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| Cultural activists have distributed Turkish books in cities such as Urmia, Tabriz, and Ardabil. |
Cultural activists in various cities of Iranian Azerbaijan are commemorating the 77th anniversary of the burning of Turkish books by the Pahlavi government following the overthrow of the Azerbaijan National Government in 1946.
According to reports and images shared by sources such as Araz News and the Abbas Lisani Telegram channel, Turkish language rights activists distributed children’s Turkish books in neighborhoods and in front of schools in cities like Urmia, Tabriz, and Ardabil.
In some images shared on social media, posters and announcements related to the anniversaries of the establishment and overthrow of the Azerbaijan National Government were seen on walls in Zanjan.
In December 1946, after the Azerbaijan National Government, led by Seyyed Jafar Pishevari, was overthrown, Turkish books printed during its tenure were burned by the Iranian army. Activists refer to December 17 as “Book Day in Southern Azerbaijan” to remember this event.
The renowned surgeon Shapour Ansari previously shared his memories with Voice of America about the burning of Turkish textbooks after the fall of the National Government.
“At the time, they said this language was bad, and we were told to bring our books and burn them. I myself was guilty too. When the books were being burned, I participated. We brought our Turkish books and newspapers from home and burned them. I will never forget that event. I will never forgive those responsible,” said Mr. Ansari, who was in third grade at the time.
The late Reza Baraheni also described his observations from that period:
“They forced us to gather Turkish textbooks in Tabriz’s Shahrdari (Municipality) Square and burn them. The flames of the books rose from above our heads to the feet of the men hanging from the gallows.”
Link to the original report in Turkish on the Azerbaijani section of Voice of America:
İran Azərbaycanında mədəni fəallar türkcə kitabların yandırılmasının 77-ci ildönümü yad edirlər