Atatürk researcher and writer Hanri Benazus, speaking at the Economics Congress of the Second Century, stated that an idealist officer founded the republic when there was no ready-made model in front of him, and said, “Our nation began to develop rapidly with the revolutions. Understanding Atatürk is the name of a struggle for existence. I am very fanatic about Atatürk,” he said.
Hanri Benazus, known for his books about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk and his collection of thousands of photographs of Atatürk, gave a speech at the Economics Congress of the Second Century with the title “1923 Turkey and Mustafa Kemal”.
“When you say Atatürk, the flowing water stops”
Stating that Mustafa Kemal Atatürk had a great meaning for him, Benazus said, “When you say Atatürk, the waters flowing in me stop. Mustafa Kemal, a younger officer, was not an ordinary chasing adventurer. On the contrary, he was an idealist who thought about realizing the rebirth he had dreamed of. Let’s take a look around in order to understand what the republic he founded was and what a blessing it was. Take a look at Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, the Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Egypt, Libya, Algeria, Morocco, Muslim African and Asian countries. There was no ready-made model before him and the republic. He opened his way by thinking, searching, trying. He took advantage of the circumstances and the history.”
“I am very fanatic about Atatürk”
Reminding the difficult conditions in the first years of the Republic, Benazus referred to the works carried out by Atatürk and the founding staff. Stating that the country was covered with iron nets, land and agricultural tools were distributed to the peasants, the taxes that oppressed the peasants were abolished, and the diseases were eradicated, Benazus said, “With the Republic, they came to the stage of breaking the centuries-old shackles and establishing a country out of nothing. It was not easy to heal the wounds of this poor and exhausted nation. Our nation began to develop rapidly with revolutions. Understanding Atatürk is the name of a struggle for existence. I am very fanatical about Atatürk?” he said.
“Tell us about Atatürk so that our next grandchildren will learn the value of the gift he left behind”
Describing Atatürk, Benazus said, “His father died, he became an orphan, he became a stepchild, he was a crow guard, he was arrested, he was imprisoned, he was exiled, he became unemployed, he got sick in the kidneys, he was shot in the chest, he was fired from his profession, he was sentenced to death, his brothers died, he did not have children, he divorced. Eventually, his liver failed. Yes, this is Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. Please tell everyone about the feelings of this orphan who has no children. Tell us so that our next children and grandchildren will learn the value of the gift that orphan left to our children.”
Source: (BYZHA) – Beyaz News Agency
