Ahmet Muzaffer Kılıç (1897–1959) served in important roles during the National Struggle and the early years of the Republic as an aide to Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. He was a Member of Parliament for Giresun in the 5th Term of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. He was active in various fields including military service politics and business.

Early Life and Military Education

He was born in 1897 in Bakırköy Istanbul. His father was Major Rıza Bey and his mother was Zehra Hanım. His family origins are from Bulancak district of Giresun. He entered the Kuleli Military Preparatory School in 1911. With the outbreak of the First World War he joined the Officer Training School opened in 1914 and graduated as a second lieutenant on 14 July 1915. He subsequently passed the examination at the Artillery School and was assigned to the command of the First Army.

Military Career and the National Struggle

During the First World War he served against submarines in the Sea of Marmara then on the Gallipoli Front and the Galicia Front. He was promoted to first lieutenant in 1916. He was appointed as aide to Mustafa Kemal Pasha commander of the Seventh Army on the Syrian Front. Although he briefly left his post after the Armistice of Mudros he resumed his role as aide to Mustafa Kemal upon his arrival in Samsun in 1919. He remained by Atatürk’s side during the Erzurum and Sivas Congresses the opening of the Grand National Assembly the entire War of Independence and up to the proclamation of the Republic. He was promoted to captain after the Battle of Sakarya. He continued serving as presidential aide until 1927. In the same year he transferred to the Ministry of National Defense. He received his education at the Ankara Law School and graduated in 1928. He resigned from military service in 1930.

Political and Professional Life

In the 1935 general elections he was elected as a Member of Parliament for Giresun in the 5th Term of the Grand National Assembly of Türkiye. He held this position until 1939. During this period he worked on issues related to law economics and defense. After withdrawing from politics he returned to business life in Istanbul. He established a vegetable oil factory and held managerial positions at the Ankara Anonymous Turkish Insurance Company. He also served as a member of the Istanbul City Council. During the Adnan Menderes period he was a member of the Board of Directors of the Office of Agricultural Products.

Death and Legacy

Ahmet Muzaffer Kılıç died on 13 July 1959. He was buried on 16 July 1959 at the Feriköy Cemetery in Istanbul. He was a recipient of the Independence Medal with Red Stripe. As one of the closest associates of Atatürk he directly witnessed the National Struggle and the early years of the Republic. His surname was personally assigned by Atatürk as “Kılıç”.