Recep Peker

Recep Peker
Prime Minister of Turkey
In office August 7, 1946 – September 10, 1947
President	İsmet İnönü
Preceded by	Şükrü Saraçoğlu
Succeeded by	Hasan Saka
Minister of Interior of Turkey
In office August 17, 1942 – May 20, 1943
Prime Minister	Şükrü Saracoğlu
Preceded by	Fikri Tüzer
Succeeded by	Hilmi Uran
Minister of National Education of Turkey
In office April 7, 1929 – April 10, 1929
Prime Minister	İsmet İnönü
Preceded by	Hüseyin Vasıf Çınar
Succeeded by	Cemal Hüsnü Taray
Minister of Public Works
In office October 15, 1928 – September 27, 1930
Prime Minister	İsmet İnönü
Preceded by	Behiç Erkin
Succeeded by	Aziz Zekai Apaydın
Minister of National Defence of Turkey
In office March 4, 1925 – November 1, 1927
Prime Minister	İsmet İnönü
Preceded by	Fethi Okyar
Succeeded by	Abdülhalik Renda
Minister of Interior of Turkey
In office May 21, 1924 – January 5, 1925
Prime Minister	Fethi Okyar
Preceded by	Ferit Tek
Succeeded by	Cemil Uybadın
Minister of Finance of Turkey
In office May 21, 1924 – November 22, 1924
Prime Minister	İsmet İnönü
Preceded by	Abdülhalik Renda
Succeeded by	Abdülhalik Renda
Personal details
Born	Mehmet Recep (1889-02-05) February 5, 1889 Istanbul, Ottoman Empire
Died	April 2, 1950(1950-04-02) (aged 61)
Resting place	Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery, Istanbul
Political party	Republican People's Party (CHP)
Alma mater	Ottoman Military Academy Ottoman Military College
Occupation	Army officer, politician

Recep Peker (February 5, 1889 - April 2, 1950), aka Mehmet Recep Peker, was a Turkish officer and politician. He served as various government ministers and finally as the prime minister.

Early life

Born in Istanbul on February 5, 1889, his father is Mustafa, who had migrated to Anatolia from the Dagestan Region of the Caucasus. By nationality Lezgin.

He studied at military college following his graduation from the Kuleli Military High School, where he enrolled after completing his primary and secondary education at Koca Mustafa Pasha Primary School and Military Middle School. After finishing the academy in the rank of a lieutenant in 1907, he was assigned to the staff officer class.

Recep Peker took part at the battles of Yemen and Libya, Balkan Wars, Thrace and Caucasus campaigns of the World War I. He graduated in 1919, as the first of his class, from the Staff College to which he entered in 1911.

At the second half of 1919, he served as assistant teacher of history of war at the Military Academy. He joined on February 4, 1920 the Turkish War of Independence in Anatolia as a squadron leader.

Politics

He was appointed secretary general of the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on April 23, 1920, the day the parliament was opened. He served in this position more than three years.

In the time between his appointment as the parliament's secretary general until the Battle of Sakarya, he served in addition as the chief of Second Branch Office at the General Staff. On July 12, 1923, he was re-elected into the parliament as the deputy from Kütahya.

He was the Minister of Finance between March 6 and November 22, 1924 and Minister of Interior and on commission the Minister of Barter and Minister of Development and Housing. Peker was appointed as the Minister of National Defence on March 4, 1926 and the Minister of Public Works in 1927. He was elected the parliamentary group spokesman and secretary general of the Republican People's Party (CHP) in 1928.

Recep Peker initiated the introduction of the "History of the Revolution" in the school curriculums. He taught the topic at universities in Ankara and Istanbul, as well as at the Military Academies. He wrote a book about it.

On August 17, 1942, he was appointed Minister of Interior in the cabinet of Şükrü Saracoğlu serving nine months. Recep Peker became the first prime minister of the multi-party period on August 7, 1946. He served in this position until September 7, 1947. In 1948, he retired from the political life.

Recep Peker died on April 2, 1950 and was laid to rest at the Edirnekapı Martyr's Cemetery in Istanbul.

References

• Ministry of Culture and Tourism, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritages and Museums