BIG REFERENCE TO THE COMPETITION
In 1941, an international competition was organised to design Atatürk’s mausoleum, a memorial structure befitting the name and character of the man. One year was allowed to receive proposals. Despite the fact that there was a world war, participation was high. By the 3 March 1942 deadline, 47 projects had been submitted, coming from Turkey, Germany, Sweden, Italy, Austria, France and Czechoslovakia. The government appointed an impartial jury of Turkish and and foreign artists, as well as some architects chosen by the Public Works Ministry. Three submissions were selected as most valuable: Professor Dr. Emin Onat and Assistant Professor Dr. Orhan Arda of Turkey; Professor of Architecture Dr. Johannes Krüger of Germany; and Professor of Architecture Dr. Arnoldo Feschini of Italy. The government of that period had decided to select the project prepared by the Turkish architects. Other projects that were appreciated by the jury were also bought, among them the project of Kemali Söylemezoglu, Kemal Ahmet Aru and Recai Akçay. A new commission was formed to determine the necessary changes after the competition.