The Importance of the Book of Speech

In the conversation organized with the presentation of Dr. Gülhan Seyhun from Altınbaş University Common Courses Department, the important messages given by Atatürk in the Nutuk were emphasized.

Prof. Dr. Gülhan Seyhun stated that the Nutuk, which is a bedside book, is the epic of the liberation of the Turkish nation. She stated that the Nutuk, which Atatürk wrote thinking that he was talking to young people, was written in 1927 when the revolutions were not yet completed. Prof. Dr. Gülhan Seyhun interpreted the reason for this as a desire to explain himself to the public in response to the assassination attempts, uprisings and the activities of those who opposed him. She stated that Atatürk read the Nutuk, which he based on documents and facts like an academic writer, standing up for 36 hours and 33 minutes between October 15-22, 1927. Seyhun said that the proceeds from the book were donated to the Turkish Aeroplane Association, adding that it was published in 1934 in new letters, and that the simplified Turkish edition was published only in 1978.

According to Seyhun, Turkish Revolution History should be started by reading the book Nutuk. “Nutuk is the voice and breath of Atatürk,” Seyhun said, adding, ”As the leader of a war won against imperialism, it is Atatürk's accountability to his nation, his confession. He explains why the caliphate and the sultanate should be abolished. Here we encounter the human Atatürk. Instead of looking for a miracle man, you can see the real man.”

Underlining that the Nutuk has a realist line based on reason and science, Seyhun noted that it focuses on values that will last as long as humanity continues. “We never see Atatürk falling into despair. When we face obstacles, he tries to show us how we can solve them. He emphasizes that those who govern the state should honorably consider the interests of the nation.”

Seyhun argued that each individual should bring out Atatürk in himself in order not to darken the light of the Republic, and finally said, “It should have been taught as a lesson in education. However, its simplification and Turkishization in terms of language was done very late. We made them memorize the address to the youth without reading it from beginning to end.”