One of the prominent figures of the National Struggle period, Ibrahim Ethem Akıncı is known both as a civil administrator and as the founder and commander of a military organization. His life spans the final years of the Ottoman Empire through the early years of the Republic of Türkiye.

Early Life and Education

Ibrahim Ethem Akıncı was born in 1889 in the village of Biliçe, within the Serez Sanjak of the Salonica Vilayet. He belonged to the “Tüfekçizadeler” family. He graduated first in his class from the Serez Preparatory School in 1906 and completed his studies at the Salonica Preparatory School in 1908. Having attended two preparatory schools, Akıncı graduated from the Salonica Law School in 1912.

During his student years, he worked as a clerk in the Vilayet Registration Office and gained experience as a reporter for the Rumili Gazetesi, which emerged in Salonica after the Second Constitutional Era. He participated in the Balkan Wars as a journalist and, after his native village of Biliçe fell into Bulgarian hands, carried out the destruction of his own village. He also actively engaged in guerrilla operations during the Balkan Wars.

Before the National Struggle

After the Balkan Wars, Ibrahim Ethem Bey moved to Istanbul and was appointed as district chief of Sındırgı in 1915. He held this position until his transfer to the post of district chief of Şamlı in 1918. Following the Armistice, he resigned from his administrative post and practiced law in Balıkesir until the beginning of the National Struggle.

The National Struggle Period and the Demirci Akıncıları

After the Greek occupation of Balıkesir in 1920, Ibrahim Ethem Bey traveled to Ankara and worked for two months in the Special Cipher Office of the Ministry of Interior. During a critical phase of the National Struggle, on 28 November 1920, he was appointed as the district governor of Demirci—a strategically vital position surrounded by Greek-occupied territories. This appointment was linked to Mustafa Kemal Paşa’s order to implement guerrilla warfare tactics and to Demirci’s mountainous terrain, which was well suited to hinder enemy advances. Due to his valuable service during the Çerkez Ethem incidents, he was also assigned as acting district governor of Gördes.

Following his appointment to Demirci, despite having no formal military or civil administrative training, Ibrahim Ethem Bey established a military organization known as the Demirci Akıncıları. This organization, composed of volunteer patriots, operated between 24 January and 15 March 1921 in the regions of Sındırgı, Demirci, and Gördes. The Akıncılar operated in small military units (müzefere), conducting intelligence operations behind enemy lines and along the front, raiding police stations, cutting telegraph lines, blowing up bridges, and employing guerrilla tactics to slow down enemy movements. Their primary mission was to sever the supply and communication lines of the Greek occupation forces.

Ibrahim Ethem Akıncı published a forty-article document known as the Akıncı Constitution. This document defined the discipline, duties, relations with the public, attitudes toward the enemy, and even moral values of the Akıncılar. It specifically emphasized kindness toward non-Muslims, the prohibition of theft and looting, the importance of cleanliness, and the avoidance of extravagance at weddings.

Ibrahim Ethem Bey’s efforts earned the admiration of Mustafa Kemal Paşa, who personally granted him the surname Akıncı.

Ibrahim Ethem Akıncı (Demirci Subdistrict)

The Great Offensive and Pursuit Operations

With the commencement of the Great Offensive, the Demirci Akıncıları played a crucial role in the pursuit of Greek forces. After the victory of 30 August 1922, numerous settlements including Demirci, Simav, and Sındırgı were liberated from enemy occupation by the Akıncılar.

Ibrahim Ethem Bey organized his units into three columns and advanced toward Balıkesir, playing a decisive role in the liberation of districts and villages such as Bigadiç, Balıkesir, Balya, İvrindi, Havran, Burhaniye, and Edremit. Through his detailed reports to the Western Front Command and his public proclamations, he ensured military coordination and established the authority of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye in the liberated areas.

On 30 September 1922, having announced the conclusion of his mission, he issued a ten-article final proclamation to all Akıncılar and disbanded the units. This proclamation was a key document affirming the successful completion of the National Struggle and regulating the transition of the Akıncılar back to civilian life.

The Republican Period and Governorships

Due to his successes during the National Struggle, Ibrahim Ethem Bey was promoted on 11 September 1922 from third-class district governor of Demirci to first-class district governor of Ayvalık. He became widely known among the public as the “Bearded District Governor” because he vowed not to shave his beard until the Greeks were driven into the sea. His duties in Ayvalık included meticulously cataloging property and assets in a region with a large Greek population and overseeing the resettlement of refugees.

Ibrahim Ethem Akıncı held numerous administrative positions throughout his career:

• Demirci District Governorship (Second Term): Reappointed on 15 October 1922 at the strong request of the local population, where he contributed to urban development projects.
• Settlement Inspectorate (1923)
• Ayvalık District Governorship (Second Term): Served from 7 November 1923 to 23 March 1924, focusing particularly on refugee resettlement.
• Kula District Governorship: Served from 12 March 1924 to 16 March 1925. He was awarded the Red-Striped Independence Medal for his heroism during the War of Independence and received an honor certificate from the Ministry of Agriculture for his successful campaign against a locust plague.
• Acting Governor of Yozgat: Promoted and appointed on 8 March 1925.
• Governor of Siirt: Served from 23 August 1925 to 14 November 1928. He played a key role in implementing the abolition of tekkes, zaviyes, and türbes and in persuading the local population to accept these reforms.
• Governor of Ağrı: Appointed on 1 November 1928 and served until 14 February 1931 at Atatürk’s order, due to unrest and rebellion in the region. During this period, he wrote his memoirs titled “The Demirci Akıncıları (Guerrillas) in the War of Independence,” which attracted the attention of Chief of the General Staff Fevzi Çakmak Paşa and was later published as a book.
• Governor of Samsun: Served from 18 January 1931 to 17 October 1931; his tenure was associated with the dissolution of the Free Republican Party’s Samsun branch.
• Governor of Balıkesir: Served from 20 October 1931 to 19 November 1933. During this period, he visited the city of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Paşa, ensured a smooth transition to the recitation of the call to prayer in Turkish, and provided significant services in the field of transportation.
• Governor of Malatya: Served from 13 November 1933 to 29 May 1939. He decisively addressed security issues and restored public order in Malatya. He worked on combating smuggling, developing agriculture and animal husbandry (particularly apricot cultivation), and preparing an urban development plan.
• Governor of Muğla: Served from 13 May 1939 until his retirement on 15 July 1949—the longest tenure of his career. During this period, coinciding with World War II, he earned the nicknames “The Big Governor” due to his large physique and “The Hunter Governor” due to his passion for hunting. He spent weekends visiting villages to address issues related to roads, water, and schools, placing particular emphasis on the construction of primary schools. His efforts were praised by the Minister of National Education, Hasan Ali Yücel. In the 1946 multi-party elections, he instructed district governors to remain neutral, contributing to the Democratic Party’s victory in Muğla. He also dealt with refugee issues and developments in the Aegean Islands during World War II.

Retirement and Final Years

Ibrahim Ethem Akıncı retired from the Muğla Governorship on 15 July 1949. His family claims his retirement was forced, as İnönü no longer wished him to serve. Although he contested the decision and won his case in court, he did not return to his post. Instead, he donated his compensation to the Turkish Red Crescent and declined a parliamentary candidacy offered by the Democratic Party. His wish to locate the graves of National Struggle martyrs and erect memorial tombs was never fulfilled. He passed away on 11 May 1950 in Sındırgı.

Personal Characteristics

Ibrahim Ethem Akıncı was fluent in French, Bulgarian, Romanian, Arabic, and Persian, and had a strong interest in mathematics, algebra, history, and literature.