People's Houses

Halkevleri were institutions that embodied the populist cultural policies adopted in the early period of the Republic of Türkiye (1932–1951). Operating as associations serving the public interest, Halkevleri were first opened on 19 February 1932 in 14 provincial centers under the leadership of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and later expanded to many provinces of Türkiye, engaging in cultural activities such as education, health, housing, environmental protection, and the defense of women’s rights. After the Democratic Party came to power following the elections of 14 May 1950, the entire network of Halkevleri was closed on 8 August 1951 by Law No. 5830, passed by the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye, and all their assets were transferred to the state treasury^【1】.

^{Ankara Halkevi, 1930s (}Presidency Archives of the Republic of Türkiye⁾

Halkevleri embodied one of the six foundational principles of the Turkish Constitution: “Populism.” Their initial purpose was to construct a national culture in Anatolia. Second, they aimed to bridge the gap between the intellectual elite and the general public by teaching the foundational values of civilization and the nationalist, secular ideas of the Republican regime. In essence, Halkevleri entered social life as representatives of the new regime tasked with familiarizing the masses with Republican ideals. Thus, Halkevleri served as democratic and populist gateways born from the Republic’s passion for enlightenment during the processes of socialization and nation-building.

Halkevleri were envisioned as protective havens that gathered and united youth while shielding them from harmful ideologies. The knowledge and education provided in these popular education centers were designed to align with the spirit of the existing regime, thereby eliminating any risk of youth corruption. According to İsmail Hakkı Baltacıoğlu, no family, friendship circle, or club in Türkiye possessed the capacity to instill a national and modern culture in Turkish youth. In contrast, Halkevleri, both in their organizational structure and spiritual orientation, were highly suitable for this task, and all young people should be enrolled in them, with all education outside school taking place within Halkevleri.^【2】

Although Halkevleri operated under a centralized organizational structure, they established an extensive network of public engagement through local branches. Initially established in 14 provinces, by 1950 they had expanded to 67 provincial centers, 388 districts and subdistricts, totaling 478 branches and 432 People’s Halls. These institutions were subordinate to the General Headquarters of the Republican People’s Party, but daily operations were managed by local administrators, teachers, civil servants, and volunteer intellectuals.

^{Second Regional Medical Congress held at Manisa Halkevi in 1938 (}Salt Archive⁾

Each Halkevi was managed by a council composed of a president, a secretary, and branch heads. Branch heads were appointed separately for each area of activity, and their management was typically assumed by volunteer local intellectuals, teachers, or public officials. Central administration played a coordinating, supervisory, and guiding role.

Institutionally, Halkevleri:

• Functioned as an extension of the Republican People’s Party,
• Operated in collaboration with municipal authorities at provincial and district centers,
• Conducted activities in their own buildings as well as in schools, cinemas, and reading rooms.

The nine main activity branches of Halkevleri were defined in the Halkevleri Regulations as follows: Language, History and Literature Branch; Fine Arts Branch; Performance Branch; Sports Branch; Social Assistance Branch; People’s Classes and Courses Branch; Library and Publication Branch; Village Affairs Branch; and Museum and Exhibition Branch.

1. Language, History and Literature Branch: Its primary aim was to simplify the Turkish language, develop awareness of national history, and collect folk literature. Oral history projects were undertaken, collections of folktales and folk songs were compiled, and regional dialects were studied. Notably, the Halkevleri of Afyonkarahisar and Sivas carried out exemplary work in this area.
2. Fine Arts Branch: Courses in painting, sculpture, music, and handicrafts were opened to nurture amateur artists. Art galleries were established in some Halkevleri. Ankara, Istanbul, and İzmir Halkevleri emerged as leaders in this field.
3. Performance (Theater) Branch: Theater was seen as a tool to introduce the public to the ideals of the revolution, combining educational and entertaining functions. Halkevleri established amateur theater groups and presented both local and Western classical works to the public. Village folk plays were modernized and brought to the stage.
4. Sports Branch: Sports clubs were formed in disciplines such as gymnastics, wrestling, athletics, and football, aiming to instill discipline and solidarity among youth through physical education. Istanbul and Bursa Halkevleri were pioneers in this area.
5. Social Assistance Branch: Activities included aid to orphans, support for war victims, and campaigns during natural disasters. During the years of the Second World War, Halkevleri played an active role in securing food and clothing.
6. Library and Publication Branch: Libraries were established within Halkevleri, book campaigns were organized, and various brochures and local bulletins were published. This enabled the cultivation of reading habits and the dissemination of Atatürk’s principles and reforms through written culture.
7. People’s Classes and Courses Branch: Courses in literacy, sewing and embroidery, accounting, typewriting, foreign languages, and the arts were offered. These classes particularly encouraged the social participation of women and youth. Kastamonu and Tokat Halkevleri were pioneers in women’s courses.
8. Village Affairs Branch: Together with village teachers, health officials, and volunteer intellectuals, excursions to villages were organized to teach agricultural techniques and promote cooperatives. These activities were directly linked to the Village Institutes. Eskişehir and Kırklareli Halkevleri carried out pioneering work in this area.
9. Museum and Exhibition Branch: Local historical and ethnographic materials were collected to create museum corners, and exhibitions of paintings and handicrafts were organized. This branch also contributed to the preservation of local heritage.

^{Ülkü Halkevleri ve Halkodaları Dergisi, December 1949 (}Turkish Historical Society Library⁾

Ülkü, published by Ankara Halkevi between February 1933 and August 1950 in three phases, issued a total of 272 issues. During its first phase, which lasted until August 1941, it was edited by Nusret Kemal Köymen and Necip Ali Küçüka. In July 1936, starting with issue 41, Mehmet Fuat Köprülü was appointed as editorial director. A total of 102 monthly issues were published. On 1 October 1941, it was relaunched in a new format and size under the editorship of Ahmet Kutsi Tecer, publishing 126 issues until 16 December 1946, with two issues released each month. In its third phase, from January 1947 to August 1950, under the management of H. Tahsin Banguoğlu and Mehmet Tuğrul, it resumed publication as a monthly magazine, starting again from issue one, and published an additional 44 issues before ceasing publication.