November 10th, The Day of Commemoration of Ataturk

We commemorate Gazi Mustafa Kemal, the Founder of the Republic of Turkey who took the hand of a nation suffering in poverty and deprivation, lifted up and made that nation to reach the level of contemporary civilization, blew away the cobwebs on the country by the revolutions he made and presented Republic, the most precious gift, to the country, on the 82th anniversary of his death.

On November 10th, the day of Commemoration of Ataturk, we commemorate the Great Leader with respect, gratitude and longing, while we notice how valuable the legacy he left more and more every passing year. Atatürk is a very special leader, who has devoted his whole life to the liberation of a nation and is respected by whole world. Gazi Mustafa Kemal, who passed away on November 10, 1938 at five past nine o'clock, continues to live and be kept alive spiritually through the poems, anthems, flags, national days, revolutions and at the very heart of the Republic. It is the duty that every Turkish citizen will fulfill wholeheartedly to follow his ideas, revolutions, sayings and light carefully and swear to walk on the path that he opened in order to get to know him.

We, as Turkish nation, commemorate Ataturk on every 10th of November, and try to grasp in detail what he did and how he struggled for this country. As the sirens howl at exactly five past nine o'clock, we go back in time, feel the grief that is same with what was felt at the moment when he embarked on the eternal journey, and the same longing shakes our hearts.
 The Commander-in-Chief, whose memory never dies, is commemorated with mercy and gratitude.

When Ataturk was diagnosed with cirrhosis and his health status started to worsen, he was brought to Dolmabahce Palace. However, his illness progressed rapidly and Ataturk realized this. He wrote his will on September 5, 1938 and donated a major part of his wealth to Turkish Historical Society and Turkish Language Society. In every message he gave, he praised how hardworking, determined to fight and decisive the Turkish nation is, and he held Turkish people in high esteem, and expressed his trust in Turkish army on all occasions.  

Until his death, the Great Leader Mustafa Kemal did not stop following the national issues even for once, and spent all his energy on the welfare and development of the nation.

Everyone, young and old, prayed for him to recover; however, worst fears came true, and Mustafa Kemal Ataturk passed away at Dolmabahce Palace on November 10, 1938 at five past nine o'clock. This tragic news deeply saddened not only the Turkish nation, but the whole world. Representatives from many states came to our country for the funeral ceremony. On November 10, 1953, the body of Ataturk was brought to Anitkabir from the Ethnography Museum where he was buried temporarily.

Ataturk, who took the hand of a nation suffering in misery, despair and poverty and placed it right at the center of a free, independent, secular, democratic and enlightened will and left the Republic, the greatest legacy, to that nation, will always live in the hearts.

May he rest in peace...