Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay

Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay-1

Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay
Born	1906 Kozan, Adana, Ottoman Empire
Died	December 23, 1930 Menemen, Turkey
Nationality	Turkish
Occupation	Teacher, Soldier

Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay (1906 – December 23, 1930) was a Turkish teacher and soldier who became a symbol of secularism in Turkey following his martyrdom during the Menemen Incident.

Early Life

Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay was born in 1906 in Kozan, a town in the Adana Province of the Ottoman Empire. He pursued a career in education and became a teacher. Later, he joined the military and served as a reserve officer.

Menemen Incident

The Menemen Incident occurred on December 23, 1930, in the town of Menemen, located in the İzmir Province of Turkey. The incident was a reactionary uprising against the secular reforms implemented by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and the Republican People's Party.

During the incident, a group of religious extremists led by Dervish Mehmet sought to establish a Sharia-based government. Kubilay, who was serving as a reserve officer in Menemen, was ordered to suppress the uprising. He confronted the rebels but was captured and brutally murdered. His death became a symbol of the struggle between secularism and religious fundamentalism in Turkey.

Legacy

Mustafa Fehmi Kubilay is commemorated annually on December 23rd, known as "Kubilay Day," to honor his sacrifice and to reaffirm the principles of secularism in Turkey. Monuments and memorials have been erected in his memory, and his story is taught in Turkish schools as part of the national curriculum.

See Also

• Menemen Incident
• Secularism in Turkey
• Mustafa Kemal Atatürk
• Republican People's Party (Turkey)
• İzmir Province