Cemal Gürsel


Gürsel, Cemal

 

Born 1895 in Erzurum; died Sept. 14, 1966, in Ankara. Turkish military and government figure. General.

Gürsel headed the supreme organ of power, the National Unity Committee, formed by the military leaders of the coup d’etat of May 27, 1960. Until the end of October 1961 he was simultaneously Turkey’s head of state and of government, as well as being commander of the armed forces. He became president in November 1961. He was relieved of this post on Mar. 28, 1966, because of serious illness.