Hüseyin Hüsnü Özdamar

Hüseyin Hüsnü Özdamar (born; Hüseyin Hüsnü Efendi; 1875 – 17 June 1961) was a Turkish politician and Islamic jurist, known for his role in both the Ottoman Empire and the early Republic of Turkey. representing Isparta for six consecutive terms, actively contributing to the legislative process during the formative years of the country. He was also a central figure in the Turkish War of Independence, participating in national movements, including Association for Defence of National Rights.

Early life and education Özdamar was born to İsmail Bey and Fatma Hanım in 1875 in Isparta, Turkey. He was married with three children. In line with the Surname Law of 1934, which required citizens to adopt the use of fixed, hereditary family surnames, he chose the surname Özdamar.

He completed his primary education in Isparta and continued his studies in Konya, a prominent center for religious education at the time. He enrolled in the Zawiya madrasa, near the Şerafeddin mosque, where he studied religious science for six years. In 1885, he received a teaching certificate (ijazah) from his instructor, Parlakzâde Ahmet Fahri Efendi. He served in this role until 1919, giving lectures at the local religious community during the final years of the Ottoman Empire. Upon his return from the congress, he became one of the founding members of the Isparta branch of the Defense of National Rights Society (Müdafaa-i Hukuk Cemiyeti), which later played a central role in supporting the nationalist movement.

Parliamentary career After the dissolution of the Ottoman parliament in 1920, the Turkish nationalist movement led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk called for the formation of a new national assembly in Ankara. Özdamar was elected as one of five representatives from Isparta to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (GNAT). He participated in the opening session of the GNAT on 23 April 1920 and became an active member of the legislature.

During his time in parliament, he addressed issues affecting his constituency, such as earthquake relief for Isparta, taxation policies, and the administrative organization of districts within the province. Over his six terms, he worked on contributed to the region's infrastructure and governance.

He retired from public service in 1934, however continued to serve as a member of parliament until 1943.

He was awarded the Medal of Independence for his contributions to the independence movement.