Did you know this notable Turkish persons were ethnically Balkan origin?

Posted by Empty-Pace-4228@reddit | AskBalkans | View on Reddit | 25 comments

ALBANIAN
Kazım Özalp- Turkish military commander, one of the leaders of Turkish Kemalist Movement. Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey

Abdülhalik Renda- Speaker of the Parliament of Turkey and Governor

Ahmet İzzet Furgaç- One of the top generals of Turkish Military during WW1 and Prime Minister of the Ottoman Empire

Filiz Akın- Turkish actress, wife of former Director of National Intelligence Service, Sönmez Köksal

Mehmet Esat Bülkat- Defender of Gallipoli, Atatürk saw him like a father

Celalettin Germiyanoğlu- Turkish Aristocrat, founder of Istanbul Electricity, Tram and Tunnel Establishments

Mehmed Fuad Köprülü- Founder of Modern Turkish University. Minister of Exterior. Comes from Köprülü Family who ruled Ottoman Empire for almost a century. His father Orhan Köprülü is a historian.

Kenan Evren- Far right military dictator who ruled Turkey from 1980 to 1989.

Erdal Beşikçioğlu- Actor and Mayor of Etimesgut

Abidin Dino- Turkish, Communist Writer and Painter

Mehmet Akif Ersoy- Writer of Turkish National Anthem

Hasan Tahsin Uzer- Atatürk's Childhood friend and Military Governor who suppressed Kurdish Revolts.

Cevdet Belbez- Turkish Military Governor of Van, Enver Pasha's step-brother since he married his sister.

Kıvanç Tatlıtuğ- Turkish actor and model, considered as most handsome man of Turkey

Nurettin Ersin- One of the leaders of 1980 Military Coup, member of the junta.

Numan Menemencioğlu- Turkish Diplomat

Eyüp Sabri Akgöl- One of the leaders of 1908 Revolution, member of the resistance and a deputy

Ahmet Piriştina- Former Mayor of İzmir

Necdet Menzir- Turkish Police Chief and Minister

Kemal Derviş- Turkish economist who solved 2001 Economic Crisis

Mustafa Kemal Kurdaş- Turkish economist and academician, he supported 1960 Coup and took place in the military government.

Müge Anlı- Half Albanian and Half Tatar. Presenter of Turkey's most famous Witness Protection tv program.

Patrona Halil- Turkish Revolutionary, leader of 1730 Revoluton

Halit Ergenç- The actor who played Suleiman I in the series of Magnificent Century

Çevik Bir- Turkish General who led 1997 Military Intervention and forced Islamist Prime Minister Necmettin Erbakan to resign.

Rıza Tevfik Bölükbaşı- Turkish Philosopher

Hakan Şükür- One of Turkey’s former top football players. He fled the country because he was a member of the Gülen Movement. Later, in the programs he joined, he claimed that he is a true patriot and that a conspiracy was set up against him because he fought for Turkey's future. He's known as a Modernist Muslim, despite being inside an Islamic Movement, he made declarations both before and after he became a political refugee, saying "Please, do not ask me to criticize Atatürk in the name of Islam or any ideology. Because I have a soft spot for him."

Namık Kemal- Turkish intellectual, pioneer of Islamic Democracy and Ottoman Nationalism. Albanian by his mother's side.

ALLEGED
Celal Bayar- Alleged to be of Pomak Origin. Former member of Ittihad Terakki Party, a member of Turkish Resistance, one of the architects of Turkish liberal politics. 3rd President of Turkey who has been ousted in 1960 Coup.

BOSNIAN
Ayşe Kulin- Turkish writer, Euro-skeptic, pro indenpentist, Kemalist intellectual

Birgül Ayman Güler- A CHP member of parliament who sparked a scandal after saying, “Turks and Kurds are not equal.”

Cem Uzan- A Turkish businessman who founded a political party and, by failing to pass the electoral threshold in elections, causing Erdoğan coming to power.

Ajda Pekkan- Turkish singer, Known as the woman who never seemed to age even at 80 due to cosmetic surgery.

Zekai Apaydın- Former Turkish Minister of Defence

Nazlı Ecevit- Mother of Bülent Ecevit, the PM known for operating 1974 Cyprus War.

CROATIAN
Banu Alkan- Turkish pop culture icon of Croat origin, who is also known for her roles in obscene movies.