1:20
The ritual takes place annually. The place: Ataturk's mausoleum in Ankara. The date: October the 29th, the anniversary of the founding of the Turkish republic in 1923. It's a day when Turkish officers emerge from the safety of their barracks to put on a public show. Generals and colonels, majors and captains - a closed society at any other time of the year.

02.02
And they are not alone. All the political bigwigs are in tow. President and prime minister, former prime ministers and other ministers. No-one can make their excuses. Protocol is closely observed.

02.19

The state occasion is a generals' affair. President Demirel, who was twice deposed by the generals when he was Prime Minister, has the privilege of laying a wreath for the state's founder, Ataturk. This is followed by the national anthem.

2.40
Ataturk was a general, and without the military there would be no republic of Turkey. But he never intended that the army become so bound up in politics.

2.53

The influence of the military has by no means abated. The blunt saying "Turkey is not a country with an army, but a Turkish army with its own country" rings true today more than ever.

TITLE

3:35
A Turkish military base near the Syrian-Iraqi border. Even in training there is heavy shooting - and they reckon on an occasional loss. The point of the risky exercises is for soldiers to lose their fear of being in an emergency. The officer on duty laconically points out that the enemy doesn't shoot blanks.

03.59
With almost 800 000 men and 70 000 officers the Turkish army is the second largest in NATO. Only America has more armed soldiers. Military service is compulsory. Every male who passes his medical has to do 18 months military service. For this he receives 100 dollars a month, and the likelihood is that he will have to go to war. Officially, more than 5000 conscripts were killed in military action in the last few years. Because they see action, the level of training received by conscripts is highly regarded by NATO.

04.38
The headquarters of the second combat brigade is in Sirnac, in south east Turkey. The brigade, which is an elite unit, carries out military operations against the separatist guerilla group of the Kurdish Workers' Party. Those who do their military service here have a good chance of being
killed.

04.58
At the age of 47, General Rifki is one of the younger staff officers. His post is seen as a stepping stone to the higher realms of the generals. Before, Rifki held a NATO post in Italy. He says that as a front-line NATO counntry, the military has to be battle-ready at all times. The General says he always wanted to be a soldier.

05.31

Q: Why did you become an officer?

5:33
Original sound General Rifki
" When I was a little boy, I worshipped Kemal Ataturk. He was my role-model. And because Ataturk was a general, I wanted to be an officer too. On top of that, it's a job with good standing. I wanted a job that demanded hard work, a strong character and outstanding achievement. That's why I became a soldier. And as an officer you're
always in touch with the outside world.

06.12

Q: Does the Turkish army have a political role?

06.15
Original sound General Rifki
You know, in our country there are four circles of power. Political power, military power. And on top of that, there's economic and socio-cultural power. Of course the military is one of these powers. It's hard to say what role the military plays in internal politics. By order of the national assembly of the Turkish republic, the military is constitutionally bound to uphold the constitution according to the principles of Ataturk. Other than that it has nothing to do with politics.

7:02

Kemal Ataturk, the founder of modern Turkey, is omnipresent even decades after his death. Whether he's pictured as a runner, builder or surgeon, there's barely a public building which doesn't fly his flag on public holidays. The immortal leader, as he is described in the constitution, has long since become a legend. Thousands of streets, bridges, dams or sport centres are named after him. In their first year at school, children learn the story of his life off by heart and political prisoners are made to study his works. Only Mao or Stalin have managed to create similar personality cults this century.

07.44

His statue stands on every village square. There is no political speech which does not contain a quote by Ataturk - whether relevant or not.

07.59

In a museum dedicated to the beloved founder of the Turkish state lie selected garments and whatever other momentos still exist. The army has claimed his inheritance and administers his estate. The official cult surrounding the man has long since confused what Ataturk meant. And yet his main theory, expressed at the beginning of this century, was as simple as it was apt: "In order to achieve sovereignty, it is necessary to found a Turkish state."

8:40

Archive sound:

After the world war came final catastrophe...

08.45

The Ottoman Empire, which fought alongside Germany in the first World War also lost the war as the German Empire did. In 1920 the victorious allies dictated the peace deal in the Treaty of Sevres, and the Ottoman Sultan signed over his country to be carved up.

09.03

Archive sound:

Former world war General Mustafa Kemal - ruthless, unscrupulous, brilliant! He was the one character in Turkey strong enough to rise above defeat...

09.15

The General did away with the treaty of Sevres . He lead the army against the sultan and forced the allies into the Lausanne Peace Treaty, which redefined Turkey's borders.

09.27

On the 29th of October 1923 the republic was proclaimed with Mustafa Kemal as its first president. His new honorary title: Kemal Ataturk, The Father of Turks. He catapulted Turkey from the Middle Ages into the 20th Century, abolishing the Islamic calender and Arabic script. From then on, the state and religion were separated and Turkish nationalism became the official state doctrine. He died in 1938, aged 50, of cirrhosis of the liver. Ataturk, the political genius, had drunk himself to death.

10:19
The cheerful old men in uniform, singing songs of the fatherland, are the most powerful men in Turkey. The generals embody guts and elitism. They're known as Paschas, and are organised  along the lines of Ottoman forces.

10.42

300 generals decide what happens and what doesn't happen in Turkey. The generals make their own decisions, without the interference of parliament or government. They determine their own budget and tell the defence minister how things stand.

11.02
He's a civilian and comes lower in the hierarchy than the army chief-of-staff.

11.07
The principle of obeying orders is paramount. The state is expected to function in step with the army. In recent decades the army has organised rebellions and deposed the government four times.
The last time was in May 1997 when the Islamists entered the coalition government in the guise of prime minister Erbakan. The military had the constitution changed so that the Muslims' influence had to be legally approved. All in the name of Ataturk.

11:54
Thousands of Muslims have been holding regular protests in Ankara and Istanbul since the army ordered the closure of Koranic schools. The atmosphere became more heated when the generals had Erkaban's Islamic Welfare Party banned.

12.12
In spite of this the Islamists won the last elections with a 21% majority. It was in fact the generals themselves who encouraged political Islam in the eighties as a bastion against communism. After
the end of the cold war the military re-caste the Islamic movement as the greatest threat to the state, which actually bolstered the Islamists' power.

12:50
The army chief-of-staff on his way to the Turkish national security council. The army had this institution moved to its control during one of its rebellions. At their monthly tete-a-tete the generals give the politicians their orders.

13.05

When prime minister Yilmaz publicly declared in March 1998 that he had not tasked the army to fight fundamentalism, and that the generals should concern themselves with their own affairs, the response was prompt. The generals gave the prime minister a sharp dressing-down:

"Irrespective of their office, position and task, no-one is entitled to give statements which could weaken the army's fight against religious reactionaries".

13.38

The message was clear.

13.44

Yilmaz hastily reassured everyone that he had been misinterpreted and made a quiet exit from the political stage. His push for more political freedom had failed. President Demirel has been trying to play down the confrontation ever since.

14:05
President Demirel original sound
"I would like to stress emphatically that the Turkish army has nothing to do with politics. And no-one has the right to claim that the army is mixed up in any political matters.  It must be clear to everyone that it is only to the army's disadvantage if they have any relationship with any political actions."

14:27
Even among its own ranks the army takes vigourous measures. A separate military unit, the Western Working Group works with the secret service to keep the officers under surveillance. The army dismissed hundreds of officers because of their political convictions. Kemal Sahin, general staff officer and public prosecutor, suffered this fate in the Summer of 1998.

14:53
Original sound Kemal Sahin
"In the last two or three months before my dismissal, I was warned that my wife was wearing a headscarf. A month later I told my superiors that my wife was prepared to give up her headscarf. But although my wife no longer covered her head, I was still sacked.

Q: So were you a bad officer?

15.22
Original sound Kemal Sahin

Throughout the 15 years of my career, during my whole period of service, I never once had to justify myself, I didn't receive a single reprimand. On the contrary, I was emphatically praised. Especially after I became staff officer I received many good reports. For example here the commander of our brigade shows his acknowledgement.
That I completed my task succesfully and that my conduct was exemplary. All of my achievements and all of my court records were examined by army inspectors and judges and found to be correct.

16:22
It is not possible to fight the decision in court. Kemal has been looking for work for weeks. Anyone who is fired by the army struggles to find a job in the free market.

16:45

Gaining acceptance in the Istanbul power structure can open the door to what could be a dazzling military career. In military schools like this one half of all future officers are set on the right path.

17.01

The official motto is: Discipline, Education, Knowledge.

17.19

Only pupils with the best grades are accepted. But that alone does not suffice. Their family background also has to be right. What do their parents do for a living? Are their relatives politically active, any offences known to the court?

17.42
There are plenty of opportunities for the cadets to learn the required discipline. Every day begins with a morning roll-call.

18.14

The senior soldier of the barrack room reports on whether there have been any unusual events during the night, whether anyone is ill. Then they are dismissed.

18:36
The army has its own school books, its own curriculum and its own teachers. There is no ministry of education to dictate what is taught here. Everything is an army matter. The army can afford to be selective. The masses of hopefuls far outweigh the number of places available. The boarding schools are also very appealing because they are free. For many it is the only way of getting a qualification. Military school offers a chance of social advancement which is otherwise impossible if the family cannot afford a private school. The state schools are in appalling condition.

19.26

Military school fees only have to be paid if a cadet drops out. There are not many of those, as this red cross shows.

19.40
One instructor characterised the high standards by saying "Even if we use the same clay, in military schools we manufacture artistic vases. Civilian schools only produce cheap cups"

19.58

TV sound:

A crew of over 2,000 has been hand picked for duty on the ship rumoured to be unsinkable...

20.04

English is taught using historical role models. The Bismarck, a gigantic German warship from the second world war. The cadets are obviously fascinated.

20.25

English Teacher to class:

What can be monumental, what does it mean?

20.28

The teacher wants to know what 'monumental' means in the context of this steel colossus. And if it's not clear, the clip is repeated.

20.42

It is 'monumental' that the shells can fly for over 30 kilometers. As the ship's crew is about the same age as the military students, there's plenty of room for heroic fantasies.

21.00
The head of the school is personally in charge of the catering. On the stroke of twelve every day the general or one of his deputies tastes the food. It's a precise ritual.

21.23

Then a portion of the food is frozen for 24 hours in case of any complaints.

21:42

If you complete military grammar school you usually go on to military college. Whether for the airforce, the marines or the army the principles of training are the same: drills, achievement, inspections and competition. And the awareness that being an officer is something special.

22.09
Over the past few years the airforce academy has also been taking on women. In contrast, they've been allowed to enter the National Assembly since the 1930's.

22.28
With Ataturk's words on their lips they march from lunch to lessons. The military colleges are lavishly equipped. Only one or two private universities in Turkey could possibly compete with them.

22.46
Constant assessments intensify the pressure on the future officers. Their results are continually called up on the superiors' computers and displayed in public. But in spite of the stress, the certainty of belonging to the country's elite fosters self-confidence and a sense of purpose.

23:10

Original sound - Officer cadet 1

If you're an officer you have to display quite different qualities from normal people. It's a totally different position. Let me give you an example. When people see an officer, they say: That's a man with good character. Honest and upright. If I can say that I'm an officer, then people know exactly where they stand."

23:34

Original sound - Officer cadet 2
The difference between us and civilians is simple. They only pursue their own interests, not those of the country. Everything they do is just for themselves. If they want to be a teacher or a doctor then they go and train to be one. But as officers we take care of people. As officers we want to help our country, not ourselves. Our training is in leadership.

24:07

Original sound - Officer cadet 3

In the army we endeavour to protect Ataturk's principles. The army has done its best to embody them. That's why we have to take over the leadership of the country. Which means that we always try to be one step ahead of society so we can develop it further."

24:34

August 30th. The highlight in every Turkish officer cadet's life. The president personally issues licenses along with the chief-of-staff. A foundation stone for their future careers.

24.55

Anyone who comes in the top ten for the year has already taken the first step on the long road to becoming a general. At least theoretically. Anyone who wants to become a staff officer needs to be in the top third.

25.17

The best student of the year. His diploma is handed over by the president. A symbolic gesture. The officers who want to be generals or staff officers, and therefore the most powerful men in the state, are chosen by the generals alone - not by civilian politicians, and not by the president.

25.59

The promotion to captain is the next step, which is decided by the number of years of service and a points system which guarantees absolute equality. Until then the officers have to prove in practise what the last eight years hard training were all about.

26:27
In Sirnac for example, is the second combat brigade of General Rifki. This little town in the most south easterly point of Turkey is in the middle of the Kurdish area.

26.46

The sign reads "How happy I am to call myself a Turk". It's written everywhere here and is designed to help the Kurds forget their ethnic roots.

27.00
Until 1992 heavy fighting raged here between the Kurdish PKK guerrillas and the army.
Now the Turkish units have the situation under control. Kurdish separatists are now based in the nearby mountains, between Syria and Iraq.

27:14

Original sound General Rifki
"I don't have an exact figure of how many terrorists are in operation here. I estimate there's about 300 in this region. We can't assume that they will stay for good. They are always on the move, they disappear to Northern Iraq for a while then come back again. But we will keep on doing our job until we have completely cleansed the area."

27:41

Before a military operation the general harks back to an Islamic custom of having a castrated ram slaughtered for his religious soldiers. While the soldiers prepare for battle, one of them sings a traditional war song.

28.05
The ram is not the only one who falls victim to the battle. War has been raging in South East Turkey for 15 years. The army regularly sends helicopters and thousands of troops to fight the self-proclaimed liberation army of the Kurdish Worker's Party.

28.28
The PKK wants to establish its own Kurdish state on Turkish territory. It was the decision of the chief-of-staff to let the war play out in its full bitterness. And the army proved its power.

28.47

The bombs dropped by the jet fighters rarely differentiate between guerillas and the civilian
population.

28.57
In military terms the battle has long since been won. Even Syria no longer wants to support the PKK. Yet the generals still occupy parts of Northern Iraq just to make sure that any last chance of a Kurdish state is wiped out.

29.15
On Turkish territory alone the military has razed over 3000 villages to the ground, destroying the basis of over two million people's livelihoods. More than 30,000 have been killed. There's barely any other country in the Middle East which has been criticised so frequently by the UN for the abuse of human rights.

29.35
As one chief-of-staff retires and another steps into his shoes, it seems unlikely ther'll be any change.

29:42

Original sound

"Both here and abroad it has been implied that the army has exerted political influence. These allegations are unfounded and without justification"

30.01

His successor takes an even more hard line.

30:03
Original sound
"We have to be watchful and chase away the black clouds looming
on the political horizon. The Islamists must not be allowed to reach their goal."

30.12

Turkey's Generals clearly have no intention of loosening their grip.

ENDS

Credits

Production Company

Zweites Deutsches Fernsehen