2024 Turkey: Atatürk’s Tomb (I)

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk occupies a rather complicated position in Turkey, at least to an outsider like me.

Born under the Ottoman Regime and originally known as Mustafa Kemal, he was a member of the movement known as The Young Turks.  A war hero due to his leadership in the Gallipoli Campaign (1915), he became a leader in the post-war movement (known as the Turkish War of Independence, 1919-1923) which ultimately saw the end of the Ottoman Sultanate and Caliphate and the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923.

His sobriquet, "Atatürk", means "Father of the Turks".  It is largely (or at least perceived largely) through his efforts that the modern Turkish state was established.  Beyond the winning of Independence, it was through his leadership that the State of Turkey became both a republic with elections (as opposed to the Ottoman Rulers) and secular (with the total secularization of society; as you might recall, it was due to him that the Derivsh order was - and is - outlawed in Turkey).  He moved from the Arabic Script to the Latin alphabet, established full equality of the sexes including voting rights, required the adoption of Turkish surnames both on those that never had them and those that were not Turkish in origin, and initiated a series of industrial and economic reforms to bring Turkey into the modern industrial age.

By the time of his death in 1938, the Turkish Republic was firmly established as a modern, secular state (although over 90% of Turkey remains Muslim).

After his death in 1938, he was honored with a state funeral.  This mausoleum, Anıtkabir, was completed in 1953 after 9 years of construction.  Using all local materials, it mixes images of the various civilizations that have inhabited Anatolia.

Security into the Mausoleum is a bit beyond what we as Americans are used to - not so much the now-ubiquitous metal scanner as much as the fact that no national or religious symbols are allowed to be displayed - beyond the Turkish Flag of course; Anıtkabir is apparently well known as focal point of protest by display of flags by the Turkish People.

Atatürk is a bit of a puzzle for an American like myself.  He is a combination of multiple founding fathers and national leaders in a single person.  His image is everywhere - in schools, in hotels, on banners.  In that sense there is almost something a bit "Big Brotherish" about him.  From what I heard, at least from our tour guide, it is not seen this way by the Turks themselves.

Beyond the mausoleum itself, there are two wings which hold a history of Atatürk as well as a history of the Turkish War of Independence.  As you might imagine from any such sort of display, there is a particular point of view.

The tomb of Atatürk. The actual sarcophagus is located on the floor below:

The inscription in the tomb.  It reads:

"To The Great Turkish Nation

The mortal body of the Great Atatürk has been taken to his place of rest on elaborate arms of his beloved nation to the service of which he devoted himself.

In fact, he rests on the heroic and loyal chest of the Turkish nation full of love and pride for him.

The incomparable hero Atatürk, the founder of our state, and the most loyal, faithful servant of our nation,  the lover and distinguished figure of the ideal of mankind, the fatherland is greatly indebted to you.

We bow with reverence in your presence together with the Turkish nation to the service of which you devoted yourself.

You rendered us vigour from the fire in your soul in your whole life.  Rest assured that your blessed memory will always keep our souls zealous and vigilant, as an ever-flaming torch.

21 November 1938"