[ARP / THE BLACKOUT OF ANKARA / WARTIME EPHEMERA] “Karartmada vatandaslarin riayet edecegi hususlar” [i.e., Broadside of titled “Matters to which citizens must adhere during the blackout]

ANKARA VALILIGI [i.e., The Governorate of Ankara].

Ankara, [ca. 1938-39].

Original broadside. 20,5 x 14 cm. In Turkish. 1 p., 25 printed lines. A transversely folding line. Overall, a very good copy.

A highly uncommon broadside documenting the wartime blackout of Ankara during World War II, prepared and distributed by the Governorate to the public in antebellum Turkey, which remained neutral yet was still obligated to enforce blackout measures against potential air raids. This broadside appears to be unrecorded.

During World War II, Turkey remained neutral and did not enter the war. In preparation for potential air attacks, the Passive Protection Law draft was prepared on May 18, 1938, and enacted on August 25, 1939. Citizens were informed that they should acquire sufficient knowledge to protect themselves against possible air raids and not rely solely on the state for protection. It was also emphasized that informing, educating, assisting, and guiding the public were among the government's duties.

According to Article 7 of the Air Raid Protection Law, every citizen between the ages of 15 and 60 was obligated to acquire the necessary knowledge and take precautions in accordance with regulations and directives. Those who failed to fulfil this responsibility, acted against the law, or misled the public were subject to imprisonment for a period ranging from three months to one year.

During the war, blackout and dimming measures, implemented as part of Air Raid Precautions (ARP), aimed to prevent direct targeting during air raids. Turkey, considering the possibility of an attack, took preventive measures and emphasized that citizens should comply with orders and do their best to assist official authorities in carrying out their duties.

The Regulation on Extinguishing and Dimming Lights Against Air Raids was enacted by the Council of Ministers on February 15, 1939. According to this regulation, lights were to be extinguished and dimmed to prevent enemy aircraft from identifying targets at night, navigating accurately, and executing their operations effectively.

The Turkish General Staff was designated as the authority responsible for issuing blackout and dimming orders in the event of war danger. It was also decided that the enforcement of these orders would be carried out by the highest-ranking official in the affected region.

To prevent light from leaking outside, provincial authorities were given strict orders as part of Air Raid Precautions (ARP). The regulations also stipulated that any outdoor lamps in use should not exceed 60 volts. Additionally, shopkeepers were required to cover windows with black fabric or paper to prevent light from escaping, and if outdoor lighting was necessary, shielded lamps had to be used.

The blackout of private and public buildings, including homes, apartment buildings, stores, and schools, was to be completed by December 1, 1940. From that date onward, all lighting in both public and private buildings was to be fully extinguished or masked, with legal action to be taken against those who failed to comply.

Furthermore, in places with frequent foot traffic, precautions were required to ensure no light escaped. Special attention was given to factories, offices, restaurants, shops, cinemas, nightclubs, and cafés, where it was emphasized that both entrance and exit doors should never be opened simultaneously to prevent light from leaking outside.

Regardless of whether they were subject to mandatory Air Raid Precautions (ARP) or not, all cities, towns, villages, isolated houses, and farms were required to implement blackout measures. Authorized personnel were responsible for ensuring that the necessary preparations were in place, while residents of each household were held accountable for carrying out the blackout measures in their homes. Warnings were issued against lighting lamps at night, as enemy aircraft could use illuminated areas to navigate and target locations more easily.

Due to the critical importance of blackouts, the public was strongly advised to mask all lights and, in some cases, to use only low-voltage lamps. Additionally, essential facilities and strategic locations were to be camouflaged during daylight hours through painting, covering, planting trees around them, or constructing fake structures to obscure them from aerial reconnaissance.

During regular blackout drills, authorities assessed whether the public adhered to the regulations and determined specific protocols for when lights could be turned on or had to be extinguished. If light leakage was detected from a residence, violators were subject to a fine of up to 25 Turkish liras under the Passive Protection Law.