mosque.

Turkey Airplanes FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Airplanes
Date of Issue: 25 April 2008

Designs:
65Ykr: B-24 D
First model produced on a large scale; ordered from 1940 to 1942, as a B-24C with better engines (R-1830-43 supercharged engines). During the production run, the tunnel gun in the belly was replaced by a remote-sited Bendix belly turret; this was later replaced by a Sperry ball turret. In late B-24Ds, 'cheek' guns were added.

80Ykr: Curtiss Hawk
Hawk was a name common to many aircraft designed and produced by the Curtiss Aeroplane and Motor Company. More...

85Ykr: P.Z.L. XXIV
The PZL P.24 was a Polish fighter aircraft, designed in mid-1930s in the PZL factory in Warsaw. It was exported to several countries, but not used in Poland. Turkish P.24s were used for training until the late 1940s. Some were refitted with Pratt & Whitney Twin Wasp engines. The only surviving example of a PZL P.24 in the world is a museum piece in Turkey. More...

Commment: Obviously, these airplanes are vintage airplanes, and were used in WWII period.

2007 India Airplanes FDC
2008 Poland Airplanes FDC
2008 Turkey Airplanes FDC

Turkey Linguist FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: The 1000th Birth Anniversary of Mahmud Kashgari
Date of Issue: 10 April 2008

Mahmud ibn Hussayn ibn Muhammad al-Kashgari (Arabic: محمود بن الحسين بن محمد الكاشغري; Turkish: Kaşgarlı Mahmud; Uyghur: Mehmud Qeshqeri), born in 1008, was an early Turkic linguist of Turkic languages from the Kara-Khanid Khanate, born in Kashgar, East Turkestan (modern day Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region of People's Republic of China). He was a renowned scholar and lexicographer of Turkic dialects.

His father, Husayn, was the mayor of Barsgan and related to the Karakhanid ruling dynasty. His mother was Bibi Rābiy'a al-Basrī. He studied Turkic dialects and wrote the first comprehensive dictionary of Turkic languages, the Dīwān ul-Lughat al-Turk (Arabic: Collection of Turkic words) in 1072. It was intended for use by the Caliphs of Baghdad, the new, Arabic allies of the Turks. Mahmud Kashgari's comprehensive dictionary contains specimens of old Turkic poetry in the typical form of quatrains (Persian/Arabic: رباعیات rubāiyāt; Turkish: dörtlük), representing all the principal genres: epic, pastoral, didactic, lyric, and elegiac. His book also included the first known map of the areas inhabited by Turkic peoples.

Mahmud Kashgari died in 1105 at the age of 97 in Opal, small city southwest of Kashgar, and was buried there. There is now a mausoleum erected on his gravesite (opened on May 26, 2006). He is remembered as a prominent Uyghur scholar.

Comment: His Tomb is located in China, but I think only less people knows him including me. I only know him from this issue. Shame!!

Turkey Anatolian FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Anatolian Civilizations (Urartians)
Date of Issue: 27 March 2008

After the fall of the Hittite empire, at the beginning of the first millennium B.C., a new kingdom was formed in eastern Anatolia, which was to survive for three hundred years. This was the kingdom of the Urartu, who were related to the Hurrians and were closely related to the Hittites in origin. However, the Urartu are historically looked upon as a civilization that had its own particular set of characteristics. The Urartu carried many of the customs and traditions of the Hittites into the first millennium, and can be said to have been a typically Anatolian culture. During the Early Urartu period, they were grouped in a series of emirates known as the Nairi, but in 900 B.C., they formed a confederation under a central monarch. More...

Turkey Medical Centre FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: 700th Anniversary of the Medical Centre of Amasya
Date of Issue: 13 March 2008

It is a unique building that remains from İlhanlı Period to nowadays. Is was built in the name of the Sultan Mehmet Olcaytu, Ruler of İlhanlı State and his wife Ilduz Hatun in 1308. Especially front side of the building is valuable by perspective of artistic values. On the shackle stone of gate there is an human relief that kneel down, it is a peculiar property only seen at Amasya Bimarhane building.

Comment: Because I haven't got the information brochure of this set. I don't know what these three groups of people are doing on this minisheet. Do you know that?

Turkey Valentine's Day FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Valentine's Day
Issue date: 14 February 2008

Valentine's Day or Saint Valentine's Day is a holiday celebrated on February 14. In the Americas and Europe, it is the traditional day on which lovers express their love for each other by sending Valentine's cards, presenting flowers, or offering confectionery. The holiday is named after two among the numerous Early Christian martyrs named Valentine. The day became associated with romantic love in the circle of Geoffrey Chaucer in the High Middle Ages, when the tradition of courtly love flourished.

The day is most closely associated with the mutual exchange of love notes in the form of "valentines." Modern Valentine symbols include the heart-shaped outline and the figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten notes have largely given way to mass-produced greeting cards. The sending of Valentines was a fashion in nineteenth-century Great Britain. In the United States, the imported fashion leading to a mid-nineteenth century Valentine's Day trade was a harbinger of further commercialized holidays in the United States to follow.

The U.S. Greeting Card Association estimates that approximately one billion valentines are sent each year worldwide, making the day the second largest card-sending holiday of the year behind Christmas. The association estimates that women purchase approximately 85 percent of all valentines.

2008 Finland Valentine's Day FDC
2008 Turkey Valentine's Day FDC

Turkey Nasreddin Hodja FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: 800th Anniversary of Nasreddin Hodja's Birth
Issue date: 7 February 2008

Nasreddin Hodja is Turkey's (and perhaps all of Islam's) best-known trickster. His legendary wit and droll trickery were possibly based on the exploits and words of a historical imam. Nasreddin reputedly was born in 1208 in the village of Horto near Sivrihisar. In 1237 he moved to Aksehir, where he died in the Islamic year 683 (1284 or 1285). As many as 350 anecdotes have been attributed to the Hodja, as he most often is called. Hodja is a title meaning teacher or scholar. He frequently is compared with the northern European trickster Till Eulenspiegel. More...

Turkey Marbling Arts FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Traditional Turkish Arts (Marbling)
Issue date: 2007 December 6th

Being one of the Traditional Turkish Art form, marbling is a method of aqueous surface design, which can produce patterns similar to marble or other stone, hence the name. The patterns and specific designs are the result of color floated on either plain water or a viscous solution known as size, and then carefully transferred to a sheet of paper there are several varieties of marbling such as Floral Marbling, Oversized Marbling, Cross Marbling, Comb Marbling.

Althought there is no definite date for when and in which country the art of marbling was born, a number of sources report that it first emerged in Turkestan in the nineteenth century. Along with the discovery of paper this form of art has been bloomed gradually up to now.

It was carried from Turkestan to India and Persia, and from there to the Ottomans through Silk Road. The art of marbling on paper, or "ebru" in Turkish, became a traditional decorative form employing special methods in the Ottoman Empire, however then this decorative form of art was at the point of being fallen to remember. Becoming prevalent and worthy again the art of marbling has eventuated in this way thanks to the struggles and endeavors of marbling craftsmen who are dedicated themselves to this art.

Turkey Cartoon Heroes FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Turkish Cartoon Heroes (Keloğlan)
Issue date: 2007 November 29th

Keloğlan (The Bald Boy) is a famous folktale character. The tales portray him as a poor, uneducated but witty boy. He is a unique case and he always remains so, regardless of his age, or of the medical reason for his becoming bald at a tender age. He is usually the youngest member of his family, and one may even refer to him as the 'runt'. He is practically never taken seriously at first, because of his physical appearance and the invariably shabby clothes he is sporting. At times, the older and 'wiser' members of his own family may attempt to take advantage of him. Almost everyone that comes into contact with Keloğlan think they can swindle him. Only after the first such injustice perpetrated against Keloğlan that Keloğlan goes into action. In the end of all tribulations, Keloğlan invariably wins the 'contest' to his own satisfaction.

The Keloğlan stories have appeared in popular literature since the beginning of the 18th century. He is often represented as a kind of mirror, reflecting society's ideals and wishes. Keloglan represents the idealized figure of a new sociological development and a changing society, expressed by the way of folktales.

Turkey Philosophy FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: World Philosophy Day
Issue date: 2007 November 22nd

Along with a decision by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). World Philosophy Day has been celebrated each year on the third Thursday in November since 2002. Philosophy is a struggle to reach fundamental trueness for knowledge and also occurrence required by humanity to recognize the world and solid principles and rules which will direct attitudes.

Need for philosophy is rising continuously in both world and our country. Problems that humanity face make it necessary to recognize them in light of the philosophy. Guidance of philosophy to the protection of peace, freedom, human rights, human dignity and values is critically important.

The aim of World Philosophy Day is to make it possible to become an actor for problem solving and public life drawing attention for vision and cogitation opportunities that philosophy sophisticates.

World Philosophy Day shall be celebrated with the cooperation of UNESCO, Turkish National Commission for UNESCO and Philosophical of Turkey Society between 21-23rd November, 2007. Turkey shall host the activities that will take place.

Official Website of 2007 World Philosophy Day

Turkey Architect FDC

Official FDC
Self-made FDC

Turkey FDC
Name: Mimar Sinan and His Works
Issue date: 2007 November 14th

Mimar Sinan (Ottoman Turkish: خوجه معمار سنان آغا) (April 15, 1489 - July 17, 1588) was the chief Ottoman architect for sultans Selim I, Suleiman I, Selim II and Murad III. He was, during a period of fifty years, responsible for the construction or the supervision of every major building in the Ottoman Empire. More than three hundred structures are credited to his name, exclusive of his more modest projects, such as his Koran schools (sibyan mektebs). More...

Design:
60krs. Büyükcekmece Bridge (Büyükcekmece köprüsü):
The Büyükcekmece Bridge crosses the Büyükcekmece Lake at the European half of Istanbul. The bridge is located at the "Via Egnatia" crossroad, linking Istanbul since the Classical Age with the Balkans.Since this road has had also great significance in Ottoman times, being a major trade and pilgrimage route and a bridge erected by the Romans had become too fragile it was erected by Mimar Sinan at 1567/68. The bridge has a length of 635,37 m and is wide 7,17m, and has at all 28 arches. It is most remarkable that the bridge has been erected over a swamp area, making it a statical masterpiece.

70 krs. Haseki Hürrem Sultan Bath (Haseki Hürrem Sultan Hamami)
A public bath built by Mimar Sinan at 1553 (next to the Hagia Sophia in Istanbul) within the pious foundation complex founded by Haseki Hürrem Sultan(1506-1558), the wife of Sultan Süleyman II. the Magnificent(1494-1566). Being one of the most beautiful historical baths of Istanbul, the buildings length is 75 m and composed of two linked complexes. While the middle parts of the building are made of massive stones the buildings wings are composed of rows of bricks. It is used as a museum nowadays.

70. krs. Selimiye Mosque (Selimiye Camii):
Built at Edirne by Mimar Sinan between 1568-1574. It was considered by Sinan to be his masterpiece and is one of the highest achievements of Islamic architecture. It has four minarets which are all exactly 79,89 m. high while its magnificent dome has a diameter of 31,28 m. In this mosque Sinan employed an octagonal supporting system that is created through eight pillars incised in a square shell of walls. The four semi domes at the corners of the square behind the arches that spring from the pillars, are intermediary sections between the huge encompassing dome (31.25m diameter with spherical profile) and the walls. Around the rest of the mosque were many additions: libraries, schools, hospices, baths, soup kitchens for the poor, markets, hospitals, and a cemetery. More...

80 krs. Süleymaniye Mosque (Süleymaniye Camii):
Built between 1550-1557 at the historical center of Istanbul. The mosque is 59 meters in length and 58 meters in width. The main dome is 53 meters high and has a diameter of 26.5 meters. It has four minarets, the inner courtyard measures 2465 m2. Apart from the main mosque with the praying hall (cami) and courtyard (avlu), the mosque complex also includes a caravanserai or seraglio (sarayi; han), a public kitchen (imaret) which served food to the poor, a hospital (darüssifa), four Kuran schools (medrese), a specialized school for the learning of hadith, and a bath-house (hamam). It may be of interest that four big granite columns which are located in the mosque itself were brought from different places in the Empire: two from Istanbul,one from Alexandria and one from Baalbek. More...