Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his Macedonian ancestry

[vojnik]

Some converted opportunistically, others were forced. Right or wrong, it is the way it is. While I wish to have Orthodox Christianity preserved as the prevalent Macedonian religion based on centuries of cultural continuity, I wouldn't reject a fellow Macedonian based on their religious beliefs. Anybody that does clearly rates their religion above their Macedonian identity.

As for the Kemal statue, I don't see a major issue with it.

How can you not see a major issue with a statue of a Turkish leader and founder of the Turkish nation in Macedonia? I need more evidence then Time Magazine in order to really believe that he has slome sort of Macedonian heritage. He himself claimed to be a pure Turk he believed his family settled the region in the 15 century. We should also put statues of prominent English monarchs in Macedonia aswell because according to Donski they are related to Samoil.

People are complaining that the government spent money on Macedonian hero's that actaully meant something to the country that actaully fought for OUR independance then they go out and believe it's ok to put Ataturk in bitola because he went to school there and his mum was aparently Macedonian.

[Soldier of Macedon]

I need more evidence then Time Magazine in order to really believe that he has slome sort of Macedonian heritage.

What you need to do is spend some time using the search function on this forum. Check the below link for more sources regarding Kemal and his Macedonian background:

http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?t=457&highlight=mustafa+kemal&page=8

He himself claimed to be a pure Turk he believed his family settled the region in the 15 century.

Really? Can you refer me to a link in the same way that I have done above?

We should also put statues of prominent English monarchs in Macedonia aswell because according to Donski they are related to Samoil.

That is not the same thing. Kemal was born in Macedonia and the Macedonian element in his culture and genes would be monumentally more significant than some monarch from England. I think the statue should be considered as a gesture of goodwill towards our Turkish minority.

People are complaining that the government spent money on Macedonian hero's that actaully meant something to the country that actaully fought for OUR independance then they go out and believe it's ok to put Ataturk in bitola because he went to school there and his mum was aparently Macedonian.

I agree with you to a certain extent. Can you tell me what Mustafa Kemal has done in his lifetime that was detrimental to Macedonia? What exactly are your arguments against this statue?

[George S.]

we allready know that he was born in solun in time when it was macedonian.He studied in bitola & learned military tactics.We also learn that his macedonian mum was very forcefull & he picked up a lot of ideas from her influence.So as a father of the turkey nation who was born in solun to a macedonian mother he would desrve to get some sort of commemoration.
Remember that macedonians & turks are allies & turkey is helping macedonia quite a lot in many ways.I think allready with the attaturk commeration house macedonia has done much to recognize attaturk.Do people know that macedonia has given the turkish museum a couple of topcina made of chereshni wood for show.Also there is respective exchange of cultures & trade amongst the two countries.Not to mention holiday making in turkey etc.

[MKPrilep]

please tell me one where you can find the information
that his mother was macedonian?
sorry but I can´t find nothing.

Atatürk was born in 1881 at the Kocakasım ward of Salonika, in a three story pink house located on Islahhane Street. His father is Ali Rıza Efendi and his mother Zübeyde Hanım. His paternal grandfather, Hafız Ahmed Efendi belonged to the Kocacık nomads who were settled in Macedonia during the XIV - XV th centuries. His mother Zübeyde Hanım was the daughter of an Old Turkish family who had settled in the town of Langasa near Salonika.

[Ottoman]

Turkey is already full with Ataturk statues, let Macedonia have one too lol.

[Ottoman]

A statue of Ataturk in Macedonia is ridiculous he regarded himself as a Turk fought and died for the Turkish nation and just went to school in Bitola he has no place for a statue to be dedicated to him in our country. I can't find any source about him being half Macedonian besides Time Magazine his mother was a radical Muslim woman who wanted Ataturk to be some sort of a Muslim fanatic like herself. Even if she was Macedonian Muslim that means she is a Torbesh you know the people that sold their religion for higher rankings in Ottoman society.

There is even a Ataturk statue in Cuba, Ataturk was not only important for Turkey but for the whole world as he wanted world peace.

You as a Macedonian should be proud of Ataturk because he was educated in your land, be proud, dont twist.

[Ottoman]

That Ataturk his mother was Macedonian is still a debate, because Ataturk was cited that his roots lay in Karaman, Central Anatolia.

I dont know what to believe but one thing is for sure, I dont care what his background was, he was important for Turkey.

[Volk]

only statues of ethnic Macedonians should be erected on the main walkways of the major cities.

give Ataturk a statue at his memorial house, not some grand statue in the middle of bitola.

[Ottoman]

Well mate thats something thats very hard to do, Turkey is full with statues of important Greek persons, we Turks are very proud of this, why? because the land we call Turkey has a great and long history, those statues reflect that feeling.

Ataturk was educated in Macedonina, nobody can deny this, ask every Turkish person in Turkey about Macedonia and they will answer the place where Ataturk was educated.

[fatso]

Well mate thats something thats very hard to do, Turkey is full with statues of important Greek persons, we Turks are very proud of this, why? because the land we call Turkey has a great and long history, those statues reflect that feeling.

Ataturk was educated in Macedonina, nobody can deny this, ask every Turkish person in Turkey about Macedonia and they will answer the place where Ataturk was educated.

I think there is a memorial house of Ataturk in Thessaloniki

[Ottoman]

Yeah there is, he was born there when it was Ottoman territory, I visited it once.

[vojnik]

What you need to do is spend some time using the search function on this forum. Check the below link for more sources regarding Kemal and his Macedonian background:

http://www.macedoniantruth.org/forum/showthread.php?t=457&highlight=mustafa+kemal&page=8

Really? Can you refer me to a link in the same way that I have done above?

That is not the same thing. Kemal was born in Macedonia and the Macedonian element in his culture and genes would be monumentally more significant than some monarch from England. I think the statue should be considered as a gesture of goodwill towards our Turkish minority.

I agree with you to a certain extent. Can you tell me what Mustafa Kemal has done in his lifetime that was detrimental to Macedonia? What exactly are your arguments against this statue?

http://www.allaboutturkey.com/ata_speech.htm

There are some quotes by Ataturk the majority show that he felt very strongly about him being a Turk. There are no quotes what so ever by Ataturk himself claiming ethnic Macedonian background. With no evidence except for secondary accounts I have no other option then to believe Ataturk being half Macedonian is propaganda. He himself claimed his heritage to be 100% Turkish on both sides that both his Mothers and his fathers side were Turkish people that settled around the area in the 16th century. A lot of famous people might have a Macedonian heritage who knows it's no reason to erect a statue it's bad enough we have statues of Albanians being erected in our capital.

I like the idea of preserving the military academy or his house in Bitola or whatever it was that's fair enough great tourist attraction but a statue of Ataturk goes a bit to far. Fair enough we have statues of Alexander, Samoil, Kiril i Metodij, Delcev Cento or whatever but then you have the statues of these Albanians and now Ataturk come on. understand there is a minority a very little one but they have enough Mosques and a memorial house of there founder in Bitola.

I can't find anything the Ataturk did that was detrimental I quite like his as a leader but I just really dislike the idea of Ataturk in Bitola because he went to school there and his mother was supposedly Macedonian. Even if she was they obviously showedd no compasion to it she wanted him to become a Muslim extremist leader. If they were Macedonian they didn't give a shit about it they chose to lead Turkey and did nothing for Macedonia.

I wrote this out quickly and didn't put much thought as I rushed it so please criticize so I can correct if I went a bit wrong

[Volk]

nothing to criticize vojnik, you dont need to ask for approval.

simply stated there is no need for a "big statue" of Ataturk in Bitola. The question is what is 'big' and where is it planed for? the korzo? that would be embarrassing...

[Bratot]

Kemal Ataturk Memorial House to be constructed in native village of his father

Debar, August 16 (MIA) - A corner stone was laid Sunday in the village of Kodzadzik - Centar Zupa municipality - marking the start of a construction of Memorial House of Kemal Ataturk - the founder of modern Turkey.

The greatness of Ataturk's deeds, a man who was the founder and first President of the Republic of Turkey, is being recognized in Turkey and beyond its borders, Prime Minister Nikola Gruevski said.

Many memories connect Ataturk with Macedonia, including the fact that the house of his parents is located exactly here in the village of Kodzadzik. This memorial is of special significance for the Turkish state, Turkish community in our country and for Macedonia, Gruevski said at the ceremony.

Culture Minister Elizabeta Kanceska-Milevska and Turkish Deputy Culture Minister Nihat Gul also addressed the event, referring to the good cultural cooperation and friendly relations between the two countries.

The memorial will be build on the foundations of the old residence of Ataturk's father - Ali Riza. The project - worth about EUR 650,000 - will be realized by the local authorities of Centar Zupa municipality and the Government of Macedonia.

http://www.idividi.com.mk/english/macedonia/545321/index.htm

[Soldier of Macedon]

There are no quotes what so ever by Ataturk himself claiming ethnic Macedonian background. With no evidence except for secondary accounts I have no other option then to believe Ataturk being half Macedonian is propaganda.

You won't find Cyril and Methodius referring to themselves as Macedonians either. That is not the point. And I am not sure if you understand our point - nobody is trying to claim him for the Macedonian nation, we just want the facts to be acknowledged. Dismissing what other sources have written for the reasons you have is simply incorrect.

He himself claimed his heritage to be 100% Turkish on both sides........

Like I said before, others have also claimed the same. Quote him where he says 100% of his family are Turks.

Even if she was they obviously showedd no compasion to it she wanted him to become a Muslim extremist leader.

Where does it say she wanted him to become an extremist of that nature? I would dare say that such extremists hate Mustafa Kemal and the policies he enforced when he took control of Turkey.