This month, for our “Edirnem and I” section, we are featuring a letter that came to the edirneden.com team in May 2005.
In conclusion, I say thank you to your hands, eyes, and hearts for preparing a beautiful website promoting Edirne, I wish you success, and I trust in our Atatürkist youth in Edirnengs.
I was born in 1948 and we were in Edirne between 1962 and 1972 because of my father’s job. My middle school and high school years passed between 1962 and 1967 and I had finished high school in 1966-1967 before the fire. (My father was assigned to Edirne when I was in the 3rd year of middle school.) Our beautiful high school building, which was founded in 1882, was not subject to the fire. The reason why we liked Edirne so much in those years is; the reasons for this are the fact that our adulthood coincides with that period, neighborhood, friendship, all human and interpersonal relationships are at a high level, they are not based on interest, and the level of education is high.
The past is the time when the imaginary world is worth it
When we say education, I remember with love, respect and mercy our school principal Mr. Nedim Göknil, who educated us in the best way, first and foremost Physical Education Instructor Mr. Süleyman Yuğnak, English Instructor Ms. Hümeyra, Physics Instructors Afife and Fatma, Turkish Instructor Mediha Üçsu, Music Instructor Mezruka Tünaydın, Algebra and Geometry Instructors Cahit Parlar and Ahmet, History Instructor Ms. Meliha Güldiken, Dormitory Information Ms. Rayegan Köyatası, Nature Information Ms. Remziye, Business Instructor Süheyla Saatçi, Chemistry Instructor Ms. Güler, French Instructor Orhan Bıçakçı (I apologize for those I have forgotten.).
By the way, I would like to state that if we upset them because of the excitement, mischief and laziness of childhood at that age, I apologize even though it is late. Compared to today, our teachers were very respected and we were respectful students.
In those years, Edirne had a population of 30-35,000. Its border was between the Gazimihal Bridge (Yıldırım Neighborhood) to the west and Şinasi Dörtok’s mobile gas station to the east. There was no internal migration, everyone knew each other well.
During those times, we lived all the values of the 1968 generation to the fullest. I don’t think today’s youth can live what we experienced in music, politics, friendship and love.
As adults of those years, watching concerts and plays at the Ayvazoğlu cinema, sitting with our girlfriends at the Zogo patisserie, going to weddings at the Tugay Garden or Community Center and dancing, even looking at each other from a distance, dancing with permission from our parents, playing backgammon for ayran at Özcan Ağabey’s cafe on Saraçlar Street, walking up and down Saraçlar Street on the days off from the teacher training school, drinking tea in the garden of the Kervan Hotel, watching the DSİ-SUSPOR-EDİRNESPOR final matches in the amateur league, the November 25 ceremonies, and following the matches between schools were images that will never be erased from our memories.
When we say school matches, can we ever forget the unforgettable names of our legendary high school team of those years? Our team consisted of our elder brothers like Sarı İstemi (Betil), Karbin Orhan, Ceset Mustafa, Kör Dilaver, Gogo İsmail, Alık Sami, Sıçan Yalçın, İbrahim Ay, Karatavuk, Ayı Aydın.
In my opinion, the symbols of that period are our neighbors Hasan Aga, the ice cream seller mentioned on your site, Arslan Baba, the boza seller, Necati Aga from Kızanlık, the melon and watermelon seller from Saraçlar Cad. tailor Bahattin ağabey, tinsmith Ali Bakırel, the father of our neighborhood, the indispensable duo of Edirnespor matches, crazy Muhittin ağabey, accompanied by the Municipality Band, trafficker Şaban, clarinetist crazy Selim, cümbüş master Hüsmen ağa, tambourine player Demir, trumpet player Bahattin ağabey, coffee shop owner Özcan ağabey, patisserie owner Mestan ağa’s son Niyazi Aydınlık (Zogo), signboard maker Bekir, tinsmith Rasim, folk singer and beautiful-voiced Necdet Dillek ağabey, father of the youngsters, the manager of the park opposite the Atatürk statue Erdoğan ağabey, are such esteemed people.
Of course, these names are typical personalities that I know and that come to mind. Additions can be made to these.
How can I forget when we were adults and injected raki into the watermelons planted on the land of our friend, the late Emin Önder, who had a farm, with a large syringe (we thought we would obtain wonderful, delicious raki when we grew up with the sunlight – and we did).
In conclusion, I say thank you to your hands, eyes, and hearts for preparing a beautiful website promoting Edirne, I wish you success, and I trust in our Atatürkist youth in Edirne.