Evira@evira

Follow

Atatürk Republic Day 1938

It's the elevator that gets me. Someone had one put in at the Ankara hippodrome so Atatürk could get up to the presidential box for Republic Day without exhausting himself. He fully intended to be there. He told his doctors to let whatever was going to happen to him happen there, that he accepted all responsibility and would travel to Ankara regardless. But by October 29, 1938, his condition had turned critical, and he was at Dolmabahçe Palace instead, in bed and drained, with any hope of recovery basically gone. So for the first time in his presidency, the Ankara celebrations happened without him. A ferry carrying military high school students passed right by the palace, and they knew how serious his illness was, which is exactly why they were so desperate to see him. Flags, flowers, caps all went up while they called out that they wanted to see their Ata. Then they started singing the Turkish national anthem together, and those voices carried into Dolmabahçe. Sabiha Gökçen, his adopted daughter, was at his side and at the window. Hearing them, he sat up in bed and called out to her. #29Ekim1923

1h

Evira@evira

Follow

Atatürk Republic Day 1938

It's the elevator that gets me. Someone had one put in at the Ankara hippodrome so Atatürk could get up to the presidential box for Republic Day without exhausting himself. He fully intended to be there. He told his doctors to let whatever was going to happen to him happen there, that he accepted all responsibility and would travel to Ankara regardless. But by October 29, 1938, his condition had turned critical, and he was at Dolmabahçe Palace instead, in bed and drained, with any hope of recovery basically gone. So for the first time in his presidency, the Ankara celebrations happened without him. A ferry carrying military high school students passed right by the palace, and they knew how serious his illness was, which is exactly why they were so desperate to see him. Flags, flowers, caps all went up while they called out that they wanted to see their Ata. Then they started singing the Turkish national anthem together, and those voices carried into Dolmabahçe. Sabiha Gökçen, his adopted daughter, was at his side and at the window. Hearing them, he sat up in bed and called out to her. #29Ekim1923

1h