Dersimi, Nuri

Nuri Dersimi (Dersim, 1893? – Aleppo, 1973) was the son of a teacher, poet and musician from Dersim, related to the family of Seyyit Rıza. He studied veterinary medicine in Istanbul where he came into contact with newly formed Kurdish nationalist organizations. In 1912 he became the general secretary of the Kurdish students’ association Kürdistan Muhibban Cemiyeti . During WWI he was sent as a military vet to Eastern Anatolia. Back in Istanbul, he became a member of the Society for the Rise of Kurdistan (Kürdistan Teali Cemiyeti ). Then he was sent to Sivas as a vet and contributed to the organization of the Koçgiri revolt and especially to the coordination with Dersim tribes. Being considered as one of the main instigators of the uprising, he was condemned to death and took refuge in Dersim. He took an active part in the Dersim revolt (1937-1938). During its repression in 1937, he took refuge in Syria, where he lived until the end of his life and wrote two books relating his memories and the struggle for Kurdish nationalism.