A Blog by the Editor of The Middle East Journal

Putting Middle Eastern Events in Cultural and Historical Context

Friday, June 14, 2013

Weekend Nostalgia for Turkey Watchers: Kemal Atatürk and his Dog

Almost a month ago I posted a "weekend nostalgia" photo of a smiling Kemal Atatürk swinging on a swing. But Atatürk is not just nostalgia anymore. As The Washington Post noted today, both sides in the Turkish protests are laying claim to his image; the protesters for his secularism, the government,which has not been a fan of his legacy, mostly as a symbol of national unity.

At the insistence of my dachshund, I wanted to note as this week's nostalgia photos that whatever you may think of the man's policies and legacy, he loved dogs and horses; he had a horse named Sakarya (after one of his military victories), and a faithful dog named "Fox" (I've also seen it Turkicized as "Foks.")  Fox was a street dog taken in by the Turkish leader.. Herewith, Atatürk with his dog, Fox:


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