Years of Struggle - A Short Biography of Comrade I.Bilen, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Turkey - Introduction

Sep 10, 2026

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A Short Biography introduces Comrade I. Bilen as a central Leninist leader and General Secretary of the Communist Party of Turkey, linking his life to the party’s decades of struggle under illegality and repression. It explains how events from the Great October Socialist Revolution onward shaped his path toward communist militancy, internationalism, and leadership. The text highlights translation challenges for “Years of Struggle” and frames the biography as more than one life—its story reflects the party’s fighting history and demands for democratic, anti-fascist struggle.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryReligion & Spirituality

FormatPDF

Pages111

Reading Time4 h 40 min

AccessFree to download

INTRODUCTION

Central role in TKP leadership and Leninist course

Significance of the bilingual publication

Translation challenges

A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF COMRADE I.BILEN, GENERAL SECRETARY OF THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF TURKEY

Early life, education, and entry into work

Historical context: 1917-1918 upheavals

Growth of class consciousness and communist militancy

A Short Biograpby、BilenYears of struggle 1leelMIN 5ESi PBLICATION A Short Biography i.Bilen -Years ofstruggle 1 Printed by Anvil Printers Ltd.(TU) Dedicated to Comrade I.Bilen,who has always held high the bannerof struggle,on the occasionof his 76th birthday! # INTRODUCTION Because of conditions of severe illegality andrepression under which the Communist Party of Turkeyhas been forced to work for more than 50 yearscombined with the liquidationist activities of theopportunists,little was known outside Turkey aboutthis Party,its history of struggle and the life and roleof its General Secretary,Comrade I.Bilen. Comrade i.Bilen has become the GeneralSecretary of the TKP in May 1973.Changes were madein the opportunist leadership which left the Party in thedark during long years of repression.The Party was puton a Leninist course.The maturing revolutionarysituation in Turkey and the rebuilding and strengtheningof the TKP itself since May 1973 have placed this Partyat the head of a rising working class and revolutionarymovement,have made the demand for "Freedom to theTKP!”the focal point and central demand of the democratic,anti-fascist struggle.Comrade Bilen playeda central,determining role in this development. The publication at this time-in both Turkish andEnglish-of the biography of Comrade i.Bilen hasgreat significance.For Communists and revolutionariesof Turkey,Comrade i.Bilen represents the Leninistleader without which there can be no Bolshevik Party,no victory in the revolutionary struggle.Comrade Bilen'slife represents years of bitter,unrelenting struggle to setthe Communist Party of Turkey on a Leninist road ofstruggle,on Leninist ideological lines,years of struggleagainst imperialism,the bourgeoisie,the opportunistsand liquidators who tried to destroy the party. The translation of"Years of Struggle"presentedmany difficulties.First,those encountered in anytranslation from Turkish,a language that is in a stage ofrapid change and development.Second,and mostimportant,those difficulties arising from the style andlanguage of the biography itself.The lively style andcolourful imagery,which express a militant,revolution-ary spirit and which made the biography a work of art inthe original Turkish,are not easily transposed into theEnglish language. Comrade Bilen's life is inseparably bound with thehistory of the world communist movement.He becamea member of the TKP under the direct influence of theGreat October Socialist Revolution.He was studying inMoscow,at the Communist University of the Toilers ofthe East,at the time of Lenin's death.He was a memberof the Bolshevik Party.For many years he worked inthe Comintern.He saw the Second World War and thedefeat of German fascism by the Red Army.He is astandard-bearer ofproletarian internationalism. Comrade Bilen embodies in himself the characterof a communist,a Bolshevik.He has devoted the whole of his life to the Leninist,revolutionary struggle This biography s more than the life of one man;for Comrade Bilen's life is one with the fighting historyof the Party. One of the main slogans of the revolutionarystruggle in Turkey is“Long live Comrade Bilen!”.Thisslogan was advanced on the basis of objective historicalevidence of the role Comrade Bilen has played and isplaying in this struggle.“Years of Struggle”confirmsthis evidence once again. Long live the Leninist TKP! Long live the TKP's Leninist leader,Comrade Bilen! # A SHORT BIOGRAPHY OF COMRADE I.BILEN,GENERAL SECRETARY OFTHE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OFTHE COMMUNIST PARTY OF TURKEY Comrade I.Bilen was born on the 18th of October1902 in Rize.His father was a naval officer-instructor.Comrade Bilen grew up,not in Rize,but in theKasimpasa-Kulaksiz area of Istanbul.On completion offhis secondary education he entered the lycée and at thesame time attended motor mechanic courses in theevenings.After this,he started work in a motorrepair factory in the dockyard. It was the years 1917-1918.The Great OctoberSocia

FAQs

Why is the biography of Comrade I. Bilen considered significant at the time of publication?

Because the Communist Party of Turkey faced severe illegality and repression, little was known outside Turkey about its history and role. Publishing the biography helps present Comrade I. Bilen’s life and leadership as central to that struggle.

How does the introduction connect Comrade I. Bilen’s life to world communist history?

It describes how he was influenced by the Great October Socialist Revolution, studied in Moscow during Lenin’s death, joined the Bolshevik Party, and worked in the Comintern while witnessing key events such as the defeat of fascism in World War II.

What difficulties are mentioned in translating “Years of Struggle” into English?

The text notes challenges due to rapid changes in Turkish and, most importantly, difficulties arising from the biography’s lively style and colorful imagery that are hard to transpose into English.

Sep 10, 2026

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