A new album published by the Atatürk Research Center brings together 350 rarely seen photographs of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, offering historical and visual context about his life, leadership and personal background
The Atatürk Research Center has compiled 350 rarely seen photographs of Gazi Mustafa Kemal Atatürk in a newly published album titled “Atatürk in Photographs: One Life, One Republic,” presenting them with historical explanations and archive material.
Published by the Atatürk Research Center, which operates under the Atatürk Supreme Council for Culture, Language and History, the album traces Atatürk’s life from his family lineage and education to his military and political career and the formative years of the Republic.
The work brings together photographs, brief explanatory texts and QR codes that link readers to additional publications and entries from the Atatürk Encyclopedia. It also sheds light on lesser-known episodes in Republican history, including events such as the “Flower Festival” and the “Trial of the Six.”
Speaking about the publication, Atatürk Research Center President Professor Ahmet Kılınç said the project was completed after years of work and stands out for drawing extensively on the institution’s own archival documents and photographs.
“People usually think of albums as collections of images, but this is much more than that,” Kılınç said. “The photographs are accompanied by explanatory texts and detailed information. Well-known images are presented with new details, while many lesser-known photographs are also included.”
Kılınç noted that the album’s interactive structure is among its distinguishing features. “Where a photograph corresponds to one of our publications or an entry in the Atatürk Encyclopedia, we added a QR code so readers can access further information free of charge,” he said.
According to Kılınç, the album clearly illustrates how Atatürk devoted his entire life, strength and existence to his country and nation, even setting aside his own personal and family life.
The album follows a chronological structure, beginning with Atatürk’s birth in 1881 and ending with his death in 1938. Its sections include “From Salonica to Tripoli,” “From Front to Front,” “On the Stage of the National Struggle,” “Leadership and the Birth of the Republic,” “Pioneer of Modernization,” and “Reforms and Social Transformation.”
It also features comparative “before and after” photographs, including images of the house where Atatürk was born in Salonica, shown in both its earlier and current states.
In addition, the album includes photographs of Atatürk’s mother Zübeyde Hanım and original archival material related to his father Ali Rıza Efendi, including a handwritten family lineage document drawn from the private collection of Republican-era historian Enver Behnan Şapolyo.
Among the rare images highlighted in the album is a photograph taken on June 10, 1921, at the Afghan Embassy in Ankara, showing Mustafa Kemal personally raising the flag during a ceremony marking Afghanistan’s independence.
The publication also presents enlarged and carefully restored photographs of Atatürk reading books and newspapers, revealing details previously unclear. One such image, dated Nov. 27, 1930, shows Atatürk reading the Nov. 24 issue of the Hakimiyeti Milliye newspaper while traveling aboard the Ege steamer.
Kılınç emphasized that the album draws attention to overlooked details in iconic images, such as the coal stoves used to heat the parliament building and gas lamps used for lighting during Atatürk’s speeches from the assembly podium.
“At least 20 to 30 photographs in the album are extremely rare,” he said.
The album is currently on sale and can be accessed through the Atatürk Research Center’s online store.
