Atatürk's Correspondence with his Foster Sister Revealed

An important document about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's life has come to light. As a result of the archive work carried out by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kenan Özkan from Altınbaş University and Prof. Dr. Sevilay Özer from Burdur Mehmet Akif Ersoy University, Atatürk's correspondence with his foster sister Saime Hanım was revealed. These letters offer important clues about Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's youth and his relations with his family.

The documents found as a result of meticulous work in the archives include a letter written by Atatürk to his foster sister Saime Hanım in 1916, when he was serving as Corps Commander in Silvan, Diyarbakır. In the letter, Mrs. Saime states that her husband is going to join the war voluntarily and asks Mustafa Kemal Pasha to protect her husband. In response to this letter, Atatürk reminisces about the time he spent with Mrs. Saime during his childhood and emphasizes the value of the bond between their families over the years.

Another particularly noteworthy detail is that in 1923, Mustafa Kemal Pasha sends 100 liras of aid to Mrs. Saime. This aid shows once again how strong the bond between them was and how sensitive Atatürk was to his environment.

“The letters shed light on Atatürk's life”

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Kenan Özkan stated in his speech that they aimed to eliminate the deficiencies in Atatürk's biography as a result of their studies:

"There is a large corpus of studies on Mustafa Kemal's biography in the literature, but these studies focus more on his professional life and victories. There are gaps in the literature on his childhood and his relationships with his family. These letters are especially suited to fill this gap. We have conducted our study to fill this biographical gap."

She was known to be a wet nurse, but a foster sister was revealed for the first time

Kenan Özkan emphasized the importance of the letters with the following words: "These letters reveal previously unknown aspects of Mustafa Kemal Pasha's relationship with his foster sister Saime Hanım. In addition, we knew that Atatürk had a wet nurse, but we learned that he had a foster sister through these letters. These relationships open an important window into his character and human relations."

“It helps us understand Atatürk's character”

Özkan pointed out that the letters are also important for understanding Mustafa Kemal Atatürk's character and said: “Corps Commander Mustafa Kemal, who was at the front, shows the sensitivity of responding to a letter from his baby brother despite his busy schedule. The fact that he responded positively to the request for financial aid years later shows his sense of loyalty and his sensitivity to establish close relationships with the people around him. This also shows how humane she was as a leader."

Call to Mrs. Saime's relatives for future work

Stating that they want to carry their work further, Özkan made the following call to Mrs. Saime's relatives and those who have information on the subject: "This letter of Mrs. Saime made an important contribution to Mustafa Kemal's biography. However, we want to continue our efforts to fill the gaps in this subject. For this reason, we are expecting contributions from Mrs. Saime's relatives, family friends or those who have information about her."

“I entrust my wife to you”

Ms. Saime's letter, which begins with “Dear brother”, is as follows: "The bearer of this letter is my husband Yusuf Nejad, an electrical engineer. He has enlisted as a volunteer soldier in the Radio Telegraph Detachment No. 10, which is about to leave for Diyarbakır, and is about to depart. I have three children now. Two of them are attending German schools, and we are preparing to send my eldest daughter Bülend to Vienna to become a physician. My son will go to the United States to study iron engineering. Our mother is suffering from heart disease. Our father is in good health and well-being. We regret that we have not been able to meet my brother for many years. Inshallah Allah (swt) will make up for it soon and we will see you in higher positions and fill our hearts with happiness. I request your compassionate care for my wife. I am waiting for your reply with a photograph. My brother sir..."

Atatürk's reply: “My nurse, Madam...”

Mustafa Kemal Pasha starts his letter with the address “My nurse (my sister) Madam” and writes the following: "Your wife has joined my headquarters with her platoon. Only this letter brought by your wife reminded me of your situation after I saw you in Thessaloniki. If my memory serves me correctly, it was a Ramadan night 18 years ago. When you had not long returned from Crete and I was a student in Thessaloniki (my hometown), your father introduced us as we were getting ready to go to taraweeh (...) I found Bülend's idea of preparing to become a physician very high and valuable. I congratulate you. It would have been an honor for me to present you a photograph of me as you requested. However, I do not have it with me and it is not possible to have it taken here for the time being. However, I believe I have some photographs in the possession of my mother and my nurse who live at number 76 in Akaretler in Beşiktaş. I kiss your children and your eyes."