İsmet İnönü’s father Reşit Bey born in Malatya went to İstanbul to study law and was assigned to his first place of duty in Çatalca. During this time, he got married to Rumelian Hakkı Bey’s sister Cevriye Hanım in 1880 in İstanbul. After the birth of their first son Ahmet, they moved to a house in İzmir. İsmet came into the world in 1884 in the house of his uncle which is now a museum when his father Reşit Bey was working as the assistant investigating magistrate in İzmir court house.
İsmet İnönü told of his memories of İzmir in his book “Hatıralar” (Memories) in the 19-20 pages in the first volume:
I spent my summer holidays in İzmir for 6 years of my military education. For me to go to my uncle’s place has always been a chance to freshen up and be happy. The small and modest house with a sea view in the Değirmen Mountain still looks like the most beautiful mansion of the world to me. I used to rest and go around the city. I read French newspaper -le matin- and learned and followed the significant events happening in my country. Towards the end of my vacation, I prepared for the next year’s lessons and sometimes took language lessons. My younger uncle was a doctor and interested in literature. And for me it was so much fun to be with him. My generation was fond of closed and open forms of literature and movements. We bought all the banned books in İstanbul and İzmir as lithographic printing at the corner shops. We usually found what we wanted among the old books sold in Tunnel.
So İzmir was my beloved city between the ages of 13-22. When I went to İzmir 16 years later and in complete different conditions, the excitement of reuniting with the beloved one shined out among my all kinds of feelings.
The house in Sarıhafız (Türk Yılmaz) Neighborhood Mekke Yokuşu 842. Street no:20, nowadays it is called İsmet İnönü Street, was bought by İzmir’s mayor Dr. Behçet Uz from the two sisters living there on behalf of the Municipality during the presidency of İsmet İnönü.
After 1950 when İzmir Municipality wanted to sell off the house, one of the businessmen who was a close friend of İsmet İnönü, Şerif Remzi Reyent bought the house. Şeref Remzi Reyent gave the house as a gift to his nephew full General Ali Fuat Erden’s daughter Ayla Ökmen. Full General Ali Fuat Erden was also one of the oldest friends of İsmet İnönü. And Ayla Ökmen bestowed the house to İnönü Foundation.
By the mediation of İzmir’s mayor Yüksel Çakmur, the sister who was still alive was put to the nursing home. The house went under renovation and internal arrangement. Furniture and pictures provided by İnönü Foundation were placed and the house opened to visit. After the first renovation, the house still needed more substantial restoration. So, the Ministry of Culture, Konak Municipality and İnönü Foundation addressed the issue again in 1998. But the restoration works found its real protector with Kemal Nehrozoğlu becoming İzmir Mayor who had provincial special administration identity. With the cooperation of Tarih (History) Foundation, director of land surveying and monuments of that time Dr. Fatma Sedes carried out the land surveying works and the house was completely restored. The internal arrangements of the house were completed with the contribution of the director of state art and sculpture museum in İzmir Cahit Koççoban who still assumes the responsibility of the house. On the 27th of July in 1999, the house reopened to visit with Lausanne Exhibition and the participation of non-governmental organizations of İzmir.
After that day, in the anniversaries of İsmet İnönü’s birth (September 24), of İsmet İnönü’s death (December 25) and of the signature days of Lausanne Peace Treaty (July 24), special events start to be held. İzmir State Art and Sculpture Museum’s artists hold exhibitions in benefit of earthquake victims, and on April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day painting contest is organized among the primary schools by İzmir Directorate of National Education and the participants’ pictures are displayed, the ones who are placed in the competition are given awards. Also, all the houses in the street are painted, the street gets cleaned. In September 2002 the İzmir Metropolitan Municipality gave the street the name “İnönü Street.” A wall picture which evokes the Lausanne was drawn by the Sivas Cumhuriyet University. After that, it was decided to make April 23 National Sovereignty and Children’s Day painting contest and “drawing wall pictures in the street” were traditionalized. On the 24th of September in 2000, a local television channel broadcasted live open session from the house. More, belongings and clothes of İsmet İnönü are placed in the display windows and İnönü documentary is showed to the visitors.
Since autumn 2013, the house is closed to visitors due to restoration works by Konak Municipality.
İZMİR İSMET İNÖNÜ ANI EVİ VE KİTAPLIĞININ AÇIK OLDUĞU ZAMANLAR VE ERİŞİM ADRESLERİ:
İzmir İsmet İnönü Anı Evi ve Kitaplığı Cumartesi ve Pazar hariç hergün saat 09:00 – 17:30 saatleri arası açıktır.
ADRES: Türkyılmaz Mahallesi İnönü Sokak 20, 35260 Konak İzmir
TELEFON: Konak Belediyesi Kültür Müdürlüğü (0232) 422 52 36
