Bruno Taut, Metteur en Scène of Mustafa Kemal Atatűrk Catafalque

Abstract

When Bruno Taut arrived in Turkey in 1936, exiled from Nazi Germany, his fame preceded him. In just two years of activity, the German architect gained the president Atatűrk’s full trust. On November 10th 1938 the charismatic Turkish leader suddenly dies and Taut is appointed for designing the catafalque for the solemn state funeral. He lived the task as an honour for which he did not want any remuneration; although very ill he did not hesitate to fly to Ankara working all night on the project in a hotel room. The catafalque, which conciliated sobriety and Muslim tradition, was set in front of the Parliament building under careful supervision of the architect. It was a stage on which a tragic collective drama was taking place; thousands of Turks will relate forever the iconic figure of their President to the urban scenic design of the German architect.

Keywords

• Turchia moderna
• Tradizione musulmana
• Architettura tedesca
• Cultura dell’Europa centrale
• Forma architettonica
• Forma spirituale