The Past As A Mirror To The Future...

Amasya, Sivas, Erzurum

These are the dates when ideas were flourishing about the independence of the republic of turkey, and about driving out the foreign forces out of the land under enemy occupation. today, in the year 2005, as european union winds are blowing over turkey, we remember the saying: “that who knows not where he comes from, cannot know where he is going”…

The Ottoman Empire, one of the greatest empires in world history, is torn into pieces by foreign forces after a period of decline. Mustafa Kemal becomes the voice of a nation who will not give in when their land is being di-vided.

“The Integrity Of The Country, The Independence Of The Nation Is In Danger… ”

Right after the Greek forces occupy Western Anatolia. Mustafa Kemal takes action. His aim is to reach military and civil administration to convince them to resist the conditions of the Mondros Armistice and occupation. He reaches Amasya on June 12th, 1919. and gets in touch with many cities of Anatolia and Thrace via telegraph and couriers. On June 21st, 1919, he issues the first communique of the War of Independence known as the Amasya Declaration.

“The Motherland Is Indivisible Within National Boundaries.”

After Amasya Declaration is issued, members elected to represent the eastern cities from the associations of “Defending National Rights” and “Rejecting Occupation” leave for Erzurum for the Congregation on July 10th. Within this time period, delegates of the other cities are to go to Sivas. Delegates of the Erzurum Congregation leave for Sivas to participate in this national congregation after Erzurum.

The Erzurum Congregation, which was supposed to start on July 10th 1919 according to the Amasya Declaration. Convenes on July 23rd 1919 due to the lateness of some city delegates. In this Congregation, 56 representatives participate and Mustafa Kemal is elected president unanimously. The commission then starts working. The decisions made by the commission on August 5th, are published in a statement on August 7th. According to this statement, the motherland is indivisible within national boundaries. If the government in Istanbul cannot prevent the occupation of foreign troops, an interim government will be set up to serve this purpose. This interim government will be elected by a commission of representatives, and will not accept the mandate or patronage of any country…

The Past As A Mirror To The Future…

Although the European Union seems like an economic union, it is in fact a civilizations’ union. Especially nowadays in Turkey, it is synonymous with progress, development, and modern life. EU member countries and member candidates ail bring their histories and cultures with them when joining the union. It is important to remember the War of Independence, which is not only a period in the history of the Republic of Turkey, but also in European history. It is important to remember the longing for independence, and most importantly the right to independence, that is the very essence of this war. As human beings, it is a duty for every one of us today to carry the values of the past to the future. The “three steps” at the outset of the Republic of Turkey should always be remembered and their essential ideas should be communicated to the future. The struggles for independence and freedom in Amasya, Sivas and Erzurum need to be learned and internalized. There is no place for war in a real civilization!

 

Frankfurt

08:45 Start the day. Begin your day sightseeing at one of Frankfurt’s oldest coffee houses. Once upon a time. J.W. von Goethe, Frankfurt’s most famous son, would buy his milk at the shop at Kornmarkt 9. The CafeWacker opened for business here in 1914, and it remains a family-run business to this day. The homemade cakes, tarts and of course freshly roasted coffee are a lovely way to get your day off to a good start.

10:12 Getyour bearings. One of the best ways to become acquainted with Frankfurt, the metropolis located at the very heart of Europe, is by taking a city tour. You have a number of different tours to choose from: one of the best is the two-and-a-half-hour coach tour, featuring a round trip via Romerberg (the city’s central square) and a visit to the Goethe House. This tour starts off daily at 10.15 a.m. from the Central Station. Alternatively, you might think about getting to know Frankfurt from one of the popular hop-on-hop-off double decker buses. The complete tour lasts an hour, with the first bus of the day leaving St. Paul’s Church at 10.00 in the morning. The sights along the way include the Romerberg, St. Paul’s Church, Frankfurt Cathedral, the Goethe House, the financial district, the Alte Oper opera house, the Museumsufer (Museum Embankment), and Sachsen- hausen, the city’s ever-popular cider quarter.

ST***i MittagessenimTable US ‘J ! Restaurant. Das Restaurant in der Schirn Kunsthalle (Romerberg 6) bietet kreative Menus aus fri- schen, regionalen Zutaten. Abends verwandelt sich das Table zu gehobener Gastronomie in puristisch-eleganter Atmosphare und mit einer grofien Auswahl an internationalen Speisen und Weinen. | Lunch at theTableRestaurant.

The restaurant at the Schirn Kunsthalle exhibition

space (Romerberg 6a,) offers creative menus using fresh regional ingredients. In the evening, the Table is transformed into a purveyor of top-end gastronomic fare in an elegantly purist atmosphere and offering a large selection of international dishes and wines.

12:57 Checkout amuseum. Whenyou leave the Table,you immediately find yourself at the heart of Frankfurt’s museum landscape. Take the time to discover the Museum Embankment, a collection of 26 museums alongside or nearby the River Main. The Stadel Museum, home to one of the most famous art collections in Europe, is certainly worth a look, and will be reopening its doors in October 2011 after a major extension project.

No matter what interests you, other spaces such as the German Architecture Museum, the Museum of Communication, the Museum of Modern Art and the Museum of World Cultures are sure to have something for every taste.

17:34 Up, up and away. Frankfurt is famous for its skyline, and not without good reason: the view down onto the city from one of the skyscrapers is simply breathtaking. The Main Tower, headquarters of Hessische Landesbank (Neue Mainzer Str. 52), is the only tower open to the public, and gives you the chance to enjoy the panoramic view onto Frankfurt at something like 200 metres above ground. On a clear summer evening, you can see the entire region, as well as aircraft taking off and landing at Frankfurt Airport.

22:32 Timeout. Those who still have the time and energy will be pleased to know that Frankfurt has numerous clubs and bars to offer. Most of these are located in the city centre or on Ffanauer Landstrafie. One thing’s for sure:you’ll definitely find a place that suits you – and your party mood – down to the ground!