Erzurum Congress

Have you ever wondered what would happen if a heroic commander who had worn a military uniform his entire life decided one day to adopt civilian clothing? It was precisely such an unusual and significant event that occurred to Mustafa Kemal Pasha during the most critical days of our War of Independence in Erzurum.

When Mustafa Kemal Pasha arrived in Erzurum, he was a high-ranking officer. However, the government in Istanbul became uneasy about his efforts to save the homeland and ordered him to return. Believing that saving the homeland and the nation was more important, Pasha resigned from his beloved military career on the night of July 8–9, 1919. He was no longer an official commander but an ordinary member of the people. He described this transition as “returning to the breast of the nation” (sine-i millet). Yet there was a problem: he had no civilian clothing at all.

^{Visual representing the Erzurum Congress.(Generated by artificial intelligence)}

Since Mustafa Kemal Pasha had spent his entire life on battlefields and in barracks, he had brought no civilian clothes with him. At that time, having a new outfit tailor-made in Erzurum was extremely difficult. His close companion, Mazhar Müfit Bey, immediately began searching for a solution. He went to the Governor of Erzurum, Münir Bey, and asked if he could lend a suit. The governor replied that he did not have a brand-new outfit suitable for the Pasha, but he did own a clean “jaketatay” (a type of civilian jacket) that he had worn only a few times. Mazhar Müfit Bey took the jacket, added a clean fez and shirt, and assembled Mustafa Kemal Pasha’s first set of civilian attire.

^{Visual representing events of the Erzurum Congress.(Generated by artificial intelligence)}

There are differing accounts regarding what Mustafa Kemal Pasha wore on the first day of the Erzurum Congress, July 23, 1919. Some sources claim he arrived in civilian clothes. Mazhar Müfit Bey even recounted how Pasha looked very distinguished in the jacket he received from his mother and wearing a fez on his head. However, some delegates insisted that on the first day, Pasha still appeared on the podium in his military uniform. According to these individuals, certain congress members objected, saying, “Leave behind your pasha’s uniform and join us as civilians.” It is then said that Pasha donned his civilian attire the following day.

^{Visual representing Atatürk at the Erzurum Congress.(Generated by artificial intelligence)}

Why, then, did Mustafa Kemal Pasha continue wearing his uniform for some time after resigning from military service? There was a very practical reason. Pasha understood that during these difficult days, his rank and uniform carried immense influence and inspired public confidence. He explained this by saying, “The people wish to see their leader not only through his ideals but also through an attire that demonstrates strength.” He skillfully maintained this military appearance until he was elected chairman of the congress, using it to sustain public morale and instill trust among the people.