Different Opinions On Ottoman and German Political Military and Economic Relations

DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON OTTOMAN
AND GERMAN POLITICAL MILITARY

AND ECONOMIC RELATIONS
(OSMANLI VE ALMAN SİYASİ, ASKERİ VE
EKONOMİK İLİŞKİLERİ ÜZERİNE FARKLI GÖRÜŞLER)
Şükrü Server AYA & Prof. Dr. Ata ATUN

ssaya@superonline.com, ata.atun@atun.com
Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to surf through history and

emphasize some of the important events which took place between the
Ottoman Empire and German Kingdoms like Prussia, Kingdom of Bavaria
up to the ending of WWI.
The importance of this paper is to put forward the immense political,

social, judicial and military relations between Ottoman Empire and
German Kingdoms for the past millennium.
At the request of Sultan Mahmut II, the appointment of Captain Moltke’s

(Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke), a young (Captain-officer) in
the German Army, as an advisor to Anatolia in the year 1838, started the
military interrelations between Ottoman Empire and Prussia. When he
returned to Germany, he had written a book on Russian-Turkish conflicts
and this raised the attention of Germans about Turks. Moeltke in 1857
was Chief of General Staff of Prussian Army for 30 years, and in 1871 he
was promoted to the rank of Field Marshal.1
This first initiative formed a strong base for a firm military relation
between the two empires and the German-Ottoman relations reached to
peak during the reign of Abdulhamid II. Prior to the foundation of
Germany’s National Unity, the relations at the time of reign of Bismarck
came closer but Bismarck was a pacifist and did not want to get involved
in the Eastern Question.
Abdulhamid II’s sympathy (or need) of Germany started to establish

cultural relations, some officers were being sent to Germany for education.
Germany sent a Military Advisors group under command of Wettendorf.
Few years later this was substituted by a larger group (1883-1895) under
1 E. Ziya Karal, Osmanlı Tarihi, Birinci Meşrutiyet ve İstibdat Devirleri, 1876-1907, Cilt VIII (Volume VIII)
(Istanbul, Turkey, 1962, Türk Tarih Kurumu Printing Office, ISBN 975-16-0020-0), p. 165.
Review of Armenian Studies 131

No. 28, 2013
Şükrü Server Aya & Prof. Dr. Ata Atun
Von der Goltz. German Deutsche Bank opened a branch in Istanbul and import
of German military equipment and goods started.2
In 1888 Germans were given the right to operate the Istanbul-Izmit railway
and extend it to Ankara. The portion from Eskişehir to Konya was completed
in 1896. The plan was to complete the railway line all the way to Bagdad and
Basra. Britain was competing with Germany to get the concession of this
railway but the project was given to Germans.
These interactive military, social, cultural and economic relations between the
Ottoman Empire and German Kingdoms got stronger each decade more than
the previous and fortified the ties between the two countries.
Relations between German and Turkish States and people have been rather
calm, cooperative and beneficial to all parties at all times.
Keywords: Ottoman-German Relations, Abdulhamid II, Baghdad Railway,

Britan
Öz: Bu yazının amacı I. Dünya Savaşı’nın sonlarına kadar Osmanlı

İmparatorluğu ve Prusya, Bavyera Krallığı gibi Alman Krallıkları arasında
olan bazı önemli olayları vurgulamak ve tarihin içinde gezinmektir.
Bu yazının önemi geçtiğimiz bin yıl içinde Osmanlı İmparatorluğu ve Alman

Krallıkları arasındaki engin siyasi, toplumsal, hukuki ve askeri ilişkileri öne
çıkarmasıdır.
Sultan II. Mahmut’un talebi üzerine Anadolu’ya 1838 yılında danışman olarak,
Alman ordusunda genç bir yüzbaşı-subay olan, Yüzbaşı Moltke’nin (Helmuth
Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke) tayini Osmanlı İmparatorluğu ve Prusya
arasındaki karşılıklı askeri ilişkileri başlatmıştır. Almanya’ya döndüğü zaman
Rus-Türk çatışmaları üzerine bir kitap yazmıştı ve bu Almanların Türklere olan
ilgisini arttırmıştır. Moeltke 1857 yılında 30 yıldır Prusya Ordusu Genel
Kurmay Başkanıydı ve 1871 yılında Feldmareşal rütbesine terfi etti.
Bu ilk girişim, iki imparatorluğun sıkı askeri ilişkiler kurması için sağlam bir
temel oluşturmuş ve II. Abdülhamit döneminde Alman-Osmanlı ilişkileri doruk
noktasına ulaşmıştır. Almanya Ulusal Birliği kurulmadan önce Bismarck
döneminde daha yakın ilişkiler kurulmuştur, ancak Bismarck bir pasifistti ve
Doğu Sorununa dâhil olmak istemiyordu.
II. Abdülhamit’in Almanya’ya olan sempatisi (ihtiyacı) sebebiyle kültürel

ilişkiler kurulmaya başlandı, bazı subaylar eğitim için Almanya’ya
gönderiliyordu. Almanya ise Wettendorf komutasındaki bir Askeri Danışmanlar
132 Review of Armenian Studies

No. 28, 2013
Different Opinions On Ottoman and German Political Military and Economic Relations
grubunu gönderdi. Birkaç sene sonra (1883-1895) bu grup Von der Goltz
komutasındaki daha büyük bir grupla değiştirildi. Alman Deutsche Bank
İstanbul’da bir şube açtı ve Alman askeri teçhizatının ve mallarının ithalatı
başladı (Karal, 1961, s. 174).
1888’de Almanlara İstanbul-İzmit demiryolunu işletme ve demiryolunu

Ankara’ya kadar uzatma izni verildi. Eskişehir’den Konya’ya olan kısım 1896
yılında tamamlandı. Demiryolu hattının Bağdat ve Basra’ya kadar
tamamlanması planlanmıştı. İngiltere demiryolunun imtiyazını kazanmak için
Almanya ile rekabet ediyordu ama proje Almanlara verildi.
Osmanlı İmparatorluğu ile Alman Krallıkları arasındaki bu etkileşimli askeri,

toplumsal, kültürel ve iktisadi ilişkiler her on senede daha da pekişti ve iki ülke
arasındaki bağları kuvvetlendirdi.
Alman ve Türk devletleri ve insanları arasındaki ilişkiler her zaman için tüm
taraflar adına oldukça sakin, işbirliğine dayalı ve faydalı olmuştur.
Anahtar Kelimeler: Osmanlı-Alman İlişkileri, II. Abdülhamid, Bağdat

Demiryolu, İngiltere

No. 28, 2013
INTRODUCTION
Since its foundation in A.D. 1299, the spread of the Ottoman Empire firstly
in Europe followed a pattern of power and use of all available technical
means.
Sultan Mehmet’s conquest of Istanbul in 1453 was made possible with the large
guns cast by master Urban or Orban said to be of Hungarian origin. One of the
gigantic guns can be seen in the British Museum, with a diameter of about 92
cm. shell weight of about 700 kgs and range of about 1,200 meters.
The Empire became famous, only after Constantinople (today’s Istanbul) was
conquered with an army of about 70.000 Turkish soldiers against what had
remained in the city, about 10.000 Christian fighters, mostly Byzantine
Orthodox and a few thousands of Venetian and Genovese professional soldiers.
The Byzantines had to depend on the strength of their walls. The Pope had
refused to assist Orthodox Christians because they had not become Catholics
despite several calls. The city was emptied; the healthy ones that could afford
had gone to other countries.
Sultan Mehmet’s step mother is said to be Serbian – Christian Mara who raised
Mehmet and later died in Serbia as Christian.
Sultan Mehmet was fluent in Greek. The Edict he gave to the Genovese of
Galata, four days after Constantinople was conquered, can be seen in the
British museum and also with contents.3
Mehmet’s goal was Rome, and he identified himself strongly with Alexander
the Great.4 Although born and raised Moslem, he was very liberal towards
others religions, like his ancestors.
The first thing he did was to restore the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate and
assure the Orthodox of their faith and freedom. Next, in 1461, Armenians
were let to settle in the city; a new Gregorian Patriarchate was founded
independent from the one at Etchmiadzin. Greeks, Armenians, Jews, Italians
etc. were all embraced to restore trading, craftsmanship and bring the city into
life.
2 Karal, Birinci Meşrutiyet ve İstibdat Devirleri, p. 174.

3 Ş. Server Aya, The Genocide of Truth Continues But Facts Tell The Real Story (Derin Yayinlari, Istanbul, 2010, ISBN
978-605-5500-07-8), p. 296.
4 Philip Mansel, Constantinople, New York, 1996. St Martin’s Press (ISBN 0-312-14574-8), p. 6.

No. 28, 2013
Birth of Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire kept on spreading and in the year 1517, Sultan Selim I.
(B. 10.10.1470 - D. 22.09.1520) conquered Egypt and acquired the title of
Khalif,5 God’s representative and leader of all Moslems on Earth, a pious
practice of the Islam religion. The lands ruled by the Mamluks (Syria,
Palestine, Arabia) too entered under Sultan’s domination.6
During the very same epoch Catholic Priest, later professor of theology Martin
Luther, was reforming the religion introducing Protestantism faith in Germany.
The Holy Roman emperor Charles V (1500-1558) had collected a Religious
Congress in 1829 and prohibited the printing and spreading of the new
Protestant Bible.7
The Lutherans had asked help from Suleiman to put up against Pope. We
understand that Suleiman sent a messenger and letter and were on the side of
the Lutherans (but later Protestants were to become arch enemy of Moslems).
When the printing press was invented, a new development or renaissance in
art and science was in fast progress, Suleiman who became Khalif and hence
adopted the “Sharia law” in all establishments soon fell back on all modern
developments and science.
Piri Reis, an Admiral who had an inexplicable map showing Africa, South
America and some parts of the North with the precision of today’s instruments
was and had submitted a book he wrote on navigation in 1525, was hanged by
order of the Sultan in 1554. Likewise, an observatory which was put into use
in Istanbul was closed, because it was a sin to watch God and how he created
the World. Shortly, when the western world was coming out of the dark ages,
the Ottomans had pulled themselves the curtain of the holy book Koran over
their heads and entered the “Moslem dark age” which continues even up to
day.
An observatory was built in Istanbul with the grant of 10,000 Ottoman gold of
Sultan Murat III, by “the soothsayer” (astronomer and mathematician) named
Takiyuddin, who was originally an Arab master of astronomy and trigonometry,
to be able to follow the movements of stars. It was started in 1578, and opened
in 1579, equipped with best instruments of astronomy of the day.
Apparently he could tell what was to happen by looking at stars. A year later
5 Osmanlı Tarihi Ansiklopedisi (2013), “Osmanlı Tarihi Hakkında Ansiklopedik Bilgi, Hilafet” (Retrieved September
19, 2013, from http://osmanliansiklopedisi.blogspot.com/2012/07/hilafet.html).
6 İ. Hakkı Uzunçarşılı, Osmanlı Tarihi, C.II (Volume II) (Ankara, Turkey, 2011, Türk Tarih Kurumu Printing Office.
ISBN 975-16-0012-7), p. 292.
7 Uzunçarşılı, Osmanlı Tarihi, C.II (Volume II), pp. 485-486.

No. 28, 2013
(1580) the observatory was destructed in one day with cannon fire from the
sea.
There are two rumors for the destruction.
One is that the Sheikul Islam issued a fatva for demolishing based on the rumor
that the “soothsayer was watching the legs of the angels in the heaven”.
The second rumor is that an earthquake happened which was attributed to

God’s punishment because of the observatory and the fatva was issued. Another
live episode about the German version of the art of soothsaying will follow.8
A century later another courageous man, Hezarafen Ahmet Celebi (1609-1640)

devised wings and in the year 1632 he flew from Galata tower to the other side
of the Bosporus. Sultan Murad IV, who saw the flying, was told that “this man
could be dangerous since he could fly”. He was given a purse of gold as reward,
but he was also exiled to Algiers where he died at a young age.
The army of the Ottoman Empire
In the early ages of the Empire, the Ottoman Army’s backbone was the
“Janissary Corps”, who were recruited every five years from healthy mostly
Balkan Christian orphan boys aged 10-12 and had the chance to become a high
social class. The Janissary Corps were established in 1383, performed
excellently in the conquest in Istanbul and other battles, owing to their strict
discipline and brotherhood. They were the first regular army on salary with
uniforms.9 They were permitted to marry only after retirement.
The great advantage of becoming a Janissary and join the conquests of other
lands, was the right to share the plunder. One fifth of the plunder was Sultan’s
share, the second one fifth is the State or Prophet’s share and the remaining
three fifths was the “halal income” of the warrior. The enemy cities, who would
surrender without fighting, were exempt from destruction and plunder.
Those which would resist were let free for three days for plunder by victors.
This Ottoman battle rule was one of the reasons why the city Vienna was kept
under blockade and no serious attack was made to conquer it in 1683, is said
to be the Grand Vizier’s concern of the plunder of the city for three days after
it was taken. The city was expected to surrender, since all logistic means were
cut and they were out of food.
8 Uzunçarşılı, Osmanlı Tarihi, C.II (Volume II), p. 118.

No. 28, 2013
The Janissary corps in 1525 had made a major revolution against the palace;
in 1648 it repeated and showed that this army had turned into a large group
threatening the palace asking “bakshih” (since there were no victories and
rewards) and even deciding for the fates of the viziers.10
By the time the Janissaries were disorganized and could not keep with the
newly developed arms and engineering techniques in Europe.
The expansion of the Ottoman Empire could be stopped in 1699 with Karlowitz
Treaty. The old war techniques and arms were no longer enough. Europe had
undergone an important reform in culture, industry, arts, sciences, whilst the
Ottoman Sultans no longer marched with their armies and preferred to enjoy
their harem.
In 1730 in another revolt, Istanbul was raided; hoodlums got the control of the
city. It was only in 1826 that Sultan Mahmut II, could wipe off the degenerated
Janissary Corps and look for reorganization under existing great changes that
had taken place.
In 1827 the Ottoman Navy was ambushed and totally destroyed at Navarro by
the united Christian navy.
Capitulatory rights
Sultan Suleiman’s second great blunder was to bestow on French capitulatory

rights to trade freely under Ottoman protection in empire’s lands in the year
1536. This capitulatory agreement was updated and became definite in 1740,
when Europe was changing in industry, arts, culture and economy.11
Actually this was an extension of the Edict12 given to the Catholic Genovese
colony in Galata, against their assisting Turks during the siege of
Constantinople and in particular the dragging of Turkish navy into the Golden
Horn, on a track of about two miles built by logs crossing over hills.
Accordingly, the unilateral benefits granted to industrially strong countries,

plus the heavy restrictions of the Koran laws prohibiting simplest modern
improvements, started to bring the end of the empire.
10 Mansel, Constantinople, p. 221.

12 Aya, Facts Tell The Real Story, p. 296.

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Baltalimani Capitulatory Agreement with Britain and Ireland
The Turkish industry and trade was already at great disadvantage against
western powers’ concessions. Turks needed the assistance of Britain to put up
against the revolting Mehmet Ali Paşa of Egypt. In those days most countries
were levying taxes on both import and export of goods and raw materials.
Britain, to favor the Turkish requests asked a new Trade Agreement which was
signed on August 1938 at Baltalimani in Istanbul. This enabled Britain to
import all raw materials without paying any tax, and sell their own production
to Turks free of any customs tax. As a consequence, even street or house
brooms were imported.13 “Made in Britain” cheap goods occupied markets
wiping the remaining of the local industry. The same trade benefits were later
extended to several other European Countries like France, Denmark, Spain,
Sweden, Portugal and others.
The Prussian – Ottoman relations
The Prussian – Ottoman relations started in 1761 but it is said that an Army of
Germans fought for the first time against Turks, during the second siege of
Vienna in 1683, when religious wars and inquisitions dominated Europe. The
Holy Roman Empire of the German Nations consisted of some 500 tiny city
states and was only dissolved as late as 1806. We also know that once unified,
Germany imposed heavy custom duties against imports from Britain and
France. This gave the support for fast progress of German industry. Now they
needed to sell to other countries their products, mostly competing with Britain.
Sultan Mustafa III tried to reform the army. Because of his interest in
astronomy he had brought some books from France. He also brought human
body organs made of wax for study of medicine.
He was astonished that Prussia rather a small state of the era, could win over
the great Russia in the seven years wars (1756-1763). He believed that this
could only be” achieved by having capable soothsayers”. So he sent his
ambassador to the Prussian King and asked for “three soothsayers” to be sent
to him. King Fredrick told the ambassador “tell your Sultan that having a good
army, training it during peace time ready to go to war and keeping the treasury
full are my three soothsayers. Tell our friend your Sultan that there are no other
soothsayers.”14
13 Ş. Server Aya, A Brief Hopscotch Stroll in the Ottoman History and Economy (Booklet, Istanbul, Turkey, 2012), pp.
16-17.
14 E. Ziya Karal, Osmanlı Tarihi, Nizam-ı Cedid ve Tanzimat Devirleri (1789 - 1856), Cilt V (Volume V) (Istanbul, Turkey,
2011, Türk Tarih Kurumu Printing Office, ISBN 975-16-0017-2), p. 165.

No. 28, 2013
Sultan Mahmut II, had asked “military advisors from the Kaiser”; he sent
Captain Moltke, Helmuth Karl Bernhard Graf von Moltke to Anatolia in 1838.
The Ottoman Governor of Egypt, Mehmet Ali Paşa had revolted and was
marching towards Anatolia with a modern army of about 40.000 men.
The Ottoman army was about the same size, but had no tents and had suffered
seriously with epidemics in the past eight months. When both armies took
positions, the Prussian officers who were the advisors told the commander in
chief Hafiz Paşa that they could win if they would attack immediately. It was
Friday, and the religious consultants inside the army said that “according to
the Koran, fighting on Fridays is sinful”.
Next day the Prussian officers told that they should make a sudden surprise
night attack, but again it was rejected since it would not fit the reputation and
chivalry of Sultan’s armies. Meanwhile the Egyptian army started to encircle
the Ottoman army; Moltke said that the army should immediately retreat. But
again the Commander said that retreating would be cowardice. The Egyptian
army attacked and within four hours the Ottoman army was lost with thousands
of casualties and complete destruction.15
Moltke was later to return to Germany; he wrote a book about Turks, which
created some interest in Germany to learn Turks. Moltke in 1857 became Chief
General Staff of the Prussian Army for 30 years and he was promoted to the
rank of Field Marshal.16 This very incident explains the great difference
between mentalities of Eastern and Western countries.
Until the rise to power of Otto von Bismarck during the last quarter of the 19th
century, Prussia’s attitude was basically sympathetic to the Ottoman Empire,
but at the same time it refrained from acting in a manner that would distort
what it considered to be more important interests, namely its relations with the
other members of the Concert of Europe. Prussia did, however, act as a friendly
mediator when possible, favoring the Ottomans in the negotiations regarding
the Near Eastern crisis, which led to the Treaty of Edirne, signed in 1829, and
also in the peace negotiations that followed the Crimean War between years
1853-1856.17
Ottoman Empire’s Relations with Great Powers of Europe
German-Ottoman relations reached to peak during the reign Abdulhamid II

prior to the foundation of Germany’s National Unity, the relations during the
15 Karal, Nizam-ı Cedid ve Tanzimat Devirleri, p. 141.
16 Karal, Nizam-ı Cedid ve Tanzimat Devirleri, p. 165.
17 Edip Öncü, The Beginnings of Ottoman-German Partnership (Master Thesis, Ankara, Turkey, 2003, Bilkent
University), p. 6.

No. 28, 2013
reign of Bismarck came closer; but Bismarck was a pacifist and did not want
to get involved in the Eastern Question.18
In the 1877-78 Russia’s War against Ottomans the Turks were totally beaten
and Russians came up to the location of today’s Istanbul airport namely
Yeşilköy or Agios Stephanos. The British intervened and sent their navy to the
Bosporus. Turks accepted heaviest peace terms and agreed to pay an indemnity
of 30 million gold liras, when they were bankrupt.19
Britain arranged a new Conference in Berlin on 13.7.1878, to ease terms;

Russians were given other concessions, such as the right to protect Christians
in Ottoman Empire; Cyprus was leased to Britain against debts, to later become
British as Crown Colony by the Order of the King.20
Bismarck was not in favor of colonies in far away countries. Although there
were some German settlements in New Guinea and Africa these were not
satisfactory. On the other hand new colonies required a strong Navy, and
Germany’s geographical location presented some problems.21 For this reason
Germany got interested in the fertile lands of Anatolia and thought that the
alliance of Turks will be of great value for future wars against France, Russia
and Britain.22
Cultural Relations between Ottoman Empire and Germany
Abdulhamid II did not trust or liked Britain nor France. They had established
large economic power in the Ottoman Empire through Christian businessmen
exporting all commodities and even guns, which had become a free commodity
for all citizens after the 1876 Edict of Restoration and declaration of
Constitution guaranteeing rights of the citizens. Armenians were to use this
freedom and many houses surely had more than one weapon, even for
women.23
Abdulhamid II’s sympathy (or need) of Germany started to establish cultural

relations, some officers were sent to Germany for education. Germany sent a
Military Advisors group under command of Wettendorf. Few years later this
was substituted by a larger group (1883-1895) under Von der Goltz. German

19 Ş. Server Aya, A Brief Hopscotch Stroll in the Ottoman History and Economy (Booklet, Istanbul, Turkey, 2012), p.
34.
20 Aya, Hopscotch, p. 36.

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Deutsche Bank opened a branch in Istanbul and import of German military

equipment and goods started.24
In 1889, Emperor Giyom II or namely Kaiser Wilhelm II, visited Istanbul and
became friends with Abdulhamid II. To honor his visit he gifted the “German
Fountain” to the city of Istanbul, monument now in the Sultanahmet Square.
Kaiser Wilhelm II continued his trip to Damascus, Jerusalem and Haifa where
he was warmly received by Arabs and Jews; he showed that he was a friend of
300 million Moslems.25
Industrial Relation between Ottoman Empire and Germany
In 1888 Germans were given the right to operate the Istanbul Izmit railway
and extend it to Ankara. The portion Eskisehir to Konya was completed in
1896. The plan was to complete the railway line all the way to Bagdad and
Basra. Britain was competing with Germany to get the concession of this
railway, but the project was given to the Germans.
The Company formed to build the new railway line was financed 40% by
Deutsche (German) Bank and 40% by the French Ottoman Bank. The
remaining 20% was financed by various shareholders. The railroads that were
built and opened, immediately contributed to the progress of farming and
trading in the adjacent towns and villages. The investment was reimbursing
the share holders. One very important incentive or capitulation given under
this railway contract was that the geographical and topographic preferences
were left to the Company. An area of 20 km on either side of the railway,
totaling a band of 40 km wide was also left to the complete benefit of the
Company, including all quarries, mines and other resources that were available
on this wide strip of land, with the possibility of drilling new oil wells. There
were rumors that Germany would resettle new immigrants from Germany and
form a “de facto independent German land”. Britain was of course much
disturbed with this expansion towards Basra which was their road to India.
Uprisings in Balkans
In 1912 with the support of Russia the Orthodox Christians in the Balkans
(Serbia, Albania, Montenegro, Romania, Greece, and Bulgaria) revolt and the
Ottoman Army loses all fights and retreats towards Istanbul. More than five
million Moslem settlers in those countries desert their villages and properties

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and immigrate to Anatolia, many subjected to atrocities and murders to make

them leave.
The western powers were happy with this large defeat of the Turks and loss of
all their land in Europe. Their reaction was to send a joint force of 2700 soldiers
(British-French-German-Austrian) in November 1912 to occupy key points in
Istanbul “to protect Christians, in case the Moslems of Istanbul were to retaliate
for the happenings in the Balkans. In this turmoil the Young Turks (Enver-
Talat-Cemal and Friends) raided the office of the Grand Vizier with a “coupe
de etat”. Enver became the Minister of War.
The new government tried to please western

Turks needed not only powers. Reform of the gendarmerie was given
new army discipline and to France; reform of Navy including purchase
training but also, arms, of two dreadnought class battleships from
ammunition and money to
pay the salaries of the Britain with the donations of the people was
army officers delayed for given to Britain.26 And the reform of the Army
several months. . was entrusted to Germany again. General Von
der Goltz was busy in reforming the Turkish
Army since 1882 and him translated-published
more than 4000 pages of military lessons.
Alliance of Ottoman Empire and Germany in World War I
Ottomans had asked Kaiser Wilhelm II to send an “Army Reformation Envoy”

in May 1913. The emperors sent General Liman von Sanders, who was reputed
with his discipline plus a delegation of 42 officers in October 1913. Liman von
Sanders was put on duty for 5 years with very wide authorities even equaling
or surpassing the Minister of War.27
The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914 gave

the Austro-Hungarian Empire the excuse to start the WW.I much earlier than
what was anticipated by all parties. Germans needed Ottoman Empire’s man
power and strategic location, the Ottomans needed an ally for the WW.I in
sight, because their approach to Britain was rejected earlier and those to France
and Russia, was likewise refused in the spring of 1914.
Turks needed not only new army discipline and training but also, arms,
26 Ş. Server Aya, The Genocide of Truth (Istanbul, Turkey, 2009, Istanbul Commerce University, ISBN 978-975-6516-
24-9), p. 220.
27 Yavuz Özgüldür, Yüzbaşı Helmut Von Moltke’den Müşir Liman Von Sanders’e Osmanlı Ordusunda Alman Askeri
Heyetleri (Ankara, Turkey, 1993, OTAM, Ankara Üniversitesi Osmanlı Tarihi Araştırma ve Uygulama Merkezi Dergisi,
Sayı: 4), p. 305.

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ammunition and money to pay the salaries of the army officers delayed for
several months. Alliance with Germany was inevitable and the young Minister
of War, educated in Germany and liked by the Kaiser, grabbed the situation to
drag the Ottoman Empire into the War, which had started in Europe on July
28, 1914.
Some documents revealing the alliance of Turkey and Germany in WWI

history.
From Letter of Ambassador Wangenheim to German F.O. Consantinople July

24, 1914:28
“The Turkish condition is that his Majesty the Kaiser leave the German
military mission her in the case of war. In return, Turkey would obligate
itself to find some form under which Supreme Command of Turkish army
and actual command of one-fourth of the army would be transferred, at
the outbreak of war, to the military mission. The negotiations should be
carried out in strict secrecy, even as regards Turkish ministers…”
From Reich Chancellor to Ambassador in Constantinople, Berlin July 28, 1914:
<Par.3: Germany turns over her military mission in case of war. Turkey
guarantees actual direction of (Turkish) High Command by the
(German) military mission. >
From Text of Treaty of Alliance – Translation Therapia, Constantinople August

2, 1914:29
P.42: < Massacres: Europeans and Americans have shown quite

different reaction to the tales of Mohammedan being massacred and the
tales of Christians being massacred. When the Christians have been the
unfortunate victims, the incident has been headlined and dramatized
and used as just one more example of the practices of the “bloody Turk”.
On the other hand, when innocent Mohammedans have been the victim,
likely as not the case has been disregarded or misrepresented. This has
been particularly true since the Treaty of Berlin, which made the
Armenians official wards of Britain>
P.46 < A Christian historian of the eighteenth century wrote: “European

Christians should be ashamed of reaching into the gutter and fishing
28 Ernest Jackh, The Rising Crescent (New York, USA, 1944, Farrar & Rinehart Inc), p. 16.
29 Tim Epkenhans, Denkschrift betreffend die Revolutionierung der islamischen Gebiete unserer Feinde [Memorandum
concerning the fomenting of revolutions in the Islamic territories of our enemies] (Germany, 2001, Archivum
Ottomanicum, vol. 19, pp. 120–163).

No. 28, 2013
out these outdated stories of superstitious Oriental Christians”. It is

from such sources that common prejudices and misjudgments about the
“the Turk” have originated. It is for this reason –to use Ataturk’s words-
that “the manner of depicting Turkey in the eyes of the civilized world
is bristling with faults”.
According to the agreement between the two countries, when the commander
in chief was German, his general staff was Turkish. (Liman von Sanders and
İzzet Pasha). When the Army Commander was Turkish, his general staff was
German (Enver Pasha and General Bronssart von Schelledorf, 4th Army
Commander Djemal Pasha and his general staff Colonel Kress von
Kressenstein , 6th Army Commander General von der Goltz, his general staff
General Ali İhsan Sabis, etc.).
The WWI German-Turkish military collaboration, discipline, chivalry is full

of many unbelievable interesting episodes, such as the foresight of Mustafa
Kemal at Gallipoli as Lieutenant Colonel and his fast appraisal by Liman von
Sanders.
Another episode is the disastrous attack on the Russian Army at time of

Christmas 1914 planned by Enver Pasha and his aide General von
Schellendorf. Sanders was against this plan to be executed by the 3rd Army,
because of high mountains, severe winter weather conditions, lack of logistics,
food and even winter clothing. In spite of the sinking of three supply ships by
the Russian navy which should have stopped the campaign before it started,
Enver fired the 3rd Army Commander who was his teacher and was against this
crazy attack with so many privations, and as deputy Commander ordered the
attack which ended with the greatest military catastrophe, such as death of
about 60.000 soldiers frozen like statues because of cold, starvation, epidemics
etc. plus a serious resistance at mountain passes put up by the Armenian
revolutionaries. This was the greatest and fastest defeat of the Ottoman Army
because of self praise. But both von Bronssart and Enver Pasha were up in the
front lines in deep snow during this disaster and escaped from falling prisoner
to the Russian army, since they had their horses and left just in the nick of time.
On the Suez Canal Front in February 1915, we read that an army of 12.000
crossed the desert on foot in several days, carrying even their pontoons to cross
the canal. This impossible mission was accomplished because Von
Kressenstein had gone to the area earlier and dug some water wells which made
this crossing possible. The British were expecting Turks since they were
informed earlier, Turks lost 2.000 soldiers and returned back to Palestine
defeated, but the crossing of the dessert on foot both ways became history.

No. 28, 2013
In Bagdad Area, the 6th Army intercepted General Townsend’s Army which
came from India and was to take Bagdad. The British Army was surrounded
and left without food and any other outside aid. The soldiers started to eat draft
animals but the soldiers of India would not eat. After a blockade of about 5
months the army of 13,400 men surrendered to Turks. This victory at
“Kutulamara” in 1916 by the 6th Turkish Army is marked in history and
Townshend was kept as prisoner in Istanbul, Büyükada. After he was freed
under the Mudros Cease Fire in October 1918, he preferred to live on the island
until he died in 1924.
The Commander of the 6th Army, Colmar von der Goltz, was sick of typhus in
Bagdad and died of high fever not seeing his army’s victory. He asked to be
buried in the garden of the German Embassy in Therapia with both German
and Turkish flags on his coffin. The irony is
that Goltz died because of typhus. Typhus is a
microbe carried with lice from one body- The memories of Turks
and Germans fighting and
clothing to another and is common “when the dying together as strong
person or clothes are not washed and kept comrades are beyond any
clean”. Typhus was one of the best servants of praise.
angel Gabriel in all armies, killing in wards
even without fighting. (The very last US
Ambassador in Istanbul Abraham Elkus, could not leave in 1917 when the
diplomatic relations were cut. He too was sick of typhus, but made it through).
The memories of Turks and Germans fighting and dying together as strong
comrades are beyond any praise. However, after the WWI ended and both
Germany and Turkey surrendered, the procedures with the Kangaroo Courts
set up both countries are soaked with injustice, travesty and shame. In Istanbul
a Court Martial decided for the execution of several defendants (including
Ataturk and all his aides) in absentia. And those put on trial could not have a
lawyer to defend, no written minutes were kept and they were more like
lynching courts.
The leaders of the CUP government had taken refugee in Germany with a
submarine. Djemal Pasha went to Tbilisi where he was murdered by an
Armenian assassin. Talat Pasha had kept his identity in secrecy in Berlin, but
Armenians found and killed him in the front of his house in mid March 1921.
This part is no news, because Armenian Nemesis were killing any Turk they
could find, including Grand Vizier Said Halim in Rome.
The year 1921, like every year between World War I and Adolf Hitler’s rise to
power, was for Germany one of gloom, political life had not yet recovered
from the shock caused by the overthrow of a form of government deeply rooted

No. 28, 2013
in the history of the people. The newly empowered Reichstag was prey to wild
party strife, which made the formation of a stable government difficult.
The trial of the murder of Talat Pasha proved to be a most shameful comedy,
because the killer Tehlarian was found innocent whilst the victim Talat Pasha
was found guilty of killing Armenians previously in Turkey. The German
Judges gave in to the Armenian and Victor’s pressures.
Liman Von Sanders and the German Protestant pastor Dr. Johannes Lepsius
deposed in the court as experts. Liman Von Sanders did mention anything about
the German Ambassador of the era and also
him being the Commander in Chief of the
The trial of the murder of Ottoman Army. He did not testify against
Talat Pasha proved to be a Talaat but he also did not tell the truth in full
most shameful comedy, extend but a quarter of it only. Accordingly his
because the killer testimony was against rather than pro.
Tehlarian was found
innocent whilst the victim
Talat Pasha was found Although an appeal notice was sent to
guilty of killing Bronsart Von Shellendorf, he wasn’t called as
Armenians previously in a witness to the court. After the final verdict
Turkey. of the court, he published an article in a
newspaper as a reaction to the court’s verdict.
Conclusion
Existing historical exposes that:
1- Relations between German and Turkish States and people have been
rather calm, cooperative and beneficial to all parties at all times.
2- The Protestant-Catholic Missionaries in the Ottoman Empire were too

few to disturb peace. Excluded is the slander of fanatic Dr. Lepsius, who
spent about a month in Istanbul being briefed by Armenians and
Morgenthau and was not welcome by the German Embassy.
The book written by Franz Werfel “40 Days at Musa Dagh” was not
based on realities but it did tremendous addition to the prejudices and
antagonism against Turks in general.
3- The German Press and Government’s “black hole of historical

knowledge” continues most strongly up to date in magazines, TV
programs, news, and speeches of ignorant politicians over shading the
historical facts and the perfect comradeship between the two brave and

No. 28, 2013
decent people by lies proven to be fake or doctored by irrefutable

documents. Unfortunately the German academia, press and other
institutions have not taken the trouble to go deep enough into this subject
to discover that:
a. Any one that would read the full notes of the Solomon Tehlirian’s
case on “http://armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2009/06/2893-full-
transcript-of-soghomon.html” will surely notice that all witnesses
were those provided by the defendant and who told tales to the court
and Jury, but the two most important witnesses of everything from A
to Z, Generals Liman von Sanders (commander in chief of all armies)
who was directly responsible for the actions of Ottoman Armies
under his command, deposed in the court as an expert only but not
the Commander in Chief of the Ottoman Army. General Bronsart von
Schellendorf, who had the authority to sign official documents on
behalf of the Minister of War were not invited by the court to tell
what he knew. After the final verdict of the court, he published an
article in a newspaper as a reaction to the court’s verdict.
None of the around 10,000 German officers serving in the Ottoman

Army during this period invited or called to the court as a witness.
Interested parties can also see page 363, note # 37 of “The Genocide
of Truth”. Truth seekers can also refer to “http://armenians-
1915.blogspot.com/2005/07/78-german-officers-genocide-eyewitnes
s.html” and read the written declaration of General Von Schellendorf
as printed in “Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Nr. 342; July 24, 1921.”
The “German court and jury in the turmoil of 1921 when Hitler was
about to become a solution”, undoubtedly committed a judicial crime
by “condemning the victim for being guilty and acquit the criminal
with compliments for a murder committed in Berlin on the street. Is
it not the time for Germany to “study their own records, books and
authentic documents of their own Generals and other officers who
were in service throughout the Empire and responsible for the initial
orders to the ruling government? This paper is a formal invitation by
the researcher, to meet and prove that the “genocide allegation and
related propaganda documents” are nothing but unfounded lies, not
even one supported by authentic document or established laws and
rules for international crime declarations.
b. Isn’t the German Press and media aware of the 22.000 Armenian
Legion soldiers who served Hitler (4.800 of them SS) who rounded

No. 28, 2013
up Jews and sent them to death Camps when Turkish Diplomats

(Ambassador to Vichy, Ex Colonel Behic Erkin, Iron Cross Medal
of first degree for the services in WWI) saved over ten thousand Jews
and had them transferred to Turkey saving their lives?
These are all in several books, in internet in documents. How anyone can be
that naive not to see all this or that the Armenian Legion leftovers ruled the
Berlin Blackmarket up to 1950’s when they started to be transferred to USA
with affidavits?
Why not even one Nazi-Armenian “displaced person” did not utter a single
word about any massacres in the past by Turks when they were in Germany?
This “money swindling industry through

This “money swindling
industry through
victimization started after 1960’s” and those
victimization started after who are not eager to “defend truth and
1960’s” and those who are decency” as a minimum need for global
not eager to “defend truth harmony and peace, should think more than
and decency” as a twice when blaming other persons or nations
minimum need for global based on hearsays and the shameful of all by
harmony and peace, not even “asking an opposite view” or defense.
should think more than
All decisions are made in absentia for different
twice when blaming other
persons or nations based types of benefit. This is a shame, and the writer
on hearsays and the of this paper cordially invites the “sensitive or
shameful of all by not responsive parties” to take this paper as an
even “asking an opposite introduction in discovering truths.
view” or defense.
The WWI casualties are estimated about 37
millions, 16 millions dead. All states who
suffered these great losses have forgotten the past and restored peace. The name
of Armenia does not even count among the countries with large losses but they
have been largely fabricated and spread around and today the world forgets all
the facts and busies herself to propagate the Dashnakist Armenians lies who
make a living on this fanfare. Written evidences from Armenian and neutral
sources are too many, for those who tale the trouble to learn truth themselves
and not what liars (politicians, media, press, academia, etc. etc.) propagates
taking their readers as absolute dupes.
EPILOGUE
These “black pages” in the relations of the two nations has not been studied
deep enough and the German media and press sympathize with present
Armenian genocide propaganda, to a degree that Armenians are about to

No. 28, 2013
introduce books in the German school system, and give birth to a new
“German-Turkish animosity” by huge distortions, thanks to the absolute
indifference of Turkish institutions or authorities. Nowadays we find very few
persons interested “to learn the truth”, and of course much lesser persons who
spend their lifetime to “defend truth” and avoid frictions created by lies or
easygo propagandas. Regrettably some political parties [some with a few
Turkish politicians in Germany] easily join the lynch mobs based on hearsay
only.
Germany is the number one trade and moral partner of Turkey practically on
most things, technical, education, health and too many fields to count. There
are over 4000 German Companies who invested in ventures in Turkey. There
are about 3.500.000 Turks living and most of them working for Germany. In
short, Germany has been the Number One supplier of everything Turkey
needs, in the path of civilization. The above question is posed because of the
apparent shortage of justice in the Middle East. This study may be interpreted
as a sincere question to ask if “you now have replenished your century old
shortage or later dictatorial defects of justice”, wouldn’t you think of exporting
or donating some of this most precious commodity to friendly countries and
save all time friends from political and judicial suffocations?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
We kindly extend our gratitude to Dr. Latif Çelik for his studies and
contributions on the Turkish-German relations and his outstanding book
detailing the trails of Ottomans in Europe.
We also convey our thanks to the chairs Prof. Dr. Ramazan Çalık, Prof. Dr.
Eckhard Pache and the members of the Organizing Committee of Uşak
University and the Würzburg Maximillians University, for organizing the II.
Turkish-German Relations with Historical and Cultural Aspects Symposium.

No. 28, 2013
REFERENCES
Books
Aya, Ş Server. A Brief Hopscotch Stroll in the Ottoman History and Economy.
Booklet, Istanbul, Turkey, 2012.
Aya, Ş. Server. The Genocide of Truth. Istanbul, Turkey, 2009, Istanbul

Commerce University. ISBN 978-975-6516-24-9.
Aya, Ş. Server. The Genocide of Truth Continues But Facts Tell The Real Story.
Derin Yayinlari, Istanbul, 2010, ISBN 978-605-5500-07-8.
Epkenhans, Tim. Denkschrift betreffend die Revolutionierung der islamischen

Gebiete unserer Feinde [Memorandum concerning the fomenting of
revolutions in the Islamic territories of our enemies]. Germany, 2001,
Archivum Ottomanicum, vol. 19, pp. 120–163.
Jackh, Ernest. The Rising Crescent. New York, USA, 1944, Farrar & Rinehart
Inc.
Karal, E. Ziya. Osmanlı Tarihi, Birinci Meşrutiyet ve İstibdat Devirleri, 1876-

1907, Cilt VIII (Volume VIII). Istanbul, Turkey, 1962, Türk Tarih Kurumu
Printing Office. ISBN 975-16-0020-0.
Karal, E. Ziya. Osmanlı Tarihi, Nizam-ı Cedid ve Tanzimat Devirleri (1789 -

1856), Cilt V (Volume V). Istanbul, Turkey, 2011, Türk Tarih Kurumu
Printing Office. ISBN 975-16-0017-2.
Mansel, Philip. Constantinople, New York, 1996. St Martin’s Press. ISBN 0-

312-14574-8.
Nassibian, Akaby. Britain and the Armenian Question 1915-1923. London &
Sydney, 1984, Croom Helm/New York: St. Martin’s Press. ISBN 0-7099-
1829-8.
Öncü, Edip. The Beginnings of Ottoman-German Partnership, Master Thesis.

Ankara, Turkey, 2003, Bilkent University.
Özgüldür, Yavuz. Yüzbaşı Helmut Von Moltke’den Müşir Liman Von Sanders’e
Osmanlı Or-dusunda Alman Askeri Heyetleri. Ankara, Turkey, 1993,
OTAM, Ankara Üniversitesi Osmanlı Tarihi Araştırma ve Uygulama
Merkezi Dergisi, Sayı: 4.

No. 28, 2013
Uzunçarşılı, İ. Hakkı, Karal, E.Z. Osmanlı tarihi: cilt. Karal, E.Z. Nizam-ı
Cedit ve Tanzimat Devirleri, 1789-1856. Ankara, Turkey, 1961 and 1957,
Türk Tarih Kurumu Printing Office.
Uzunçarşılı, İ. Hakkı. Osmanlı Tarihi, C.II (Volume II). Ankara, Turkey, 2011,
Türk Tarih Kurumu Printing Office. ISBN 975-16-0012-7.
Internet
Armenian Genocide Resource Center. (2009). Full Transcript Of The

Soghomon Tehlirian 1921 Trial. Retrieved June 14, 2013, from
http://armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2009/06/2893-full-transcript-of-
soghomon.html.
Armenian Genocide Resource Center. (2009). Written declaration of General

Von Schellen-dorf as printed in “Deutsche Allgemeine Zeitung, Nr. 342;
July 24, 1921, from http://armenians-1915.blogspot.com/2005/07/78-
german-officers-genocide-eyewitness.html.
Osmanlı Tarihi Ansiklopedisi. (2013). “Osmanlı Tarihi Hakkında Ansiklopedik

Bilgi, Hilafet.” Retrieved September 19, 2013, from
http://osmanliansiklopedisi.blogspot.com/2012/07/hilafet.html.
Retrieved August 12, 2013, from http://derinanadolu.tripod.com/01-04-12-

duyun2.htm.

No. 28, 2013
No. 28, 2013

Different Opinions On Ottoman and German Political Military and Economic Relations

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DIFFERENT OPINIONS ON OTTOMAN

AND GERMAN POLITICAL MILITARY

Şükrü Server AYA & Prof. Dr. Ata ATUN

Abstract: The purpose of this paper is to surf through history and

The importance of this paper is to put forward the immense political,

At the request of Sultan Mahmut II, the appointment of Captain Moltke’s

Abdulhamid II’s sympathy (or need) of Germany started to establish

Review of Armenian Studies 131

Keywords: Ottoman-German Relations, Abdulhamid II, Baghdad Railway,

Öz: Bu yazının amacı I. Dünya Savaşı’nın sonlarına kadar Osmanlı

Bu yazının önemi geçtiğimiz bin yıl içinde Osmanlı İmparatorluğu ve Alman

II. Abdülhamit’in Almanya’ya olan sempatisi (ihtiyacı) sebebiyle kültürel

132 Review of Armenian Studies

1888’de Almanlara İstanbul-İzmit demiryolunu işletme ve demiryolunu

Osmanlı İmparatorluğu ile Alman Krallıkları arasındaki bu etkileşimli askeri,

Anahtar Kelimeler: Osmanlı-Alman İlişkileri, II. Abdülhamid, Bağdat

Review of Armenian Studies 133

2 Karal, Birinci Meşrutiyet ve İstibdat Devirleri, p. 174.

134 Review of Armenian Studies

Birth of Ottoman Empire

Review of Armenian Studies 135

There are two rumors for the destruction.

The second rumor is that an earthquake happened which was attributed to

A century later another courageous man, Hezarafen Ahmet Celebi (1609-1640)

The army of the Ottoman Empire

136 Review of Armenian Studies

Sultan Suleiman’s second great blunder was to bestow on French capitulatory

Accordingly, the unilateral benefits granted to industrially strong countries,

10 Mansel, Constantinople, p. 221.

Review of Armenian Studies 137

Baltalimani Capitulatory Agreement with Britain and Ireland

The Prussian – Ottoman relations

138 Review of Armenian Studies

Ottoman Empire’s Relations with Great Powers of Europe

German-Ottoman relations reached to peak during the reign Abdulhamid II

Review of Armenian Studies 139

Britain arranged a new Conference in Berlin on 13.7.1878, to ease terms;

Cultural Relations between Ottoman Empire and Germany

Abdulhamid II’s sympathy (or need) of Germany started to establish cultural

18 Karal, Birinci Meşrutiyet ve İstibdat Devirleri, p. 161.

140 Review of Armenian Studies

Deutsche Bank opened a branch in Istanbul and import of German military

Industrial Relation between Ottoman Empire and Germany

Review of Armenian Studies 141

and immigrate to Anatolia, many subjected to atrocities and murders to make

The new government tried to please western

Alliance of Ottoman Empire and Germany in World War I

Ottomans had asked Kaiser Wilhelm II to send an “Army Reformation Envoy”

The assassination of Archduke Ferdinand in Sarajevo on June 28th, 1914 gave

142 Review of Armenian Studies

Some documents revealing the alliance of Turkey and Germany in WWI

From Letter of Ambassador Wangenheim to German F.O. Consantinople July

From Reich Chancellor to Ambassador in Constantinople, Berlin July 28, 1914:

From Text of Treaty of Alliance – Translation Therapia, Constantinople August

P.42: < Massacres: Europeans and Americans have shown quite

P.46 < A Christian historian of the eighteenth century wrote: “European

Review of Armenian Studies 143

out these outdated stories of superstitious Oriental Christians”. It is

The WWI German-Turkish military collaboration, discipline, chivalry is full