Kocatürk, Vasfî Mahir

Born 1907, in Gümüʂhane; died July 17, 1961, in Ankara. Turkish writer and literary scholar.

Kocatürk was a teacher by training. He taught at the Ankara Pedagogical Institute from 1954 to 1961. From 1950 to 1954 he served as a deputy to the majlis (grand national assembly). As a poet, Kocatürk was a member of the literary group Seven Torch Bearers. His works include New Turkish Literature (1936), The History of Turkish Literature (1964), and textbooks on Turkish literature for lycées. Kocatürk translated the works of Baudelaire, Heine, and La Fontaine into Turkish.