Mustafa Kemal Pasha's First Civil Dress and Photographing  

The Return of Mustafa Kemal Pasha into the Nation

After Mustafa Kemal Pasha landed in Samsun, he attracted the attention and reaction of the British and therefore the Istanbul government because of his actions. In the eyes of the government, he was now a rebel and had to be fought against. For this reason, on the night of 8-9 July 1919, Sultan Vahdettin was personally summoned to the head of the telegram and asked to return to Istanbul immediately. When Mustafa Kemal Pasha refused this request of the sultan, IX. Obtained from the Army Inspectorate. Thereupon, Mustafa Kemal Pasha sent a telegram to the Ministry of War at 22:50 and to the Sultan at 23:00 on the same evening, informing him that he resigned from his duty as an inspector, as well as his beloved military service, and returned to the nation.

To Erzurum Vilayeti Aliye (Supreme Erzurum Governor's Office)

9 July 1919 - Erzurum

My military and official title began to prevent me from working freely with the nation for the sake of national wars opened to save the blessed homeland and nation from the danger of disintegration and not to sacrifice them to Greek and Armenian wishes. Today, I bid farewell and resigned from the noble military profession, which I am very much in love with, as I promised on behalf of my sacred (holy things) to work with the nation forever for this holy purpose. From now on, I fully declare and declare that I am in the sine-i millet (in the heart of the nation) as an individual mujahid (warrior) to work with all kinds of self-sacrifice for our national and sacred cause.

                                                                                                             Mustafa KEMAL ¹

Thus, Mustafa Kemal Pasha, who was sent to Anatolia with extraordinary powers, became an ordinary citizen. However, Kazım Karabekir Pasha, although he had no military authority and title, visited Mustafa Kemal Pasha and said that he was at his disposal with his corps. Along with Mustafa Kemal Pasha, H. Rauf Bey, Refik Bey, Hüsrev Bey, Chief Inspector Hayati Bey, Adjutant Cevat Abbas Bey and Muzaffer Bey left the army on their own and decided to continue the national struggle together with Mustafa Kemal Pasha as members of the nation. 

He announced his resignation in a letter he sent to Erzurum Province on 9 July, and Süleyman Necati Bey wrote in Albayrak Newspaper, “It is a pleasure to see this esteemed commander, who raised the honor of the nation in Anafartalar and the duty expected from today's generations with his loud voice, at the head of the National Struggle today. He tried to express that all the people of Erzurum were with him in this blessed struggle by saying "it is contemplative".

Mustafa Kemal's First Civil Clothing

A memoir of Mahzar Müfit Kansu about Mustafa Kemal Pasha's resignation from military service during the Erzurum Congress:

-"The day after Mustafa Kemal Pasha left the military, that is, on the morning of 8-9 July 1919, Mustafa Kemal Pasha was one of us, that is, one of the people, and he was going to wear civilian clothes. :

"What are we going to do with the dress, Mahzar?" It doesn't say:

I said, 'Easy Pasha'. I thought of going to the governor.

- 'I want one of your dresses for Pasha.' Münir (Akkaya) Bey is very bored:

He said, "Yes, but I don't have a clean dress befitting His Excellency Pasha." It wasn't unfair. During the war and after the war, there was no clothes left untouched by anyone. However, he immediately thought:

-'I have a jacket that I wore once or twice, I'll give it to Pasha.'

- I said 'It's fine' and bought the jaketa right away, and I also had a clean fez. I also made up shirts, collars, and ties. This is how we obtained the first civilian clothes of the Pasha." ²

"They took the outfit given by Münir Bey and brought it to the Pasha. Since the trousers were made according to Münir Bey, who was a little undersized, it was too loose for Pasha. A tailor was immediately called from the Corps sewing house and the waist of his trousers was narrowed according to the Pasha. One of Mazhar Müfit Bey's shirts, the most The new one was washed and ironed.

Now a picture of the Pasha in civilian clothes had to be taken, the whole world press would demand it tomorrow. The photographer of Süleyman Necati's Albayrak Newspaper, published in Erzurum, came to take the picture. This time, the discussion started about where Mustafa Kemal's hand should be in the picture and what should be in his hand next. No one objected to the idea that Pasha could have a cigarette in his right hand, but various suggestions were made about his left hand. Some said "Keep your hand in your pocket" , some said "Get something in your hand" . İbrahim Süreyya handed the rosary he took out of his pocket to Pasha; They saw the benefit of having a religious affiliation, even if it was distant in appearance...

And finally the desired pose was taken and the picture was taken; thus, the symbol of the first civilized appearance of the Anatolian revolution was perpetuated." ³ 
Source; ¹ Atatürk'ün Tamim, Telgraf ve Beyannameleri, A.A.M. Ankara, 2006. ISNB: 975-16-1682-4. Sayfa: 58
² Mazhar Müfit Kansu, Erzurum'dan Ölümüne Kadar Atatürk'le Beraber, Cilt 1, Türk Tarih Kurumu, 4. Baskı, 1997 ISBN: 975-16-0906-2, Sayfa:41
³ Nuyan Yiğit, Atatürkle 30 Yıl İbrahim Süreyya Yiğit'in Öyküsü, Remzi Kitabevi, 3. Basım, Şubat 2006, ISBN: 975-14-0994-2, Sayfa: 131