Muazzez İlmiye Çığ is a world-renowned Sumerologist, scientist and historian. She was born in Bursa on June 20, 1914. She was only 8 days old on the day of the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, which is considered the reason for the start of World War I. She lived during the reign of Ottoman Emperors Mehmet Reşat and Vahdeddin. She witnessed the most important and difficult times in Turkish history, from World War I to the War of Independence, from the foundation of the Republic to Atatürk's revolutions. She took advantage of the opportunities provided to women by the young Republic and became one of the first graduates of the Faculty of Language, History and Geography. Muazzez İlmiye Çığ, who turned 106 in June, answered Deutsche Welle Turkish's questions in her home in Mersin, where she lives with her daughter Esin Çığ. German professors 06:44 Most importantly, there is no such faculty in the world, and there still is not. The Faculty of Language, History and Geography is very important. After this faculty was established, we accepted the professors who came from there, who were exiled from Germany, in other words, who were not accepted in Germany because they were Jews. 12:17 Now, those professors who came, came to us to save their lives. But we provided them with an educational opportunity, we provided them with the opportunity to educate. They were extremely happy because of this. This was very important for them. Why did the German professors choose Turkey? 13:51 They had to. At that time, they had no idea about the Republic of Turkey. We are only 10 years old. They apply to everywhere they can go. The most important of these is America, which is a country of immigrants, and even America does not accept them. None of them accepts them, they say they are afraid of Hitler. They are stuck with that. First of all, they establish an association. They apply to all nations through this association. No one accepts them. They apply. Atatürk also says they should come immediately. 15:23 An agreement is made with them in 1933. I cried when I read it. Do you know why I cried? Tears welled up in my eyes, and they still do. We are a state for another 10 years. Everyone is afraid of Hitler. It says here, whether these people are on the streets or in prison, they are now employees of the Turkish government. We do not think the German government will do anything about sending them away. If they try to prevent it, we know how to handle it. This is a state that has lasted 10 years. I cried when I read this. I was so excited. They sent the Gestapo 18:39 Hitler comes to his senses after a year. He says, send them away, I will send you better ones. He did not. Believe me, they tried until the last moment. They sent the Gestapo. The Gestapo came in the 1940s. Our government really put up with them very well. Only after the war were the roads opened. War of Independence 20:40 May God never show him to our children again, I mean may He not show him, I always prayed. The Greeks fled to Pazarcık after the İnönü defeat. We were there. My father was a teacher there. When the Greeks ran away, my father brought the school flag home. A huge flag. My mother said, what did you do, they will kill you? Did my wife bring it so that they would trample the flag, I remember it very well. 23:10 People did not have sandals on their feet. The factories where soldiers' uniforms were made were occupied by the enemy. The people wore whatever they did and we won with it. As if the revolution was within us 31:00: We really did not experience the reverse revolution of that revolution. We embraced it. As if the revolution was within us. I am surprised at it now. 32:47 There is nothing in the dress code for women. Atatürk says, "Leave women alone, they will know." All women wear chadors, I know, and so did my mother. Atatürk says to the governors and district governors, "Warn the women to take off their chadors." There is no punishment, for example, there is no such thing as until now. There is no law. Can you believe it, women took off their chadors. Not out of fear. 34:18 I am still surprised. How did these things happen? What is this love for Atatürk, what is the love for Atatürk? It happened just like everything Atatürk said. Because Atatürk did what he said. He said he would do it, he borrowed money from people. He said he would pay after the victory. His friends laughed when he said victory. Which victory? He didn't care, he paid all their debts after the victory. He kept his promise. He didn't lie, he told the truth, he did what was right. That's why people believed him, they believed whatever he said. There is nothing as important as that. 35:35 I say this and they laugh at me. I say that today we are at the peak of our revolution. Because that woman who was wearing a veil back then, our woman who was illiterate, who had no idea about anything, today they have achieved great success in science, art, trade, economy, media, in every field. 36:31 Whichever group you look at, you see successful women there. What does this mean? We are at the peak of our revolution. In that respect, I am very happy. Yes, there are bigots who are against this. But we will definitely destroy them. Again, women will destroy them. What do women owe to Atatürk? 38:32 We owe everything. If it weren't for him, we wouldn't exist. We would still be under the sheet. We are like this thanks to him.