Mustafa Kemal, founder of the Turkish Republic,
was born in Saloniki on the l9th May 1881 of humble background. His
father started out as a customs officer, later
becoming a timber merchant. Following his sudden death he left behind a
family having to fend for itself.
As a child Mustafa finished primary school in
Saloniki, going on to secondary education at Rucholigè School. Despite
opposition from his uncle, who had taken on the
responsibility of looking after the widow and her two children
following the death of his brother, Mustafa
entered military school, completing his military training in Istanbul. He
succeeded in entering the Military School
(Harbiye) where he completed his studies with flying colours, after which he
was accepted into the School of the General
Staff. In December 1905 he was commissioned as General Staff Captain
Throughout his studies Mustafa Kemal
consistently proved himself a conscientious, aspiring and diligent student who
liked to interest himself with particularly
difficult and complex problems. Whilst at military school in Saloniki, he
distinguished himself in mathematics and
literature. At the same time, and due mainly to his own efforts he started to
learn French, in which he made considerable
progress. Yet another trait of character which began to show through in
his early youth was Mustafa's ability to show
initiative and exceptionally his ability to give orders, whilst at the same
