Youssef Seddik (revolutionary)
Encyclopedia
Youssef Seddik (1910–1975) was an Egyptian
military figure and politician. He is noted for his role in launching the first military procedures in the Egyptian Revolution of 1952.
. He joined the ranks of the underground Free Officers Movement
in 1951, becoming its most senior member after Muhammad Naguib
, and was a Lieutenant-Colonel of the infantry by 1952. Seddik had been a member of a Communist organisation, the Democratic Movement for National Liberation
(DMNL), when the Free Officers requested his membership.
On July 23, 1952 was the first to take army action at the beginning of the coup which removed King Farouk and the monarchy from power. He had swiftly moved his forces to occupy the Egyptian Army Headquarters at Kobri al-Qubba an hour before the appointed time. Some attribute this to a glitch in communication. The Minister of War at the time, Haydar Pasha, knew of the Free Officers' plans and had Seddik not set out with his motorized columns from the Hikestep Army Camp prior to the scheduled time of the coup, the minister would have been able thwart their actions.
(RCC)—the ruling body that ruled Egypt in the aftermath of the coup—in recognition of his role in the revolution's success. However, Seddik quickly began expressing opposition to many of the RCC's decisions, especially the execution of two Communist workers who incited strikes in factories in Kafr el-Dawwar in August 1952. According to Ahmad Hamrous, a Free Officer himself, Seddik said, "any chance I ever had of cooperating with them became impossible. I could not possibly allow myself to go down in history as someone who had remained a member of a Council that abolished civil liberties, sentenced workers to death and placed patriots in jail."
He submitted his resignation from the Revolution Command Council in 1953 and later visited Switzerland
, disappearing from public life. Seddik was arrested in 1954 after Gamal Abdel Nasser
removed Naguib from the presidency, but was released the following year and placed under house arrest for a few months. He went on to join the popular resistance against the British
forces in the Suez Canal
zone in 1956. In a 1962 speech, Nasser acknowledged the Free Officers' debt to Seddik, saying that without his action "all our efforts would have come to nothing."
gave Seddik a state pension when he came to power in 1970 and also sent him for medical treatment in Moscow
. When Seddik died in 1975, he was given a full military funeral.
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
military figure and politician. He is noted for his role in launching the first military procedures in the Egyptian Revolution of 1952.
Military career
Seddik graduated from Military Academy in 1933. He was active in the 1948 Palestine War1948 Palestine war
The 1948 Palestine war refers to the events in the British Mandate of Palestine between the United Nations vote on the partition plan on November 30, 1947, to the end of the first Arab-Israeli war on July 20, 1949.The war is divided into two phases:...
. He joined the ranks of the underground Free Officers Movement
Free Officers Movement
In Egypt, the clandestine revolutionary Free Officers Movement was composed of young junior army officers committed to unseating the Egyptian monarchy and its British advisors...
in 1951, becoming its most senior member after Muhammad Naguib
Muhammad Naguib
Muhammad Naguib was the first President of Egypt, serving from the declaration of the Republic on June 18, 1953 to November 14, 1954. Along with Gamal Abdel Nasser, he was the primary leader of the Egyptian Revolution of 1952, which ended the rule of the Muhammad Ali Dynasty in Egypt and Sudan...
, and was a Lieutenant-Colonel of the infantry by 1952. Seddik had been a member of a Communist organisation, the Democratic Movement for National Liberation
Democratic Movement for National Liberation
The Democratic Movement for National Liberation was a communist organization in Egypt 1947-1955. HADITU was led by Henri Curiel. The movement followed a line of National Democratic Revolution....
(DMNL), when the Free Officers requested his membership.
On July 23, 1952 was the first to take army action at the beginning of the coup which removed King Farouk and the monarchy from power. He had swiftly moved his forces to occupy the Egyptian Army Headquarters at Kobri al-Qubba an hour before the appointed time. Some attribute this to a glitch in communication. The Minister of War at the time, Haydar Pasha, knew of the Free Officers' plans and had Seddik not set out with his motorized columns from the Hikestep Army Camp prior to the scheduled time of the coup, the minister would have been able thwart their actions.
Conflict with the Revolutionary Command Council
The leaders of the Free Officers decided to make him a member of the Egyptian Revolutionary Command CouncilEgyptian Revolutionary Command Council
The Revolutionary Command Council was the body established to supervise Egypt and Sudan after the Revolution of 1952. It initially selected Ali Maher Pasha as Prime Minister, but forced him to resign after conflict over land reform. At that time, the Council took full control of Egypt...
(RCC)—the ruling body that ruled Egypt in the aftermath of the coup—in recognition of his role in the revolution's success. However, Seddik quickly began expressing opposition to many of the RCC's decisions, especially the execution of two Communist workers who incited strikes in factories in Kafr el-Dawwar in August 1952. According to Ahmad Hamrous, a Free Officer himself, Seddik said, "any chance I ever had of cooperating with them became impossible. I could not possibly allow myself to go down in history as someone who had remained a member of a Council that abolished civil liberties, sentenced workers to death and placed patriots in jail."
He submitted his resignation from the Revolution Command Council in 1953 and later visited Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, disappearing from public life. Seddik was arrested in 1954 after Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser
Gamal Abdel Nasser Hussein was the second President of Egypt from 1956 until his death. A colonel in the Egyptian army, Nasser led the Egyptian Revolution of 1952 along with Muhammad Naguib, the first president, which overthrew the monarchy of Egypt and Sudan, and heralded a new period of...
removed Naguib from the presidency, but was released the following year and placed under house arrest for a few months. He went on to join the popular resistance against the British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
forces in the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
zone in 1956. In a 1962 speech, Nasser acknowledged the Free Officers' debt to Seddik, saying that without his action "all our efforts would have come to nothing."
Death
Egyptian President Anwar SadatAnwar Sadat
Muhammad Anwar al-Sadat was the third President of Egypt, serving from 15 October 1970 until his assassination by fundamentalist army officers on 6 October 1981...
gave Seddik a state pension when he came to power in 1970 and also sent him for medical treatment in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. When Seddik died in 1975, he was given a full military funeral.