The İstiklâl Marşı (Independence March) is the Turkish National Anthem, officially adopted on 12 March 1921 - two and a half years before the 29 October 1923 establishment of the Republic of Turkey, both as a motivational musical saga for the troops fighting in the Turkish War of Independence, and as an anthem for a Republic that was yet to be established.
Penned by Mehmet Akif Ersoy and ultimately composed by Osman Zeki Üngör, the theme is one of affection for the Turkish homeland, freedom, and faith, of sacrifice for liberty, and of hope and devotion, explored through visual, tactile and kinesthetic imagery as they relate to the flag, the human spirit and the soil of the homeland.
The manuscript by Ersoy, between the title line İstiklâl Marşı and the first text line, carries the dedication Kahraman Ordumuza "To our Heroic Army", the army that won the Independence War. The lyrics reflect on the sacrifice of the soldiers during the War.
The Anthem is regularly heard during state and military events, as well as during national festivals, bayrams, sporting events, and school ceremonies.
Of the ten-stanza anthem, only the first two quatrains are typically sung with an upright, immobile and solemn composure. A framed version of the national anthem typically occupies the wall above the blackboard in the classrooms of every public as well as almost every private school in Turkey (accompanied by a Turkish flag, a photograph of the country's founding father Atatürk, and a copy of Atatürk's famous inspirational speech to the nation's youth).
The composition has also been adopted as the National Anthem of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus.
A scroll displaying the first two quatrains of the anthem was depicted on the reverse of the Turkish 100 lira banknotes of 1983-1989.
Turkey National Anthem Lyrics
iSTiKLAL MARSI
Korkma, sönmez bu safaklarda yüzen al sancak;
Sönmeden yurdumun üstünde tüten en son ocak.
O benim milletimin yildizidir, parlayacak;
O benimdir, o benim milletimindir ancak.
Catma, kurban olayim, çehreni ey nazli hilal!
Kahraman irkima bir gül! Ne bu siddet, bu celal?
Sana olmaz dökülen kanlarimiz sonra helal...
Hakkidir, hakk'a tapan, milletimin istiklal!
Ben ezelden beridir hür yasadim, hür yasarim.
Hangi çilgin bana zincir vuracakmis? Sasarim!
Kükremis sel gibiyim, bendimi çigner, asarim.
Yirtarim daglari, enginlere sigmam, tasarim.
Garbin afakini sarmissa çelik zirhli duvar,
Benim iman dolu gögsüm gibi serhaddim var.
Ulusun, korkma! Nasil böyle bir imani bogar,
'Medeniyet!' dedigin tek disi kalmis canavar?
Arkadas! Yurduma alçaklari ugratma, sakin.
Siper et gövdeni, dursun bu hayasizca akin.
Dogacaktir sana va'dettigi günler hakk'in...
Kim bilir, belki yarin, belki yarindan da yakin.
Bastigin yerleri 'toprak!' diyerek geçme, tani:
Düsün altinda binlerce kefensiz yatani.
Sen sehit oglusun, incitme, yaziktir, atani:
Verme, dünyalari alsan da, bu cennet vatani.
Kim bu cennet vatanin ugruna olmaz ki feda?
Suheda fiskiracak topragi siksan, suheda!
Cani, canani, bütün varimi alsin da hüda,
Etmesin tek vatanimdan beni dünyada cüda.
Ruhumun senden, ilahi, sudur ancak emeli:
Degmesin mabedimin gögsüne namahrem eli.
Bu ezanlar-ki sahadetleri dinin temeli,
Ebedi yurdumun üstünde benim inlemeli.
O zaman vecd ile bin secde eder -varsa- tasim,
Her cerihamdan, ilahi, bosanip kanli yasim,
Fiskirir ruh-i mücerred gibi yerden na'sim;
O zaman yükselerek arsa deger belki basim.
Dalgalan sen de safaklar gibi ey sanli hilal!
Olsun artik dökülen kanlarimin hepsi helal.
Ebediyen sana yok, irkima yok izmihlal:
Hakkidir, hür yasamis, bayragimin hürriyet;
Hakkidir, hakk'a tapan, milletimin istiklal!
English Translation:
Fear not, the crimson flag, waving in these dawns will never fade
Before the last hearth that is burning in my nation vanishes.
That is my nation's star, it will shine;
That is mine, it belongs solely to my nation.
Oh coy crescent do not frown for I am ready to sacrifice myself for you!
Please smile upon my heroic nation, why that anger, why that rage?
If you frown, our blood shed for you will not be worthy.
Freedom is the right of my nation who worships God and seeks what is right.
