Hıfzı Topuz was born on January 25, 1923, in Istanbul. He completed his secondary education at Galatasaray High School in 1942 and went on to study law at Istanbul University, graduating in 1948. Later, he moved to France to attend the University of Strasbourg, where he conducted further studies in international law and journalism between 1957 and 1959. In 1960, he earned a doctoral degree in journalism from the same university.
Professional Career
Journalism
After graduating from Istanbul University, Topuz began his career in journalism. He worked at the daily newspaper Akşam from 1948 to 1957 as a reporter and later as an editor. He co-founded the Istanbul Journalists' Union and served as its leader.
UNESCO Career
During his time in France, Topuz secured a position at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. He served as a traveling reporter from 1959 to 1983, focusing on projects like professional coordination between international journalism organizations, journalism ethics and standards, journalism education, and the security of journalists. He also conducted seminars in countries like African nations, India, and the Philippines, and developed a rural area journalism project in Black Africa.
Interviews and Projects
While in Paris, Topuz interviewed notable figures like painters Fikret Mualla and Abidin Dino, poet Nazım Hikmet, journalist Zekeriya Sertel, and General Nikolaos Trikoupis. In 1962, he initiated a project at UNESCO to establish the College of Communications at the University of Ankara.
Return to Turkey
Invited by İsmail Cem İpekçi, the head of the state-owned Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), Topuz returned to Turkey in 1974 and led TRT's radio channels until 1975.
Later Endeavors
In 1986, Topuz founded the İletişim Araştırmaları Derneği (İLAD) (Communications Research Association) and became its president. He wrote for newspapers like Vatan, Milliyet, and Cumhuriyet and taught at Anadolu University, Galatasaray University, and Istanbul University.
Writer
Topuz was also a prolific writer, penning non-fiction books on communications as well as biographies, travel books, and novels. He is credited with opening a new field in Turkish literature by basing his novels on historical events and figures.
Death
Hıfzı Topuz passed away on September 26, 2023, at the age of 100.
Awards
Topuz was honored with various awards including the Sertel Democracy Award in 1998, the Orhan Kemal Novel Prize in 2007 for his work "Başın Öne Eğilmesin," and the Peace and Friendship Prize by the Africa Diplomatic Academy (ADA) in 2008. In 2009, he received the Honor Prize from the Association of Contemporary Journalists.
Bibliography
Non-fiction
- Basin sözlüğü (1968)
- 100 soruda Türk basın tarihi (1973)
- Seçim savaşları (1977)
- Uluslararası İletişim (1984)
- Cumhuriyet'in beş dönemeci (1984)
- İletişimde karikatür ve toplum (1986)
- Basında tekelleşmeler (1989)
- Yarının radyo ve televizyon düzeni (1990)
Biographies
- Lumumba (1987)
- Paris'te son Osmanlılar (1999)
- Hatice Sultan (2001)
- Nâzïm Hikmet (2002)
- Gazi ve Fikriye (2006)
Travel books
- Kara Afrika (1971)
- Parisli yıllar (1994)
- Elveda Afrika-Hoşça Kal Paris (2005)
Novels
- Taif’te Ölüm (2000)
- Meyyâle (1998)
- Eski Dostlar (2000)
- Milli Mücadele'de Çamlıca'nın üç gülü (2002)
Hıfzı Topuz leaves behind a rich legacy that touched various facets of journalism, education, and literature.
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