Orhan Kemal

He was born in Adana in 1914. The leftist roots of his family forced him into exile in Syria at a young age, where he had to work hard to make a living. In 1939, during his military service, he was sentenced to five years in prison for subversive activities. Today, Turkey's most prestigious literary award bears his name. He is considered one of the most important Turkish authors of the twentieth century.