[exschke]

Depends the source. One can hear Albanian, Yoruk Turk or even Jewish. (doenmeh) His parents were behaviourally different supposably, during his childhood in Salonika. His mother was most probably a Yoruk Turk, or Albanian or something a rather. His father i think may have had the surname 'Riza' which certainly is a suspicious one. Gathering from what i have read, it is a possibility his father had crypto-Jewish roots. Few sources alledge Ataturk could recite a few Jewish verses and that he claimed descent for Zabtei Vey, a nutter who basically claimed to be a messiah and lead on some followers into Islam after being forced to convert or be killed. Ofcourse he claimed it was gods will. His father (rather anti-religious also) was also the one who suggested he should make the transition from a certain school to a more cosmopolitan/Jewish school, which boasted a more western practice. It is likely in any case he grew up around many Jews and had a soft spot for them, atleast so it seems, but its hard to trust what you read regarding him. So my understanding is probably way off from the truth.