Atatürk's speeches at the Turk Ocakları

Turk Ocakları, were established as a cultural association in Istanbul in 1912,during the period of Second Constitution, as a consequence of a consciousness ofbeing Turkish within the multi-national social structure of the Ottoman State. TurkOcakları led to the development and spreading of Turkish History, Language and Artscientifically; and to the conveying the elements of national culture to the younggeneration with comtemporary values. They had some activities emphasizing thefeeling of unity and soldarity of the Turkish people during the transition period frombeing an empire to being a nation-state; they fought with Atatürk with all membersas well. The number of the centers and of their members rapidly increased soon afterthe foundation of Turkish Republic with Atatürk?s assistance. Turk Ocakları hostedAtatürk?s many visits and speeches and the members were his greatest supporters.In this research, we have aimed to bring together all the speeches Atatürkmade on various subjects such as national unity, language, religion, history,economy, education, the revolutions, and health. After Atatürk?s visits to the TurkOcakları have been chronologically determined, his speeches at the centers, what hewrote in his diary, his speeches, and telegraphs have been meticulously tried to becollected without leaving out anything by comparing all the original resources of theperiod. In this study, Turk Ocakları and Atatürk?s views about them have first beendealt with as a whole. Afterwards, in the Speech section, the subjects of the speecheshave been briefly explained and then the whole speech has been chronologicallygiven without changing the language or the spelling. In the conclusion part of thestudy, a general evaluation has been made.Turk Ocakları, which were united with the CHF (Republican Populist Party)as a result of Atatürk?s request in 1931, were reopened in 1949 and have still beenworking for this goal.Key words: Atatürk, Turk Ocakları, Independence War, Culture, TurkYurdu (Turkish Land), Revolution.