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I have a few more memories involving Atatürk. Atatürk danced with my cousin. I had a cousin Rapaport, she was married to my cousin Charles Huves. Charles Huves was my father’s sister’s son. He lived in Bombay for 10 years, then came here. He was the manager in the firm he worked and the firm had sent him to Bombay. There was Rapaport, he was very wealthy, he imported tripps. He married his daughter. I do not remember her name. They had a villa in Suadiye. In summer when they were in the casino of Suadiye hotel, Atatürk came from the sea by motorboat. The wife of my cousin was a very beautiful woman. Atatürk came and asked permission from her husband to dance with her. After the dance, Atatürk brought her to the table and thanked her. This happened in Suadiye hotel.
There is also a memory of Atatürk in Park hotel. There was lunch for 110 kurus at Park hotel every day, there were 3 courses for the meal. Also 5 musicians, they were Ashkenazi and without passports. These were the ones who escaped from Poland and Russia. When Atatürk came to Istanbul, he used to eat there and enjoyed the music. These people played classical music. Every time Atatürk came to Istanbul, he came here. In the meantime a law was passed. Only Turkish citizens would be able to work in jobs like musicians and waiters. Consequently they let these musicians go, because they were all foreign. Atatürk came and sat down to eat and asked where the musicians were. They told him these were not Turks, so they could not work there. Atatürk was angry, “what do you mean they cannot work, find them at their homes and bring them here one by one”, he said. They brought all of them, in front of Atatürk. Atatürk asked: “what is your name?” One of them said, “Goldenberg”. Atatürk: “O.K., let your name be Altındağ (in Turkish it means Golden Hill), you have just became Turkish, write it down”, he said. He gave all of them a Turkish name and made them Turkish citizens. “Now go ahead and play music”, he said.
Atatürk’s dentist was Günsberg. His place was in Beyoglu. My wife used to wait at the dentist’s door to be able to see Atatürk, when he came there. When Atatürk came to Istanbul, he would visit with Dr Marküs too. The old president of B’nai Brith. Dr Marküs was our Grand Rabbi. He was a doctor of philosophy. Atatürk enjoyed talking with him. Let me also talk about this. Atatürk got in line for the subway going from Karakoy to Beyoglu and bought a 2nd class ticket, and of course passed, everyone got up but he acted like a regular citizen. Of course there were policemen in civilian clothing for security. There was Tokatliyan hotel in Galatasaray. He would sit there with his entourage. Sometimes we would see, he would wear a dark-colored capelike thing, and tall boots, we would look with admiration, he had such eyes, you could not stare, they were piercing.
There is also a memory of Atatürk in Park hotel. There was lunch for 110 kurus at Park hotel every day, there were 3 courses for the meal. Also 5 musicians, they were Ashkenazi and without passports. These were the ones who escaped from Poland and Russia. When Atatürk came to Istanbul, he used to eat there and enjoyed the music. These people played classical music. Every time Atatürk came to Istanbul, he came here. In the meantime a law was passed. Only Turkish citizens would be able to work in jobs like musicians and waiters. Consequently they let these musicians go, because they were all foreign. Atatürk came and sat down to eat and asked where the musicians were. They told him these were not Turks, so they could not work there. Atatürk was angry, “what do you mean they cannot work, find them at their homes and bring them here one by one”, he said. They brought all of them, in front of Atatürk. Atatürk asked: “what is your name?” One of them said, “Goldenberg”. Atatürk: “O.K., let your name be Altındağ (in Turkish it means Golden Hill), you have just became Turkish, write it down”, he said. He gave all of them a Turkish name and made them Turkish citizens. “Now go ahead and play music”, he said.
Atatürk’s dentist was Günsberg. His place was in Beyoglu. My wife used to wait at the dentist’s door to be able to see Atatürk, when he came there. When Atatürk came to Istanbul, he would visit with Dr Marküs too. The old president of B’nai Brith. Dr Marküs was our Grand Rabbi. He was a doctor of philosophy. Atatürk enjoyed talking with him. Let me also talk about this. Atatürk got in line for the subway going from Karakoy to Beyoglu and bought a 2nd class ticket, and of course passed, everyone got up but he acted like a regular citizen. Of course there were policemen in civilian clothing for security. There was Tokatliyan hotel in Galatasaray. He would sit there with his entourage. Sometimes we would see, he would wear a dark-colored capelike thing, and tall boots, we would look with admiration, he had such eyes, you could not stare, they were piercing.
Period
Location
/İstanbul
Türkiye
Interview
Jak Rutli