Zaki Alersuzi

Zaki  Alersuzi,  the  famous Syrian Arab thinker, was born in Latakia , 1900.  Shortly after his birth , he moved with his family to Antakya in Iskenderun,  where he finished his primary and secondary education in the city of Konya. Alersuzi  continued his study  in Beirut and then he  joined the Sorbonne University in 1927 and obtained  philosophy degree  in 1930.

After that he  returned  to Syria  to work as a teacher in an atmosphere of national enthusiasm which  attracted young people around him. Then he joined  the Nationalist Action  Association , after that he became the  leader of this association  in Iskenderun.

In 1936 , he  established ” al-Orouba”  newspaper and  began calling for  Arabism  resurrection  after the annexation of  Liwa’a  Iskenderun by Turks .

 At that time he imprisoned because  he lead a resistance movement  struggling against the  Turkey’s aggression.

He  founded  the (Arabism club)” Nadi al-Orouba” in 1937, and then he  established a library called” al-Ba’ath al- Arabi”.

Alersuzi  was Influenced greatly  by a number of French and German thinkers such as: Bergson , Nietzsche, Descartes, Kan. He  taught the pre-Islamic poetry , the  history of  the ancient Semitic  nations , public proverbs  and the Islamic thought. In his book entitled ” Arabic Genius is in its Tongue”, Alersuzi presented the  idea of  the national  concept of the Arabs.

Alersuzi  was distinguished by his  vast culture and his critical  temperament  and individuality that  attracted  most of the  Syrian Arab youths  who have joined the founding generation of the Baath Party.

On the anniversary of his death, the Syrian Government has installed a statue of  Zaki Alersuzi  in the square  behind the central bank . Also  the Ministry of Culture has published all  his works in six volumes from 1972 to 1976.

-Among his famous  works are :

-Arabic  Genius is in its tongue.

– Arabic Tongue.

– Voice of Arabism in Liwa’a Iskenderun.

M. Wassouf