Greece
WHAT THEY SAY FOR ATATÜRK!
Greece
It is only natural that the two nations are in grief because of the death of
the Turkish Chief.
Etnika Nea Newspaper
Our friend Türkiye is preparing to pay its final respect to its founder and
creator.
Athens-Peria
Before his death, Atatürk has finished his task to create a strong, young and
hard working Türkiye that is admired and respected by everyone.
Elenikon Mellon Newspaper
We accepted the fact that he was not an ordinary man and that we had not been
able to understand his creative power after he threw away the English, the
French and the Italian from Anatolia and defeated us.(1938)
Yorgi Pesmazoğlu, Greek Minister of Economics
Each country will make statues of great men that brought victory, well being
and happiness to their nation. However, Türkiye will have to excavate and look
for a distinguished stone in the mountains to carve Atatürk’s statue. Because
Türkiye had the previlage to have such a distincted leader that all the world
looked on in envy and admiration. The death of this great man is not only a loss
for Türkiye, but for the whole civilized world.
Katimerini-Athens
Atatürk was in search for the roots of the Turks. Turks have always been
influenced by the positive or negative theories of foreign historians. Kemal
Atatürk has given the Turkish Nation a rank of nobility that all countries in
the world would envy. For the forthcoming generations, only his era would be
enough for them to be proud of their past.
A. V. Daskalavis, Greek Historian
We, the Royal Government, the Hellenic Nation and I personally share the
national mourning of our friend and ally Türkiye. Greece has decided to show its
deepest sympathy to this noble and friendly nation in their most difficult time.
While remembering the Great Chief, the brave soldier and the creator of Türkiye
in respect, Greece will never forget the fact that President Kemal Atatürk has
been the founder of Turkish-Greek peace and cooperation. Greece will always keep
the meaningful memory of the Great Deliverer that changed the fate of the noble
Turkish Nation.
General Metaksas, Prime Minister of Greece, 1938
“Atatürk’s only feature and fame is not his shiny sword. Things he did in
peace expressed the strength of his determination and the brilliance of his
ideas. A development such this great has not been achieved since the time of
Peter the Great. Atatürk has managed to create a young, strong and determined
Türkiye that knows where to go in only 16 years.
Akropolis Newspaper
No one has ever done what Atatürk has done in Türkiye anywhere. Neither
Cavour, nor Cromwell, nor Washington... No one has done what he has done and no
one has found what he has found. The new generation that he created according to
his principles will surely continue in his path.
Tipos Newspaper
Plutarque has written the biographies of many heros in history. He believes
the greatest success and happiness a man can ever reach in life is to be
remembered by other nations of the world in respect and mourning at the time of
death and he states that this has been achieved by only a few men in ancient
history. Had Atatürk lived before the time of Plutarque, we would definitely be
among those happy people. The Turkish Nation has cried for the days for Atatürk
like a real father who had given life or actually given back life. Being loved
and mourned after this much is an exception in the nations' history of the
world.
Athinaika, Athens, 12th November 1938