İstiklal Marşı

İstiklâl Marşı

Dated copy of the original text that was released on March 21, 1921
National anthem of Turkey and Northern Cyprus
Lyrics	Mehmet Akif Ersoy, 1921
Music	Osman Zeki Üngör (composer) Edgar Manas (orchestration)
Adopted	1921 – Turkey 1938 – Hatay State 1983 – Northern Cyprus
Preceded by	Mahmudiye March (last anthem of the Ottoman Empire)
Audio sample
2013 official orchestral and choral vocal recording (first and second verse) file help

"İstiklâl Marşı" (Turkish pronunciation: [isticˈlal maɾˈʃɯ]; lit. 'Independence March') is the national anthem of both the Republic of Turkey and the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. It was officially adopted by the Grand National Assembly on 12 March 1921—two-and-a-half years before the 29 October 1923 establishment of the nation—both as a motivational musical saga for the troops fighting in the Turkish War of Independence, and as an aspirational anthem for a Republic that was yet to be established.

Penned by Mehmet Âkif Ersoy, and ultimately composed by Osman Zeki Üngör, the theme is one of affection for the Turkish homeland, freedom, and faith, as well as praise for the virtues of hope, devotion, and sacrifice in the pursuit of liberty, all explored through visual, tactile, and kinesthetic imagery as these concepts relate to the flag, the human spirit, and the soil of the homeland. The original manuscript by Ersoy carries the dedication Kahraman Ordumuza – "To our Heroic Army", in reference to the people's army that ultimately won the Turkish War of Independence, with lyrics that reflect on the sacrifices of the soldiers during the war.

It is regularly heard during state and military events, as well as during national festivals, bayrams, sporting events, and school ceremonies. Visual depictions can also be found adorning state or public displays, such as in the form of a scroll displaying the first two quatrains of the anthem on the reverse of the Turkish 100 lira banknotes of 1983–1989.

Of the ten-stanza anthem, only the first two quatrains are sung.

A framed version of the national anthem typically occupies the wall above the blackboard in the classrooms of Turkish schools, accompanied by a Turkish flag, a photograph of the country's founding savior Atatürk, and a copy of Atatürk's famous speech to the nation's youth from the concluding remarks to his 20 October 1927 address to the Parliament.

In 1983, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus also adopted the Turkish national anthem under Article II of the Constitution of Northern Cyprus.

History

An example of a common classroom display in Turkey, including the national anthem at far right

The present-day anthem is a collective effort by several prominent poets, musicians, and composers that took form over several years due to the relatively tumultuous nature of the period in which it was crafted.

Even before the full official dissolution of the Ottoman Empire, a nationwide competition was organized in 1921 by the Turkish National Movement — an independent and self-organized militia force led by Mustafa Kemal Atatürk waging a lengthy campaign for independence against both invading foreign powers and the Ottoman Court itself, due to the latter being treasonous and complicit in the partitioning of the Turkish homeland in the aftermath of the 1920 Treaty of Sèvres. The goal of the competition was to select an original composition suitable for a National March, intended to both motivate the militia forces fighting for independence across the country, and to provide inspiration and pride for a new homeland that would be established once victory was achieved.

A total of 724 poems were submitted. Mehmet Akif Ersoy, a well-known poet of the period, initially refused to participate due to a monetary prize being offered in the competition, but was subsequently contacted and convinced by the National Parliament to submit a poem and disregard the reward. The resulting ten-stanza-long poem written by Ersoy was recited to the National Assembly by representative Hamdullah Suphi, on 1 March 1921, where it was unanimously adopted by the deputies following evaluation by a parliamentary committee. The prize of the competition was later bestowed on a society of veterans.

Shortly thereafter, twenty-four composers participated in another competition arranged for the selection of a musical composition that would best suit the elected anthem. The committee, which was only able to convene in 1924 due to the 1919–1923 Turkish War of Independence, adopted the music composed by Ali Rıfat Çağatay.

This early composition by Çağatay lasted only six years. In 1930, a new composition by Osman Zeki Üngör, virtuoso composer and the first conductor of the Presidential Symphony Orchestra of the Republic of Turkey, was adopted as a permanent musical arrangement by Parliament. Shortly thereafter, in 1932, eminent Turkish composer, conductor, and musicologist (of Armenian descent) Edgar Manas (Armenian: Էտկար Մանաս) was commissioned by the Turkish government to harmonize and orchestrate the melody created by Üngör, and the final and official version of the anthem took form.

Lyrics

The full lyrics of the Turkish national anthem consist of 41 lines of verses, with ten stanzas total, though only the first two verses (shown in bold) are performed in official ceremonies.

Ottoman Turkish	Text in modern Turkish orthography	English translated version	IPA transcription
١ :قورقمه، سونمز بو شفقلرده یوزن آل سانجاق .سونمدن یوردمڭ اوستنده توتن اڭ صوڭ اوجاق او بنم ملتمڭ یؽلدیزیدر پارلایاجق؛ .او بنمدر. او بنم ملتمڭدر آنجاق ٢ !چاتمه قربان اولایؽم چهرڭی، ای نازلؽ هیلال قهرمان عرقؽمه بر گول، نه بو شدت، بو جلال ساڭا اولماز دوكولن قانلریمز صوڭرا هلال؛ !حقؽدؽر، حقه طاپان ملتمڭ، استقلال ٣ .بن ازلدن بریدر حر یاشادم، حر یاشارم !هانگی چیلغین بڭا زنجیر اوره‌جقمش، شاشارم كوكره‌مش سیل گبی‌یم، بندیمی چیكنه‌ر آشارم؛ .ییرتارم داغلری، انگینلره صیغمام، طاشارم ٤ غربك آفاقنی صارمشسه چلیك زرهلی دیوار .بنم ایمان دولو گوكوسم گبی سرحدم وار ،اولوسڭ، قورقما، ناصل بویله بر ایمانی بوغار "مدنیت" دیدیگڭ تك دیشی قالمش جانوار؟ ٥ آرقاداش! یوردیمه آلچاقلری اوغراتما، صاقین سپر ایت گوده‌ڭی، دورسڭ بو حیاسزجه آقین؛ دوغاجقدر سڭا وعد ایتدیكی گونلر حقڭ؛ كیم بیلیر بلكه یارین، بلكه یاریندن ده یاقین ٦ :باصدیغڭ یرلری "طوپراق!" دییه‌رك گچمه طانی !دوشون آلتنده‌كی بیڭلرجه كفنسز یاتانی :سن شهید اوغلیسڭ، اینجیتمه یازیقدر آتاڭی .ویرمه، دنیالری آلسه‌ڭ ده بو جنت وطنی ٧ ،كیم بو جنت وطنڭ اوغرینه اولماز كه فدا !شهدا فیشقیراجق طوپراغی صیقسه‌ڭ، شهدا جانی، جانانی، بوتون واریمی آلسین ده خدا .ایتمه‌سین تك وطنمدن بنی دنیاده جدا ٨ :روحمڭ سندن، الهی، شودر آنجاق املی .ده‌گمه‌سین معبدمڭ گوكسنه نامحرم الی – بو اذانلر – كه شهادتلری دینڭ تملی .ابدی، یوردیمڭ اوستنده بنم ایڭله‌مه‌لی ٩ .او زمان وجد ایله بیڭ سجده ایده‌ر – وارسه – طاشم ،هر جریحه‌مدن، الهی، بوشانوب قانلی یاشم فیشقیریر روح مجرد گبی یردن نعشم؛ !او زمان یوكسه‌له‌ره‌ڭ عرشه دگه‌ر بلكه باشم ١٠ !دالغالان سن ده شفقلر گبی ای شانلی هلال !اولسڭ آرتق دكولن قانلریمڭ هپسی حلال !ابدیا سڭا یوق، عرقمه یوق اضمحلال حقیدر حر یاشامش بایراغمڭ حریت؛ !حقیدر حقه طاپان ملتمڭ استقلال	I Korkma! Sönmez bu şafaklarda yüzen al sancak, Sönmeden yurdumun üstünde tüten en son ocak. O benim milletimin yıldızıdır, parlayacak; O benimdir, o benim milletimindir ancak. II Çatma, kurban olayım, çehreni ey nazlı hilal! Kahraman ırkıma bir gül; ne bu şiddet, bu celal? Sana olmaz dökülen kanlarımız sonra helal... Hakkıdır, Hakk’a tapan milletimin istiklal! III Ben ezelden beridir hür yaşadım, hür yaşarım, Hangi çılgın bana zincir vuracakmış? Şaşarım! Kükremiş sel gibiyim, bendimi çiğner, aşarım, Yırtarım dağları, enginlere sığmam, taşarım. IV Garbın afakını sarmışsa çelik zırhlı duvar, Benim iman dolu göğsüm gibi serhaddim var. Ulusun, korkma! Nasıl böyle bir imanı boğar, “Medeniyet” dediğin tek dişi kalmış canavar? V Arkadaş! Yurduma alçakları uğratma sakın, Siper et gövdeni, dursun bu hayâsızca akın. Doğacaktır sana vadettiği günler Hakk’ın, Kim bilir, belki yarın belki yarından da yakın. VI Bastığın yerleri “toprak” diyerek geçme, tanı, Düşün altındaki binlerce kefensiz yatanı. Sen şehit oğlusun, incitme, yazıktır atanı, Verme, dünyaları alsan da bu cennet vatanı. VII Kim bu cennet vatanın uğruna olmaz ki feda? Şüheda fışkıracak, toprağı sıksan şüheda! Canı, cananı, bütün varımı alsın da Hüda, Etmesin tek vatanımdan beni dünyada cüda. VIII Ruhumun senden İlahî, şudur ancak emeli: Değmesin mabedimin göğsüne namahrem eli. Bu ezanlar, ki şehadetleri dinin temeli, Ebedî, yurdumun üstünde benim inlemeli. IX O zaman vecd ile bin secde eder, varsa taşım, Her cerihamdan, İlahî, boşanıp kanlı yaşım, Fışkırır ruhumücerret gibi yerden naaşım, O zaman yükselerek arşa değer belki başım. X Dalgalan sen de şafaklar gibi ey şanlı hilal! Olsun artık dökülen kanlarımın hepsi helal. Ebediyen sana yok, ırkıma yok izmihlal. Hakkıdır, hür yaşamış bayrağımın hürriyet; Hakkıdır, Hakk’a tapan milletimin istiklal!	I Fear not! The scarlet flag rippling at dawns shall not wither While my country’s last smoking hearth is yet aflicker. It is the star of my nation, it is meant to blaze and shine; It belongs to none but my nation alone, it is mine. II Do not frown, I beseech you, oh coy crescent! But smile at my valiant race… Why this angry, why violent? Lest our blood spilt for you be unblessed and worthless. For my nation, who worships God, has the right to independence! III I have been free since eternity, and free shall I be. What fool dares to shackle me? I defy the temerity! I am like a roaring flood; I overflow trampling down my banks, I tear apart mountains, surge into depths, and surpass. IV Western horizons may be encircled by walls armoured in steel But I have my chest brimful of faith as my homeland’s frontier. Let it howl, fear not! How can it smother such solid faith That single-fanged monster, “Civilisation!” as you call it? V My friend! Never ever let the dastards into my land! Render your body a shield; bring this heinous raid to an end. For soon shall break the blissful days God promised, for sure; Perhaps tomorrow, who knows, perhaps even sooner than that. VI Do not assume what you tread on is mere “earth”, recognise it! Think of the thousands, without shrouds, lying beneath. You’re the son of a martyr, take shame, hurt not your ancestor; Cede not this heavenly homeland, even if it’s the worlds you’re granted. VII Who would not offer his life for this homeland of paradise? Martyrs would pour forth, all martyrs, should one simply clutch the earth! If God will, He may take my life, my beloved, and my wealth, But may He not, for the world, just deprive me of my homeland. VIII The sole wish of my soul, oh glorious God, from You is that, No heathen would ever, on the bosom of my temple, lay hand! These calls to prayer, whose testimonies are the ground of religion, Should resound far and wide over my eternal homeland. IX Then, my tombstone, if any, prostrates in rapture a thousand-fold, Of my every wound, oh glorious God, tears of blood gush forth, And out spurts my corpse, in pure spirit, from the ground, Perhaps then, shall ascend and to the heavens touch my crown! X So ripple and wave, like dawning skies, oh glorious crescent, So that every drop of my blood finally be blessed and worthy! Neither you nor my race shall ever be annihilated, For my flag, who has lived ever freely, has the right to liberty; For my nation, who worships God, has the right to independence!

|

1
[ˈkʰo̞ɾk.mä ‖ s̪ø̞n̪.ˈmæz̪ bu ʃä.fäk.ɫ̪äɾ.ˈd̪ä jy.ˈz̪æn̪ ˈäɫ̪‿s̪än̪.ˌd͡ʒäk |]
[ˈs̪ø̞n̪.me̞.d̪æn̪ juɾ.d̪u.ˈmʊn̪ ys̪.t̪ʰyn̪.ˈd̪e̞ t̪ʰy.ˈt̪ʰæn̪ ˈe̞n̪‿s̪o̞n̪‿o̞.ˌd͡ʒäk ‖]
[o̞ be.ˈn̪ɪm mil̠.l̠e.t̪ʰi.ˈmɪn̪ jɯɫ̪.d̪ɯ.ˈz̪ɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊ | pʰäɾ.ɫ̪ä.jä.ˈd͡ʒäk |]
[o̞ be.ˈn̪im.d̪ɪɾ̞̊ | o̞ be.ˈn̪ɪm mil̠.l̠e.t̪ʰi.ˈmin̪.d̪ɪɾ‿än̪.ˈd͡ʒäk ‖]

2
[ˈt͡ʃät̪ʰ.mä | kʰuɾ.ˈbän̪ o̞.ɫ̪ä.ˈjɯm | t͡ʃe̞h.ɾe̞.ˈn̪ɪ e̞j n̪äz̪.ˈɫ̪ɯ hi.ˈläl ‖]
[kʰäh.ɾä.ˈmän̪ ɯɾ̞̊.ˈkʰɯ.mä biɾ‿ɟyl̠ | n̪e̞ bu ʃid̪.ˈd̪e̞t̪ | bu d͡ʒe̞.ˈläl ‖]
[s̪ä.ˈn̪ä o̞ɫ̪.ˈmäz̪ d̪ø̞.cʰy.ˈl̠æn̪ kʰän̪.ɫ̪ä.ɾɯ.ˈmɯz̪ ˈs̪o̞n̪.ɾä he̞.ˈläl ‖]
[häk.ˈkʰɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊ | häk.ˈkʰä t̪ʰä.ˈpʰän̪ mil̠.l̠e̞.t̪ʰi.ˈmɪn̪ is̪.t̪ʰic.ˈläl ‖]

3
[bæn̪ e̞.zæl.ˈd̪æn̪ be.ˈɾi.dɪɾ̞̊ hyɾ‿jä.ʃä.ˈd̪ɯm | hyɾ‿jä.ʃä.ˈɾɯm |]
[ˈhäɲ.ɟɪ t͡ʃɯɫ̪.ˈgɯn̪ bä.ˈn̪ä zin.ˈd͡ʒɪɾ‿vu.ɾä.d͡ʒäk.ˈmɯʃ ‖ ʃä.ˈʃä.ɾɯm ‖]
[cʰyc.ɾe.ˈmɪʃ s̪æl̠ ɟi.bi.ˈjɪm | ˈbæn̪.d̪i.mɪ t͡ʃiː.ˈn̪æɾ | ä.ʃä.ˈɾɯm |]
[jɯɾ.ˈt̪ʰä.ɾɯm d̪äː.ɫ̪ä.ˈɾɯ | e̞ɲ.ɟin̪.l̠e̞.ˈɾe̞ s̪ɯː.ˈmäm | t̪ʰä.ˈʃä.ɾɯm ‖]

4
[gäɾ.ˈbɯn̪ äː.fäː.kʰɯ.ˈn̪ɯ s̪äɾ.ˈmɯʃ.s̪ä t͡ʃe.ˈl̠ɪc z̪ɯɾh.ˈɫ̪ɯ d̪u.ˈväɾ̞̊ |]
[be.ˈn̪ɪm iː.ˈmän̪ d̪o̞.ˈɫ̪ʊ gø̞ː.ˈs̪ʏm ɟi.ˈbɪ s̪æɾ.häd̪.ˈd̪im väɾ̞̊ ‖]
[u.ɫ̪u.ˈs̪ʊn̪ | ˈkʰo̞ɾk.mä ‖ ˈn̪ä.s̪ɯɫ̪ ˈbø̞j.l̠e biɾ‿iː.mä.ˈn̪ɯ bo̞.ˈäɾ̞̊ |]
[me.d̪e.ni.ˈje̞t̪ d̪e.d̪i.ˈɪn̪ t̪ʰe̞c d̪i.ˈʃɪ kʰäɫ̪.ˈmɯʃ d͡ʒä.n̪ä.ˈväɾ̞̊ ‖]

5
[äɾ.kʰä.ˈd̪äʃ ‖ juɾ.ˈd̪u.mä äɫ̪.t͡ʃäk.ɫ̪ä.ˈɾɯ uː.ˈɾät̪.mä s̪ä.ˈkʰɯn̪ |]
[s̪i.ˈpʰæɾ‿æt̪ gø̞v.d̪e.ˈn̪ɪ | d̪uɾ.ˈs̪ʊn̪ bu hä.jäː.ˈs̪ɯz̪.d͡ʒä ä.ˈkʰɯn̪ ‖]
[d̪o̞.ä.ˈd͡ʒäk.t̪ʰɯɾ̞̊ s̪ä.ˈn̪ä vä.d̪e̞t̪.t̪ʰi.ˈɪ ɟyn̪.ˈl̠æɾ̞̊ häk.ˈkʰɯn̪ |]
[cʰim bi.ˈl̠ɪɾ̞̊ | ˈbæl̠.cʰɪ jä.ˈɾɯn̪ ˈbæl̠.cʰɪ jä.ɾɯn̪.ˈd̪än̪ d̪ä jä.ˈkʰɯn̪ ‖]

6
[bäs̪.t̪ʰɯ.ˈɯn̪ jæɾ.l̠e̞.ˈɾɪ t̪ʰo̞p.ˈɾäk d̪i.je̞.ˈɾe̞c ˈɟe̞t͡ʃ.me̞ | t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯ |]
[d̪y.ˈʃʏn̪ äɫ̪.t̪ʰɯn̪.ˈd̪ä.cʰɪ bin̪.ˈl̠æɾ.d͡ʒe̞ cʰe̞.fæn̪.ˈs̪ɪz̪ jä.t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯ ‖]
[s̪æn̪ ʃe.ˈhit̪ o̞ː.ɫ̪u.ˈs̪ʊn̪ | in.ˈd͡ʒit̪.me̞ | jä.ˈz̪ɯk.tʰɯɾ‿ä.t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯ |
[ˈvæɾ.me̞ | d̪yn.jä.ɫ̪ä.ˈɾɯ äɫ̪.ˈs̪än̪ d̪ä bu d͡ʒe̞n̪.ˈn̪e̞t̪ vä.t̪ʰä.ˈnɯ ‖]

7
[cʰim bu d͡ʒe̞n̪.ˈn̪e̞t̪ vä.t̪ʰä.ˈn̪ɯn̪ uː.ɾu.ˈn̪ä o̞ɫ̪.ˈmäz̪ cʰi fe̞.ˈd̪ä ‖]
[ʃy.he̞.ˈd̪ä fɯʃ.kʰɯ.ɾä.ˈd͡ʒäk | t̪ʰo̞p.ɾä.ˈɯ s̪ɯk.ˈs̪än̪ ʃy.he̞.ˈd̪ä ‖]
[d͡ʒäː.ˈn̪ɯ | d͡ʒäː.n̪äː.ˈn̪ɯ | by.ˈt̪ʰʏn̪ vä.ɾɯ.ˈmɯ äɫ̪.ˈs̪ɯn̪ d̪ä hy.ˈd̪ä |]
[ˈe̞t̪.me̞.s̪ɪn̪ t̪ʰe̞c vä.t̪ʰä.n̪ɯm.ˈd̪än̪ be.ˈn̪ɪ d̪yn̪.jä.ˈd̪ä d͡ʒy.ˈd̪ä ‖]

8
[ɾ̞u.hu.ˈmʊn̪ s̪æn̪.ˈd̪æn̪ i.läː.ˈhɪː | ˈʃu.d̪ʊɾ‿än̪.ˈd͡ʒäk e.me.ˈl̠ɪ ‖]
[ˈd̪e(j).e.me.s̪ɪn̪ mä.be.d̪i.ˈmɪn̪ gø̞ː.s̪y.ˈn̪e̞ n̪äː.mäh.ˈɾe̞m e.ˈl̠ɪ ‖]
[bu e̞.z̪än̪.ˈɫ̪äɾ̞̊ | cʰi ʃe.hä.d̪et̪.l̠e.ˈɾɪ d̪i.ˈn̪ɪn̪ t̪ʰe.me.ˈl̠ɪ |]
[e.be.ˈd̪ɪː | juɾ.d̪u.ˈmʊn̪ ys̪.t̪ʰyn̪.ˈd̪e̞ be.ˈn̪ɪm in̪.l̠e.me.ˈl̠ɪ ‖]

9
[o̞ z̪ä.ˈmän̪ ve̞d͡ʒd i.ˈl̠e̞ bin̪ s̪e̞d͡ʒ.ˈd̪e̞ e.ˈd̪æɾ | ˈväɾ.s̪ä t̪ʰä.ˈʃɯm |]
[hæɾ‿d͡ʒe.ɾiː.häm.ˈd̪än̪ | i.läː.ˈhɪː | bo̞.ʃä.ˈn̪ɯp kʰän̪.ˈɫ̪ɯ jä.ˈʃɯm |]
[fɯʃ.kʰɯ.ˈɾɯɾ ɾu.hu.my.d͡ʒe̞ɾ̞.ˈɾ̞e̞t̪ ɟi.ˈbɪ jæɾ.ˈd̪æn̪ nä.ä.ˈʃɯm |]
[o̞ z̪ä.ˈmän̪ jyc.s̪e̞.ˈl̠e̞.ɾe̞c äɾ.ˈʃä d̪æ.ˈæɾ‿ˈbæl̠.cʰɪ bä.ˈʃɯm ‖]

10
[d̪äɫ̪.gä.ˈɫ̪än̪ s̪æn̪ d̪e ʃä.fäk.ˈɫ̪äɾ ɟi.ˈbɪ e̞j ʃän̪.ˈɫ̪ɯ hi.ˈläl ‖]
[o̞ɫ̪.ˈs̪ʊn̪ äɾ.ˈt̪ʰɯk dø̞.cʰy.ˈl̠æn̪ kʰän̪.ɫ̪ä.ɾɯ.ˈmɯn̪ ˈhe̞p.s̪ɪ he̞.ˈläl ‖]
[e.be.ˈd̪i.jæn̪ s̪ä.ˈn̪ä jo̞k | ɯɾ.ˈkʰɯ.mä jo̞k iz̪.mih.ˈläl ‖]
[häk.ˈkʰɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊ | hyɾ‿jä.ˈʃä.mɯʃ bäj.ɾä.ɯ.ˈmɯn̪ hyɾ̞.ɾ̞i.ˈje̞t̪ ‖]
[häk.ˈkʰɯ.d̪ɯɾ̞̊ | häk.ˈkʰä t̪ʰä.ˈpʰän̪ mil̠.l̠e̞.t̪ʰi.ˈmɪn̪ is̪.t̪ʰic.ˈläl ‖]

External links

• Vocal of the İstiklal Marşı in Ogg Vorbis
• Official Records of the Grand National Assembly of The Republic of Turkey on the parliamentary debates and history of the İstiklal Marşı – Zabit Ceridesi – 12.03.1921 (in Turkish)
• Turkish National Anthem at the 101st Anniversary of the victory at Gallipoli on YouTube (in Turkish) (archive link)
• Music notes of the Independence March