III. Printing in the Autonomist Movement, 1961-75

The Kurdish autonomist movement relied on the printed word for organizing the armed resistance movement against Baghdad, especially before the introduction of radio in 1963. Newssheets, leaflets and circulars were mimeographed in the early stages of the war. By 1963, letter-set prints had appeared, and in 1975 "imposing-looking West German presses" had been set up high in the mountains at an altitude of 2000 meters. The "printing works had an ultra-modern electronic computer and linotype machine" (The Daily Star, Beirut, April 19, 1975). These facilities fell into the hands of the Iraqi Army in March-April 1975.

III. Printing in the Autonomist Movement, 1961-75

The Kurdish autonomist movement relied on the printed word for organizing the armed resistance movement against Baghdad, especially before the introduction of radio in 1963. Newssheets, leaflets and circulars were mimeographed in the early stages of the war. By 1963, letter-set prints had appeared, and in 1975 "imposing-looking West German presses" had been set up high in the mountains at an altitude of 2000 meters. The "printing works had an ultra-modern electronic computer and linotype machine" (The Daily Star, Beirut, April 19, 1975). These facilities fell into the hands of the Iraqi Army in March-April 1975.

Although a great number of intellectuals, including writers, poets, journalists, teachers and others had joined the resistance movement soon after Baghdad’s declaration of war in March 1974, the printing and other facilities were not effectively utilized, according to a Kurdish political party (cf. Komelle, No.4, Spring 1979, pp. 12-13), because of the tribal nature of the leadership of the movement. After the revival of the autonomist war in 1976, publishing continued through mimeographing.

Source: Dr. Amir Hassanpour, "Nationalism and Language in Kurdistan 1918-1985", 1992.