BEYOND YESTERDAY

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Articles, interviews, radio and television from 6 countries, 2025–2026

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DISCOVERY · STATE ARCHIVES, BITOLA · SEPTEMBER 2026

Atatürk in the Manakia brothers’ photographs

Glass plate negative by the Manakia brothers with Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), Bitola archiveMustafa Kemal (Atatürk), detail of the Manakia glass plate
Glass plate negative by the Manakia brothers with Mustafa Kemal (Atatürk), Bitola archiveMustafa Kemal (Atatürk), detail of the Manakia glass plate

Two glass plates from the Manakia collection, State Archives – Bitola. The image zooms in on the face believed to be that of the young Mustafa Kemal.

On 14 and 15 September 2026, at the State Archives in Bitola, I reopened an old question: did Milton Manakia photograph Mustafa Kemal Atatürk? Glass plates 515 and 1417, long described as “military school students with Kemal Atatürk”, do not in fact show the young Kemal. Yet Milton maintained all his life that he had a photograph of him in his studio.

I suggested looking for Atatürk later, during one of his visits to Bitola after his studies. The Archives then identified at least two photographs taken during the visit of a military delegation led by Colmar von der Goltz (Goltz Pasha), probably in 1909. The face in the background of the escort is considered to be that of the young officer Mustafa Kemal. The Archives have announced further research.

“The story of Kemal Atatürk probably does not end here.”

State Archives of North Macedonia, Bitola Department

13 publications in North Macedonia and Türkiye covered the discovery

About the exhibition

On television

“Nomadët e Ballkanit”/ Profesori rumun, në gjurmët e vëllezërve Manaki
ABC News Albania · Korçë · 26.04.2025
Ekspozita fotografike “Udhëtime te arumunët e Ballkanit”! Prezantimi i manualit të avancuar të...
Report TV · Korçë · 08.10.2026
TLnews.ro | O călătorie antropologică pe urmele fraților Manakia, adusă la Baia
TLnews TV · Baia · 18.06.2026

Albania

Greece

Bulgaria

Romania

North Macedonia

Türkiye

Texts by the author

Press kit

The press dossier, in Romanian and English, and high-resolution photographs you may use in articles about the exhibition, with credit.

Download the press dossier (PDF, 1 MB)

Pades, Greek Pindus · c. 1900 and today
Pades, Greek Pindus · c. 1900 and today · download
Ioannina, the island · c. 1900 and today
Ioannina, the island · c. 1900 and today · download
Kruševo · c. 1900 and today
Kruševo · c. 1900 and today · download
Voskopojë (Moscopole) · c. 1900 and today
Voskopojë (Moscopole) · c. 1900 and today · download
Syrrako · c. 1900 and today
Syrrako · c. 1900 and today · download
Cătălin D. Constantin, Metsovo
Cătălin D. Constantin, Metsovo · download
In the field, with the old photograph
In the field, with the old photograph · download
In the field, in the Aromanian villages
In the field, in the Aromanian villages · download
Exhibition poster, Focșani 2026
Exhibition poster, Focșani 2026 · download

Archive photographs: the Manakia brothers, c. 1900. Present-day photographs: Cătălin D. Constantin.

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