Şükrü Saraçoğlu (b. 1887, Ödemiş – d. December 27, 1953, Istanbul) was a statesman, prime minister, and diplomat among the early period politicians of the Republic of Turkey. He served as the Prime Minister of Turkey during the years of World War II and held various ministerial posts as well as important diplomatic missions.
Life and Education
Şükrü Saraçoğlu was born on July 1, 1886, in the Üç Eylül quarter of Ödemiş, İzmir. His father was Saraç Mehmet Tevfik Usta, and his mother was Şerife Hanım. He completed his primary and secondary education in his hometown and graduated from İzmir İdadisi (High School) in 1906. The same year, he was admitted to the Mekteb-i Mülkiye (School of Civil Service) in Istanbul through a competitive examination and completed his studies in 1909.
Commencing his official career on September 9, 1909, as a probationary district governor (Maiyyet Memuru) in İzmir, Saraçoğlu concurrently served as a mathematics teacher at İzmir Sultanisi and as director of the İzmir İttihat ve Terakki School of Commerce. In 1914, with the support of İzmir Governor Rahmi Bey, he was awarded a government scholarship to pursue higher education in Belgium. However, the outbreak of the First World War compelled him to return to the Ottoman Empire. He subsequently continued his studies in Switzerland, enrolling at the Faculty of Political Science at the University of Geneva, where he studied politics and economics. During his time in Geneva, he founded the Geneva Turkish Home (Cenevre Türk Yurdu) and presided over the institution until his graduation in 1918.
Period of the National Struggle
Following the news of the occupation of İzmir in 1919, Şükrü Saraçoğlu secretly crossed into Anatolia via Italy and Rhodes. He joined the ranks of the National Struggle in Kuşadası, participating in the resistance alongside Demirci Mehmet Efe. Elected as a deputy to the last Ottoman Parliament (Meclis-i Mebusan) representing the Sanjak of İzmir, his parliamentary duties were interrupted when Istanbul was occupied by Allied forces, prompting his return to Anatolia.
Saraçoğlu continued his involvement in the armed resistance within the Kuva-yı Milliye (National Forces) units, particularly on the fronts around Aydın and its surroundings. In 1923, he was elected Mayor of Ödemiş and participated in the İzmir Economic Congress held in the same year.
Early Life of Şükrü Saraçoğlu (Fenerbahçe)
Republican Era and Political Career
Following the proclamation of the Republic, Şükrü Saraçoğlu entered the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT) as a deputy representing İzmir in its second legislative term. During the debates on the 1924 Constitution, he defended the principle of national sovereignty by opposing proposals to grant the president the authority to veto laws and dissolve the parliament. On November 22, 1924, he was appointed Minister of Education in the cabinet formed by Fethi Bey. During his tenure, he worked on expanding primary education and developing vocational schools.
Between 1925 and 1927, he served as the Chairman of the Mixed Exchange Commission, presiding over negotiations following Greece's confiscation of Turkish properties in Western Thrace.
From 1927 to 1930, Saraçoğlu held the office of Minister of Finance. During this period, he took measures to mitigate the effects of the global economic depression on Turkey. He oversaw the preparations for the enactment of the Law on the Protection of the Value of Turkish Currency and the establishment of the Central Bank of Turkey.
Between 1933 and 1938, he served as Minister of Justice. In this role, he oversaw the enactment of the Attorneyship, Judgeship, Enforcement and Bankruptcy Laws, as well as significant prison reforms. He developed a prison model based on education and production to facilitate the reintegration of convicts into society.
Tenure as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Prime Minister
On November 11, 1938, Şükrü Saraçoğlu was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the cabinet of Celâl Bayar, a post he held from 1939 to 1942. During his tenure, he signed the agreement with French Ambassador René Massigli, which secured the incorporation of Hatay into Turkey. Throughout the Second World War, he successfully managed Turkey’s policy of remaining neutral and keeping the country out of the conflict.
Following the death of Prime Minister Refik Saydam, Saraçoğlu was appointed Prime Minister by President İsmet İnönü on July 9, 1942. During his premiership, he introduced economic measures to address wartime financial hardships, including the implementation of the Wealth Tax (Varlık Vergisi) and the Agricultural Products Tax (Toprak Mahsulleri Vergisi). He also enacted the Land Reform Law for Farmers (Çiftçiyi Topraklandırma Kanunu), aiming to distribute land to the peasantry. In 1945, the Ministry of Labor was established, and on June 5, 1946, the Single-Stage Electoral Law (Tek Dereceli Seçim Kanunu) was passed, paving the way for Turkey’s transition to a multi-party political system.
Later Years and Death
Following the general elections held on July 21, 1946, Şükrü Saraçoğlu resigned from the premiership. Between 1948 and 1950, he served as the Speaker of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey. After failing to secure a parliamentary seat in the 1950 elections, he withdrew from active political life.
Şükrü Saraçoğlu on the Cover of Time Magazine 1943 (Atatürk Ansiklopedisi)
In addition to his political career, Saraçoğlu served as the president of Fenerbahçe Sports Club from March 16, 1934, to October 15, 1950, after which he was appointed honorary president of the club. In 1943, he became the second Turkish statesman, after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and İsmet İnönü, to appear on the cover of Time magazine. Şükrü Saraçoğlu passed away from cancer on December 27, 1953, in Istanbul.
