1881 — 1938

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

A life, with photographs, documents, film footage and the songs he loved

Preparing

Contents

  1. I Salonica 1881
  2. II School years 1896
  3. III From Tripolitania to Gallipoli 1911
  4. IV Armistice 1918
  5. V A steamer into the Black Sea 1919
  6. VI The Assembly and Sakarya 1920
  7. VII Kocatepe 1922
  8. VIII The Republic 1923
  9. IX A country in ten years 1924
  10. X The Speech, and peace 1927
  11. XI A song at the table —
  12. XII Letters —
  13. XIII The tenth year 1933
  14. XIV The last summer 1938
  15. XV 09:05 1938
  16. XVI Anıtkabir 1953

About twenty minutes. Headphones recommended.

Dolmabahçe Palace, Istanbul

09:05

Thursday, 10 November 1938

At five past nine, a country fell silent.

The story begins fifty-seven years earlier, in Salonica.

Scroll to wind back

Kardeşimle beraber bakla tarlasının ortasındaki bir kulübede oturduğumuz ve kargaları kovmakla uğraştığımızı unutamam.

I cannot forget how my sister and I sat in a hut in the middle of the bean field, busy chasing off the crows.

Mustafa Kemal, 19221

Two children in a bean field

Salonica, 1881

Mustafa was born in Salonica in 1881. When he reached school age the household disagreed: his mother Zübeyde Hanım wanted him to start at the neighbourhood school, with hymns; his father Ali Rıza Efendi preferred the Şemsi Efendi school, which taught by the new method.2 The boy pleased his mother first, and a few days later moved to the school his father had chosen.

After the loss of his father the family took refuge on his uncle’s farm outside Salonica. Years later, what he told a journalist about his childhood was mostly those days: chasing crows in the field with his sister.1

Back in the city, a teacher at the civil secondary school punished him harshly, and his grandmother took him out.2 He wanted to be a soldier; his mother did not want it. “Without letting her notice, I went to the military secondary school by myself and sat the examination,” he recalled.1

His mathematics teacher there was also called Mustafa. One day he told him: “There should be some difference between us. From now on let your name be Mustafa Kemal.”1

The house where he was born, Salonica; now a museum. Photo: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The house where he was born, Salonica; now a museum. Photo: Ymblanter, CC BY-SA 4.0.
His mother, Zübeyde Hanım.
His mother, Zübeyde Hanım.
On the day he graduated from the Staff College, 11 January 1905.
On the day he graduated from the Staff College, 11 January 1905.

From the school registers2

SchoolEntryYearRank
Manastır Military High SchoolNo. 734818962 / 54
War CollegeMustafa Kemal Efendi, Salonica · Diploma No. 599818998 / 459
Staff CollegeStaff Captain19055 / 13

A newspaper written by hand

In 1896 he was enrolled at the Manastır Military High School as cadet number 7348; he finished his third year second in a class of fifty-four.2 His classmate Ömer Naci gave him a taste for poetry. A teacher warned that it would draw him away from soldiering, and he gave up verse, though he kept the wish to write well.1

On 13 March 1899 he entered the War College in Istanbul, entered in the register as “Mustafa Kemal Efendi, Salonica”. He graduated eighth in a class of 459.2

In his War College years he and his friends produced a newspaper: “We founded a newspaper at the school, written by hand.”1 On 11 January 1905 he became a staff captain and was assigned to the Fifth Army.2 He himself tells how he was arrested and questioned in those days, and how it ended: “They banished me to Syria.”1

With fellow officers in Damascus, June 1907.
With fellow officers in Damascus, June 1907.
The Manastır Military High School, 1890s.
The Manastır Military High School, 1890s.

1911 — 1915

From Tripolitania to Gallipoli

Dictating orders at Derna, 8 May 1912.
Dictating orders at Derna, 8 May 1912.

When Italy attacked Tripolitania in 1911 he went as a volunteer. In January 1912 he was wounded in the left eye in the fighting at Derna and spent about a month in the Red Crescent hospital.4 A photograph taken on 8 May 1912 shows him dictating orders in front of local volunteers.5

In 1913 he was appointed military attaché in Sofia; he took up the post on 20 November.6

Showing the battlefield to a delegation of writers and artists from Istanbul, 1915.
Showing the battlefield to a delegation of writers and artists from Istanbul, 1915.
Aegean SeaSuvla BayDardanelles EceabatSeddülbahirÇanakkale Bigalı Chunuk Bair Arıburnu Anafartalar

Gallipoli Peninsula

Gallipoli, 1915

  1. Bigalı

    Until the morning of 25 April the 19th Division waited around this village as the army reserve.9

  2. Chunuk Bair

    When the landings began he sent the 57th Regiment forward; the enemy’s advance was halted at Chunuk Bair.10

  3. Arıburnu

    He stayed at the front. On 1 June he was promoted to colonel.10

  4. Anafartalar

    In early August he took command of the Anafartalar Group. 9 August: the first victory at Anafartalar.10

  5. Chunuk Bair

    A bayonet charge at dawn on 10 August. Shrapnel striking his chest shattered the watch in his pocket.10

  6. Anafartalar

    21 August: the second victory at Anafartalar. He left the front on 10 December.10

On the morning of 25 April 1915, when the landings began at Arıburnu, he commanded the 19th Division. On Hill 261 he met soldiers falling back because their ammunition had run out. “You do not run from the enemy, I said.” He had them fix bayonets and lie down; the men opposite lay down too. In the minutes this bought, the 57th Regiment came up.7

Three years later he himself repeated the order he gave that regiment:

Size ben taarruz emretmiyorum, ölmeyi emrediyorum. Biz ölünceye kadar geçecek zaman zarfında yerimize başka kuvvetler ve kumandanlar kaim olabilir.

I am not ordering you to attack; I am ordering you to die. In the time it takes us to die, other forces and other commanders can take our place.

Arıburnu, 25 April 19157
In a trench at Gallipoli, 1915.
In a trench at Gallipoli, 1915.

On 10 August 1915 at Chunuk Bair a shrapnel ball struck the right side of his chest. The watch in his pocket was shattered: “The watch was in pieces.”7 He gave the broken watch to Liman von Sanders, who took out his own gold watch and handed it to him in return.8

Istanbul, 13 November 1918. The occupation fleet lies off Dolmabahçe.

Commander of the Yıldırım Army Group, 1918.
Commander of the Yıldırım Army Group, 1918.

Armistice

In 1916 he commanded XVI Corps. He reached Diyarbakır on 27 March and was made a general on 1 April; Muş and Bitlis were retaken.11

He spent the last months of the war in Syria. On 31 October 1918, the day after the armistice, he took over command of the Yıldırım Army Group; on 7 November that headquarters too was abolished.11

On 13 November 1918 he arrived in Istanbul.11 The occupation fleet lay at anchor off Dolmabahçe.6 According to his aide Cevat Abbas, he looked at the ships and said:12

Adana, 31 October 1918, the day after the armistice.
Adana, 31 October 1918, the day after the armistice.

Geldikleri gibi giderler.

As they have come, so they will go.

As reported by his aide Cevat Abbas Gürer, 13 November 1918
Black SeaMediterraneanAegeanMarmara TokatErzincanKayseriKırşehir Istanbul Samsun Havza Amasya Erzurum Sivas Ankara

1919

A steamer into the Black Sea

On 16 May 1919 the steamer Bandırma left Istanbul. Three days later, on 19 May, Mustafa Kemal Pasha and his staff landed at Samsun.14

  1. Istanbul

    The Bandırma sets out.

  2. Samsun

    The landing.

  3. Havza

    Headquarters moves here; three days later a circular asks for public meetings all over the country.15

  4. Amasya

    On 22 June the Amasya Circular is issued.15

  5. Erzurum

    He gives up his official post and leaves the army.16 Kâzım Karabekir: “We are all at your orders, Pasha.”17

  6. Sivas

    On 4 September the congress meets and elects Mustafa Kemal Pasha its chairman.16

  7. Ankara

    On the Dikmen ridge thousands of seymens, on foot and mounted, come out to meet him.18

Mustafa Kemal Pasha, Inspector of the Ninth Army, 1919.
Mustafa Kemal Pasha, Inspector of the Ninth Army, 1919.

He reached Ankara on 27 December 1919 and was lodged at the Agricultural School outside the town, where he stayed for 118 days.19

With the Representative Committee in Sivas, September 1919.
With the Representative Committee in Sivas, September 1919.
In Amasya, 1919.
In Amasya, 1919.
In the Grand National Assembly, 1 March 1921.
In the Grand National Assembly, 1 March 1921.

Grand National Assembly

First Sitting

Friday, 23 April 1336 (1920)

On Friday 23 April 1920, after prayers at Hacı Bayram, the Grand National Assembly opened. On the first day there were 115 deputies in the hall; Şerif Bey of Sinop presided as the oldest member. At the second sitting Mustafa Kemal was elected Speaker.20

Eighteen days later, on 11 May 1920, the court-martial in Istanbul sentenced him to death in his absence; the Sultan confirmed the sentence on 24 May.21

Peyam-ı Sabah, Istanbul, 13 May 1920: the death sentence on Mustafa Kemal and his companions.
Peyam-ı Sabah, Istanbul, 13 May 1920: the death sentence on Mustafa Kemal and his companions.

In the summer of 1921 the front drew near Ankara. As commander-in-chief he issued the National Obligations orders of 7–8 August, asking the people to supply the army’s needs.22 At Sakarya the fighting lasted from 23 August to 13 September, twenty-two days and twenty-two nights. Before the battle he had fallen from his horse and broken a rib; he directed it in that state.22

On 19 September 1921 the Assembly gave him the rank of Marshal and the title Gazi.23

AnkaraHaymanaEskişehir Polatlı Alagöz Mangal Dağı Duatepe Kartaltepe

Polatlı — Haymana

Sakarya, 1921

  1. Polatlı

    On 12 August he was at Western Front headquarters; it was here that he fell from his horse.25

  2. Alagöz

    The commander-in-chief’s headquarters was set up in this village.26

  3. Mangal Dağı

    The battle began on 23 August. Mangal Dağı was lost on the first day, Çal Dağı on 2 September.26

  4. Duatepe

    On 10 September the general counter-attack began; Duatepe was retaken the same day.26

  5. Kartaltepe

    On 12 September Kartaltepe was retaken.27 The next day the battle ended in victory.25

Hattı müdafaa yoktur, sathı müdafaa vardır. O satıh bütün vatandır.

There is no line of defence, only a surface of defence. That surface is the whole homeland.

Sakarya, 26 August 192124
Ankara, 1920.
Ankara, 1920.
Kocatepe, August 1922.
Kocatepe, August 1922.

26 August 1922

Kocatepe

Before dawn on 26 August 1922 he was at the observation post on Kocatepe, with Fevzi, İsmet and Nurettin Pashas beside him. The guns opened fire at first light.28

Five days later, on 1 September, he sent the armies an order one sentence long. On 9 September the Turkish army entered İzmir.28

Aegean Sea ZafertepeAlaşehirSalihliAkşehirKütahya Kocatepe Afyon Dumlupınar Uşak Manisa İzmir

Afyon — İzmir

The Great Offensive, 1922

  1. Kocatepe

    On 26 August the offensive opened at 05:30 with artillery fire.29

  2. Afyon

    On 27 August Afyon was liberated.29

  3. Dumlupınar

    30 August: the battle later named the Battle of the Commander-in-Chief.29

  4. Uşak

    On 3 September he came from Dumlupınar to Uşak. General Trikoupis had been captured the day before.29

  5. Manisa

    On 8 September Manisa was liberated.29

  6. İzmir

    On 9 September the army entered İzmir; he arrived in the city the next day.29

Ordular, ilk hedefiniz Akdeniz’dir. İleri!

Armies, your first objective is the Mediterranean. Forward!

1 September 192228

1922 — 1923

The Republic

29101923

Resimli Gazete, 3 November 1923: the proclamation of the Republic.
Resimli Gazete, 3 November 1923: the proclamation of the Republic.

On 1 November 1922 the sultanate was abolished.16 On 24 July 1923 peace was signed at Lausanne.30

On the evening of 28 October 1923 İsmet Pasha, Kâzım Pasha, Fethi Bey, Fuat Bey and Ruşen Eşref were at his table at Çankaya. Over dinner he told them: “Tomorrow we shall proclaim the republic.” After the guests left he and İsmet Pasha wrote the text of the amendment together.31

The next evening the Assembly passed it.31 He was elected the first president by all 158 members who voted.6

Gazi Mustafa Kemal, 1923.
Gazi Mustafa Kemal, 1923.
With Latife Hanım, 1923.
With Latife Hanım, 1923.
The Turkish delegation at Lausanne, 1922. Photo: Agence Meurisse.
The Turkish delegation at Lausanne, 1922. Photo: Agence Meurisse.

1924 — 1934

A country in ten years

1924

On 3 March, Law 430 placed every school under a single ministry.34

1925

At the end of August he went to Kastamonu and İnebolu, and it was there that he introduced the hat to the public.35

İzmir, 11 October 1925.
İzmir, 11 October 1925.

1926

On 17 February the Civil Code was adopted. Women and men became equal in marriage, divorce and inheritance.36

1928

On the night of 9–10 August he announced the new letters at Sarayburnu.6 Then he set out with a blackboard: Tekirdağ, Sinop, Kayseri. The law followed on 1 November.37

At the blackboard in Kayseri, 20 September 1928.
At the blackboard in Kayseri, 20 September 1928.

1930

On 3 April women gained the right to vote and stand in municipal elections.38

After Afet İnan’s lecture on women’s rights, 3 April 1930.
After Afet İnan’s lecture on women’s rights, 3 April 1930.

1934

On 24 November the Assembly gave him the surname “Atatürk”.39 On 5 December women won the right to vote and stand for parliament; the following year 18 women entered the Assembly.38

His identity card of 1935. The name is written “Kamâl”.
His identity card of 1935. The name is written “Kamâl”.

Dünyada her şey için, medeniyet için, hayat için, muvaffakiyet için en hakiki mürşit ilimdir, fendir.

For everything in the world, for civilisation, for life, for success, the truest guide is knowledge, is science.

Samsun, 22 September 192440
A page from the Geometri book, 1937.
A page from the Geometri book, 1937.

1927 — 1937

Six days, thirty-six hours

On 15 October 1927, at his party’s congress in Ankara, he went to the rostrum and began to recount what had happened since 1919. The speech was delivered over six days: 36 hours and 33 minutes in all. On the first day he covered the period from Samsun to the Sivas Congress.44

On the last page he addressed the youth.

Haydarpaşa Station, 1 July 1927.
Haydarpaşa Station, 1 July 1927.

Ey Türk gençliği! Birinci vazifen, Türk istiklâlini, Türk Cumhuriyetini, ilelebet, muhafaza ve müdafaa etmektir.

Turkish youth! Your first duty is to preserve and defend, forever, Turkish independence and the Turkish Republic.

Nutuk, 20 October 192748

On 20 April 1931, in an election manifesto, he put foreign policy in one sentence: “We work for peace at home and peace in the world.”45 On 9 February 1934, in Athens, Turkey, Greece, Yugoslavia and Romania signed the Balkan Entente.46

In January of that year Venizelos, former prime minister of the country he had fought twelve years earlier, had nominated him for the Nobel Peace Prize.47

Title page of the 1927 edition of the Nutuk.
Title page of the 1927 edition of the Nutuk.
With Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran, 1934.
With Reza Shah Pahlavi of Iran, 1934.

Çankaya — Florya

A song at the table

Dancing the zeybek at Beylerbeyi, September 1936.
Dancing the zeybek at Beylerbeyi, September 1936.

Anıtkabir displays 3,123 volumes from his private library.49 Many carry notes in the margins in his own hand.50

In 1925 he started a farm outside Ankara; twelve years later, on 11 June 1937, he gave it to the Treasury.51

Among those he raised as his own children were Sabiha, Afet, Rukiye, Nebile and little Ülkü.52 Ülkü was at Atatürk’s side through his last years.

He was born in Rumelia, and evening conversations often came round to songs. He wanted the zeybek to become a national dance. In September 1936, at the Balkan festival at Beylerbeyi, he got up and danced it himself.53

The songs he loved

These are the recordings playing on this page; touch a title to listen. The list follows the Ministry of Culture and Tourism’s compilation.54

In his own hand, 1930: “In the Republic of Turkey everyone worships God as they wish.”
In his own hand, 1930: “In the Republic of Turkey everyone worships God as they wish.”
With Ülkü at Dolmabahçe, 20 September 1937.
With Ülkü at Dolmabahçe, 20 September 1937.
Florya, 12 September 1936.
Florya, 12 September 1936.
Listening to a citizen in Tokat, 1930.
Listening to a citizen in Tokat, 1930.
With Ülkü, 1937. Public-domain film footage, Wikimedia Commons.
On tour in Turhal, 1930. Public-domain film footage, Wikimedia Commons.
With a village family in Trabzon, 28 November 1930.
With a village family in Trabzon, 28 November 1930.

Letters

In his own hand

A few lines written from the front, from the road, from his sickbed. All are taken from published texts.

To Salih BozokUrla, 4 October 1911

Senin vasıtanla valideme verilmek üzere Kerim Beye kırk lira bıraktım. […] Sen de bana yazarsın.59

I have left forty lira with Kerim Bey, to be given to my mother through you. […] And you will write to me.

Written on the way, as he slipped off in secret to Tripolitania. His first concern was the money he would leave his mother.

To Corinne LütfüMaydos, 17 March 1915

Geçmiş zaman ve geçmiş zamanın hatıraları ebedi bir hayata maliktir. Beni unutmayınız Corinne, hatta bu harpte ölsem bile.60

The past, and the memories of the past, possess an eternal life. Do not forget me, Corinne, even if I should die in this war.

At Gallipoli, the day before the naval battle of 18 March. He wrote most of his letters to Corinne in French;61 the text here is as it was published in Turkish.

To his foster sister Saime HanımSilvan, 26 October 1916

Arzunuz veçhile bir fotoğrafımı takdim etmek benim için bir şeref olacaktı. Fakat yanımda bulunmadığı gibi burada aldırmak da şimdilik mümkün değil. […] Çocuklarınızla beraber gözlerinizden öperim.62

It would have been an honour to send you a photograph of myself, as you wish. But I have none with me, and having one taken here is not possible for now. […] I kiss your eyes, and your children’s.

A corps commander on the eastern front, writing to the foster sister he had not seen for eighteen years. The letter was found in the archives only recently.

To his mother, Zübeyde HanımAugust 1919

Muhterem Valideciğim, İstanbul’dan mufarakatımdan beri sizlere birkaç telgraftan başka bir şey yazmadım. Bu sebeple büyük merak içinde kaldığınızı tahmin ediyorum. […] Saygıyla ellerinizden, hemşiremin gözlerinden öperim.63

My dear, respected mother, since I left Istanbul I have written you nothing beyond a few telegrams. I imagine this has left you in great anxiety. […] I respectfully kiss your hands, and my sister’s eyes.

He had resigned from the army and was between the Erzurum and Sivas congresses. The Istanbul government was demanding his return.

To his adopted daughter Sabiha GökçenUndated, in pencil

Muaffakiyetle Ankara’dan Eskişehir’e geldiğini memnuniyetle öğrendim. […] İstanbul’a da muaffakiyetle gelmene intizar ederek gözlerinden öperim.64

I was glad to learn that you have reached Eskişehir from Ankara safely. […] Looking forward to your safe arrival in Istanbul too, I kiss your eyes.

A note to his adopted daughter while she was flying from Ankara to Istanbul (original spelling kept). Gökçen gave it to the Anıtkabir museum.

To Afet İnanSavarona, 14 June 1938

Afet, H. R. Soyak ile, benden mektup beklediğini bildirmiştin. Arzun her gün hatırımdadır. […] Bence doktorların yanlış görüş ve hükümleri sebebiyle hastalık durmamış, ilerlemiştir.65

Afet, you let me know through H. R. Soyak that you were expecting a letter from me. Your wish is on my mind every day. […] In my view, because of the doctors’ mistaken opinions and judgments, the illness has not stopped; it has advanced.

Five months before his passing, writing frankly about his illness to his adopted daughter, who was abroad.

The Tenth Anniversary Speech, Ankara, 29 October 1933.
The Tenth Anniversary Speech, Ankara, 29 October 1933.

Ankara, 29 October 1933

Ne mutlu Türküm diyene!

Milliyet, 29 October 1933: the Republic’s tenth-anniversary issue.
Milliyet, 29 October 1933: the Republic’s tenth-anniversary issue.

The Republic was ten years old. He had written the first draft of the speech himself, in pencil, on seven pages.66 He went to the rostrum in Ankara and spoke for seven minutes. His voice was recorded that day, and we can still hear it.

The text on screen is the speech as published by the Ministry of Culture and Tourism.67

1938 June 1 Wednesday

The last summer

His last visit to Adana, 24 May 1938.
His last visit to Adana, 24 May 1938.

He regarded Hatay as his personal cause. On 2 September 1938 the independent State of Hatay was founded.68

On 1 June the Savarona arrived in Istanbul. He went aboard that same afternoon and stayed for fifty-four days. On 25 July he moved to Dolmabahçe Palace.69

On 5 September 1938 he wrote his will in his own hand. He left monthly allowances to his sister Makbule and the children he had raised, and asked that the remaining income be divided equally between the Turkish Historical Society and the Turkish Language Society.70

At the Thrace manoeuvres, August 1937.
At the Thrace manoeuvres, August 1937.
The Savarona, 1933. Photo: Agence Rol.
The Savarona, 1933. Photo: Agence Rol.
With İsmet İnönü, 16 June 1936.
With İsmet İnönü, 16 June 1936.

10 · 11 · 1938

09:05

In respectful memory of Atatürk.

On the evening of 8 November Atatürk’s illness worsened; towards seven he lost consciousness.71

On the morning of Thursday 10 November 1938, at five past nine, we lost Atatürk. He was fifty-seven.

Our condolences to the great Turkish nation.

The room at Dolmabahçe Palace where he passed away. Photo: Sitomon, CC BY-SA 2.0.
The room at Dolmabahçe Palace where he passed away. Photo: Sitomon, CC BY-SA 2.0.
Hearing the sad news, November 1938.
Hearing the sad news, November 1938.

The return to Ankara

  1. Dolmabahçe19 November
  2. Sarayburnutorpedo boat Zafer
  3. Yavuzbattleship
  4. İzmittrain
  5. Ankara20 November
Leaving Dolmabahçe on his last journey, 19 November 1938.
Leaving Dolmabahçe on his last journey, 19 November 1938.
Istanbul, 19 November 1938.
Istanbul, 19 November 1938.
The funeral procession, November 1938.
The funeral procession, November 1938.

On 19 November the funeral prayer was said at Dolmabahçe. His remains were taken from Sarayburnu by the torpedo boat Zafer to the battleship Yavuz, from there to İzmit, and from İzmit by train to Ankara.72

In Ankara he lay in state for a night before the Assembly, on a catafalque designed by the architect Bruno Taut.73 On 21 November his remains were borne on a gun carriage to a temporary tomb in the Ethnography Museum; delegations from many countries attended.72

A competition open to Turkish and foreign architects was held for Anıtkabir; the design by Emin Onat and Orhan Arda was chosen.74 Fifteen years later, on 10 November 1953, his remains were transferred to Anıtkabir.72

The transfer to Anıtkabir, 10 November 1953.
The transfer to Anıtkabir, 10 November 1953.

Witnesses

  • Önümde, arkamda sarsılan omuzlar ve yerlerde gözyaşıyla ıslanmış halılar görüyorum.76

    In front of me and behind me I see shaking shoulders, and on the floor carpets wet with tears.

    Hakkı Süha Gezgin journalist, before the catafalque at Dolmabahçe

  • Gözlüklerinin içi yaşla dolmuştu. Vücudu hafifçe öne eğilmiş, çehresi yorgun yavaş yavaş ağlayarak yürüyordu. Bu Başvekilimiz Celal Bayar’dı.76

    The insides of his glasses had filled with tears. His body bent slightly forward, his face weary, he walked on, weeping quietly. This was our Prime Minister, Celal Bayar.

    Reşat Nuri Güntekin novelist, in the Istanbul crowd on 19 November

  • Bütün millet ağlıyor sözü ilk defa benzetme olmaktan çıkmış.76

    The phrase “the whole nation is weeping” has, for the first time, ceased to be a figure of speech.

    Behçet Kemal Çağlar poet, who noted the procession minute by minute

  • Ben dokuz yaşında ve ilkokul dördüncü sınıf öğrencisiydim. […] 10 Kasım günü bayraklar yarıya inmişti.77

    I was nine, in the fourth year of primary school. […] On 10 November the flags had been lowered to half-mast.

    Coşkun Özdemir then a nine-year-old schoolboy in Urfa

  • Eşsiz kahraman Atatürk; vatan sana minnettardır.76

    Peerless hero Atatürk: the homeland is grateful to you.

    İsmet İnönü President, from his message to the nation, 21 November 1938

Anıtkabir, Ankara. Photo: William Neuheisel, CC BY 2.0.
Anıtkabir, Ankara. Photo: William Neuheisel, CC BY 2.0.
The Lions’ Road, Anıtkabir. Photo: Kemal Kozbaev, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Lions’ Road, Anıtkabir. Photo: Kemal Kozbaev, CC BY-SA 4.0.

Every year on 10 November, at 09:05, the sirens sound and the whole country stands in silence.

Benim naçiz vücudum bir gün elbet toprak olacaktır, fakat Türkiye Cumhuriyeti ilelebet payidar kalacaktır.

My mortal body will one day turn to dust, but the Republic of Turkey will stand forever.

18 June 192675

09:05

Every 10 November, at 09:05, life comes to a halt.

The Republic he founded lives on.

Since 29 October 1923

He left us a great deal.

  • A homeland.
  • A republic.
  • The letters we read and write.
  • The surnames we carry.
  • A ballot box for women and men alike.
  • And a guide: knowledge.

Let us keep faith with what he entrusted to us.

Notes (78)
  1. 1 Atatürk’ün Söylev ve Demeçleri, cilt II, s. 6–9 (Ahmet Emin ile mülakat, Vakit, 10 Ocak 1922), Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi.
  2. 2 Atatürk’ün Eğitim ve Öğretim Gördüğü Kurumlar, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  3. 3 Atatürk’ün Selanik’teki Evi, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  4. 4 Trablusgarp Savaşı’nda Atatürk, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  5. 5 Kurmay Binbaşı Mustafa Kemal Derne’de, 8 Mayıs 1912, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  6. 6 Atatürk, Gazi Mustafa Kemal (Ş. Turan), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  7. 7 Anafartalar Kahramanı Mustafa Kemal ile Mülakat (Ruşen Eşref, 1918), İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  8. 8 Panoramalar ve Yağlı Boya Tablolar, Anıtkabir Komutanlığı.
  9. 9 Bigalı Atatürk Evi ve Müzesi, Çanakkale Savaşları Gelibolu Tarihî Alan Başkanlığı.
  10. 10 1915 (kronoloji), T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı.
  11. 11 Birinci Dünya Savaşı’nda Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  12. 12 Cevat Abbas Gürer (1887–1943), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  13. 13 Afetinan’ın M. Kemal Atatürk’ün Karlsbad Hatıraları, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  14. 14 Bandırma Vapuru, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  15. 15 1919, T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı.
  16. 16 Atatürk Kronolojisi, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  17. 17 Kâzım Karabekir (1882–1948), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  18. 18 Seymen Alayı, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  19. 19 Mustafa Kemal Paşa’nın Ankara’ya Gelişi (27 Aralık 1919), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  20. 20 Kurtuluş Savaşı Müzesi (I. TBMM Binası), Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi.
  21. 21 Mustafa Kemal ve arkadaşları hakkındaki idam kararları (O. Akandere), Atatürk Yolu Dergisi 43, 2009, s. 372–375, DergiPark.
  22. 22 Sakarya Meydan Muharebesi (23 Ağustos – 13 Eylül 1921), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  23. 23 Atatürk’e Gazilik Unvanı ve Mareşallik Rütbesinin Verilmesi, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  24. 24 Atatürk’ün Cephelerde Verdiği Dört Emir, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  25. 25 1921 (kronoloji), T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı.
  26. 26 Why did the Turkish Army win the Battle of Sakarya (M. Çanlı, 2021), STRASAM.
  27. 27 Sakarya Meydan Muharebesi Tarihî Millî Parkı: Anıtlar ve Önemli Yerler, T.C. Tarım ve Orman Bakanlığı 9. Bölge Müdürlüğü.
  28. 28 Büyük Taarruz, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  29. 29 1922 (kronoloji), T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı.
  30. 30 Lozan Barış Antlaşması, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  31. 31 Cumhuriyet’in İlanı, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  32. 32 Zübeyde Hanım (1857–1923), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  33. 33 Latife Hanım (1898–1975), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  34. 34 Tevhid-i Tedrisat Kanunu, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  35. 35 Şapka İnkılabı, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  36. 36 Atatürk ve Hukuk Devrimi, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  37. 37 Harf Devrimi, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  38. 38 İlk kadın milletvekilleri, Türkiye Büyük Millet Meclisi.
  39. 39 Soyadı Kanunu, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  40. 40 Atatürk’ün Söylev ve Demeçleri, cilt II, s. 349 (Samsun’da öğretmenlere hitaben, 22 Eylül 1924), Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi.
  41. 41 Atatürk ve Türk Dil Kurumu (A. B. Ercilasun), Türk Dil Kurumu.
  42. 42 Sabiha Gökçen (Esiner) (1913–2001), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  43. 43 Atatürk’ün nüfus cüzdanları üzerine (Özçelik ve Güneş, Atatürk Yolu Dergisi 58, 2016), DergiPark.
  44. 44 Atatürk’ün Nutuk Adlı Eseri, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  45. 45 Yurtta Sulh, Cihanda Sulh, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  46. 46 Balkan Antantı, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  47. 47 Venizelos’un Atatürk’ü Nobel Barış Ödülü’ne aday göstermesi (Z. Çakmak, Erdem 52, 2008), Atatürk Kültür Merkezi.
  48. 48 Atatürk’ün Gençliğe Hitabesi (20 Ekim 1927), İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  49. 49 Atatürk Özel Kitaplığı, Anıtkabir Komutanlığı.
  50. 50 Atatürk’ün Okuduğu Kitaplar, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  51. 51 Atatürk Orman Çiftliği, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  52. 52 Atatürk’ün Manevi Çocukları, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  53. 53 Beylerbeyi Sarayı’ndaki Balkan festivalinde zeybek oynarken (2–3 Eylül 1936), İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  54. 54 Atatürk’ün Sevdiği Şarkılar (Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı derlemesi), T.C. Millî Eğitim Bakanlığı.
  55. 55 Yalova Atatürk Köşkü (E. A. Malkoç), Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  56. 56 Vatandaş İçin Medenî Bilgiler, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  57. 57 Beyaz Tren, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  58. 58 Gazi Köpekleri Çok Severdi, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  59. 59 Salih Bozok’a yazdığı mektup, 4 Ekim 1911, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  60. 60 Madam Corinne’e yazdığı mektup, 17 Mart 1915, İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  61. 61 Melda Özverim, “Mustafa Kemal ve Corinne Lütfü” üzerine (M. Çelebi), Tarih İncelemeleri Dergisi XXXII/2, 2017, s. 601–608, DergiPark.
  62. 62 Mustafa Kemal Paşa’nın Süt Kardeşi Saime Hanım ile Mektuplaşması (K. Özkan, S. Özer), Belleten 88/312, 2024, s. 645–646, Türk Tarih Kurumu.
  63. 63 Zübeyde Hanım’a yazdığı mektup, Ağustos 1919 (Salih Bozok, Yaveri Atatürk’ü Anlatıyor, haz. Can Dündar, s. 72–74), İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  64. 64 Sabiha Gökçen’e yazdığı not (Anıtkabir Atatürk Müzesi Kataloğu, 1994), İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  65. 65 Afet İnan’a yazdığı mektup, 14 Haziran 1938 (Afet İnan, Atatürk’ten Mektuplar, TTK, 1989, s. 49), İşte Atatürk (isteataturk.com).
  66. 66 Onuncu Yıl Nutku, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  67. 67 10. Yıl Nutku (tam metin), T.C. Kültür ve Turizm Bakanlığı.
  68. 68 Hatay Sorunu ve Çözümü, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  69. 69 Savarona Yatı, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  70. 70 Atatürk’ün Vasiyeti, Türk Tarih Kurumu.
  71. 71 Atatürk’ün son hastalığı üzerine, DergiPark.
  72. 72 Atatürk’ün Naaşının Anıtkabir’e Nakli, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).
  73. 73 Atatürk’ün katafalkı ve Bruno Taut (Kemal Arı), Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi.
  74. 74 Anıtkabir Proje Yarışması, Anıtkabir Komutanlığı.
  75. 75 Atatürk’ün Söylev ve Demeçleri, cilt III, s. 74 (Anadolu Ajansı’na demeç, 18 Haziran 1926), Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi.
  76. 76 Atatürk’ün Cenaze Töreni: Yas ve Metanet (T. Boran), Atatürk Yolu Dergisi 47, 2011, s. 487–520, DergiPark.
  77. 77 10 Kasım 1938: Büyük Kaybın Urfa İline Yansıması (Y. Yıldırım), ÇTTAD XVIII/36, 2018, s. 163–192, DergiPark.
  78. 78 Anıtkabir, Atatürk Ansiklopedisi (Atatürk Araştırma Merkezi).