'Second memorandum, by the Political Secretary, India Office, on German press opinion regarding the Middle East. April and May' [‎18r] (1/8)

Sh( ()XI) MEMORANDUM BY THE POLITICAL
SECRETARY, INDIA OFFICE The department of the British Government to which the Government of India reported between 1858 and 1947. The successor to the Court of Directors. , ON GERMAN PRESS
OPINION REGARDING THE MIDDLE EAST.
April and May.
, The 0 ^, e 1 ut ^ h ' T I iirkische Vereinigung held its second annual
^ 7 nA lng rf 9 i th Mar ? h * Membership has increased from 481 to
tT a i mS maae contr i ,)l itions to German schools at Adana
1 era, Aleppo, Bagdad, and Jerusalem, and has acquired a site for
a boarding-]muse for the school at Haider Pasha An Ottoman title used after the names of certain provincial governors, high-ranking officials and military commanders. . A medical
committee has been appointed for medical assistance to Turkey.
1 urkish translations of German literature in preparation; Turkish
courses in Berlin and a number of other towns. Consul-General
Koch succeeds Herr von Gwinner as President—Norddeutsche
Allgemeine Zeitung, 2nd April.
Kolnische Volkszeitung, 8th April, reports from Constantinople
that the coming into operation of the Turkish language law has
been postponed till 23rd July 1919 in respect of railways and
non-privileged foreign companies. The compulsory use of Turkish
by the latter is also limited to written communications to Govern
ment offices, and to the paper they issue to the public. Land
registers need not be kept in Turkish.
Hamburger 1 remdetiblaft, 1st April, gives the programme of
Oriental lectures at the Hamburg- Colonial Institute for the
summer term, emphasising the fact that without serious work
nothing is to be attained in Turkey, and that love of adventure
is out of place there. Dr. Tschudi, a course on “ the history of
the Islamic empires ” and two courses on the Turkish language.
Refik Bey, two courses on the language. Zaid Effendi, a course
on modern Arabic and the Egyptian dialect. Prof. Jaegers, a
course on the political and economic condition of contemporary
Persia, which will describe inter alia how British and Russian
interference has prevented all real progress, and will discuss
future prospects, especially those of German trade. Dr. von
Rauchhaupt, a course on Turkish constitutional law. Dr. Krauss
on Turkish public economy. Dr. Passarge on the geography of
the Turkish Empire. And others.
In Berliner Tageblatt, 3rd April 1916, its Constantinople
correspondent, Dr. Feldmann, has a long article on “ the creator
of Turkish nationalism,” Sia Gok Alp Bey. This man is a
thinker, and in an interview described his functions and those
of his friends as setting up the ideals which it must be left to
the Government to realise. Asked what they expect of the
Germans, he said that first of all they furnished an example:
Germany was formerly in the condition of Turkey, but had
realised her own national ideal: so Turkey need not waste time
in experiments. Further, the Germans can supply a scientific
basis for Turkish nationalists to work on.
Dr. Feldmann follows this up with an article in the same
paper for 19th April on “ Our learned men at Stamboul,” and
describes what the 18 German professors who have already arrived
are doing. The article is a reply to some German critics who
continue to complain of the scheme. Of the 2,000 students
most are serving; audiences are therefore very small, but they are
enthusiastic. Professor Nord is lecturing, in Turkish, on European
civil law. Professor Mordtmann (an ex-Consul-General) on the
methodology of history. Dr. Giese, professor of Ancient Turkish,
also lectures in the vernacular. The professor of Semitic languages,
Dr. Bergstriisser, has learned enough Turkish in four months to
be able to write and deliver his lectures in it. He is lecturing
on Syriac, and on the general history of the Semitic languages.
a (33)889 Pk 410 125 6/16 K fc S -a