A young republic: A new way of life
This year, as the Republic of Türkiye celebrates its 100th anniversary, we too celebrate this land that we love so much. Many groundbreaking events occurred here over the last century: For one, women in the Republic of Türkiye gained the right to vote and stand for election long before women in many other countries around the world. And it was a one-in-a-million leader and his followers who made it all happen… On the 85th anniversary of the death of that leader, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, we reflect on the paths that shaped his life and pay tribute to his memory with respect and love.
Where it all began: Thessaloniki
Mustafa Kemal Atatürk was born in 1881 in Thessaloniki, in a three-storey pink house on Islahhane Street in the Koca Kasım Paşa district. His father, Ali Rıza Bey, was descended from Kocacık Yoruks, while his mother, Zübeyde Hanım, came from a Turkish family who settled in Langaza Town. Unfortunately, the health services of the period lacked the means to combat diseases and illnesses; four of Atatürk’s siblings died at an early age. Little Mustafa grew up with just one sister, Makbule. The pink house, with a terrace where Mustafa once fed birds, is now open to visitors as the Atatürk House Museum in Thessaloniki. On the door of the house is an inscription: The founder of modern Türkiye lives in this house.
Northern Macedonia: A school in Bitola
Mustafa Kemal graduated from the Thessaloniki School of Higher Education (Selanik Rüşdiyesi) with high scores and, on the recommendation of a relative, attended the Monastir Military High School (Manastır Askeri İdadisi) in the city of Bitola. His entire family came to the train station to see young Mustafa Kemal off to Bitola. It is said that what Mustafa Kemal learned at the military school in Bitoli laid the groundwork for the republic that he would build in the future. It was at Bitoli that Mustafa Kemal was, in his own words, “alone and independent”.
And our home, İstanbul
Mustafa Kemal arrived in İstanbul, the city of cities, from Thessaloniki in March 1899. He was 18 years old and would study at the Turkish Military Academy. The Ottoman capital, which Mustafa Kemal first glimpsed from the deck of a ship, still has the same magical beauty today.
The starting point for the war of independence: Samsun
Samsun is another city that holds great importance in the story of the founding of the Republic of Türkiye. Mustafa Kemal Atatürk sailed from Istanbul to Samsun on the Bandırma Ferry in May 1919, a journey that would later be considered the actual beginning of the Turkish War of Independence. Departing from Istanbul on May 16, 1919, the Bandırma Ferry arrived in Samsun on May 19, 1919, and Atatürk and his entourage witnessed the great national excitement in the city. Mustafa Kemal’s speeches in Samsun had an electrifying impact on the people’s belief in the struggle for independence – it was in Samsun that Atatürk laid the foundations of the War of Independence. Thanks to these efforts, the spirit of national struggle was strengthened across Anatolia and the Trukish War of Independence ended in victory.
After that, Ankara, and after that, Anatolia…
The rest of the story is familiar to all of us. The Republic was founded on October 29, 1923, in Ankara, the capital of Türkiye, after a glorious struggle. We’ll leave the details to the history books but it should be noted that, after founding the Republic, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk traveled throughout Anatolia, always keeping his ties with the people strong, and that he loved Anatolia very much. We commemorate Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, who pioneered Türkiye’s modernization and development, once again, with respect, love and gratitude on the 85th anniversary of his death.
References
Ministry of Culture website,
https://www.ktb.gov.tr/TR-96346/selanik-ataturk-evi.html
Samsun Governorship website,
http://www.samsun.gov.tr/ataturk-ve-samsun2
Encyclopedia of Atatürk,
https://ataturkansiklopedisi.gov.tr/bilgi/manastir-askeri-idadisi/
