Collector preserves original copies of Atatürk’s ‘Nutuk’

ÇANAKKALE

Demirkol says the copies in his collection differ in their printing and binding features. (AA Photo)

Sculptor Ali Demirkol, who lives in the Biga district of Çanakkale, preserves a collection of 52 original first-edition copies of “Nutuk,” published in 1927, in specially designed cases resistant to water and pressure.

The 57-year-old told state-run Anadolu Agency about the story behind his collection on the 88th anniversary of the death of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk.

Demirkol recalled that “Nutuk” (The Great Speech) was delivered by Atatürk at the Second Congress of the Republican People’s Party between Oct. 15 and 20, 1927. He noted that the first editions of the work were published in Ottoman Turkish.

He said he began collecting books in 1995, when he and a friend decided to bring together original editions of the historic work.

While his friend managed to collect around 150 copies, Demirkol said he had gathered 52. “I keep the works in specially designed protective cases that are resistant to water and high pressure. When the time comes, we will donate these works to relevant institutions so that future generations can see them and learn from them,” he said.

Demirkol said one of the rarest items in his collection was a two-volume edition of “Nutuk” reportedly prepared at Atatürk’s request specifically for Hasan Basri Çantay, a member of Parliament from Balıkesir during the first parliamentary term.

He said he acquired the edition from a collector in Ankara and explained that it had been divided into two volumes to make it easier for lawmakers to carry. Printed in Vienna using the stone-printing technique by the Turkish Aeroplane Association, the edition is believed to have been produced in limited numbers.

Demirkol said he owned two sets of this particular edition.

“The inscription ‘To the Honorable Hasan Basri Bey, Member of Parliament for Balıkesir’ appears on it. Some passages have been underlined and notes added in Hasan Basri Çantay’s own handwriting. The second set is somewhat worn. I will restore it without compromising its originality and put it under protection as well. I plan to examine these notes individually and translate them into modern Turkish,” he said.

One copy contains all 10 maps

Demirkol also highlighted the different printing and binding characteristics of the books in his collection. He said the 1927 editions used Arabic script and opened from right to left.

Noting that “Nutuk” was first published in Latin script in three volumes in 1934, he said the copies in his collection differed in their printing and binding features.

The maps included at the back of the book were also particularly significant, Demirkol said, adding that one copy in his collection contained all 10 maps intact.

The maps illustrate military movements and the positions of occupying forces during historical events such as the Battles of Dumlupınar and Sakarya. Demirkol said the maps should be reproduced using the modern alphabet and made available for young people to study.

Describing “Nutuk” as an essential source for understanding the foundation of the Turkish Republic, Demirkol stressed the importance of passing the work on to younger generations.

“’Nutuk” is not an ordinary book. It is a written record of a country’s existence and a revolution. We need to fully understand its value,” he said.

“Our reading habits may be weak, but today it can even be listened to as a 22-hour audiobook. I always listen to it during long journeys. It is impossible to appreciate the value of this country without reading and understanding ‘Nutuk.’ This homeland was founded at a great cost. We must stand by Atatürk and our Republic,” he added.