The First German Railway Constructions in Asia Minor as a Symbol of the German-Ottoman Relations in the Light of European Great Power Politics

Abstract

This article discusses the first German railway constructions in Asia Minor in the light of the late 19^th and early 20^th century European great power politics. The construction of a railway in the Ottoman Empire with the help of the German Empire was an important step for German-Turkish relations and a manifestation of the cooperation between the German Emperor Wilhelm II and Sultan Abdulhamid II.
A new era started in German-Turkish relations with the crowning of Wilhelm II as the German Emperor. The Bismarckian peace politics did not suit the desires of the new emperor who pursued an energetic foreign policy both in Europe and in the wider world. His policies in Europe targeted an alliance with Austria-Hungary.  In the wider world the emperor set the political course towards colonialization in order to satisfy the increasing demand for raw materials.
As there was no place for the German Empire among the Great Powers in the partitioned world, it turned itself to the Ottoman Empire. The construction of the Anatolian railway was one of the greatest projects of the late 19^th and the early 20^th centuries as a result of which the German influence in the Ottoman Empire increased considerably. The railway construction increased the military and economic influence of the German Empire in the Ottoman territories.
The quite positive reputation that Emperor Wilhelm acquired both in the Ottoman Empire and among the 300 million Muslims was an important strategic advantage on the eve of an approaching conflict. As a great project, the construction of a railway across the large territories of the Ottoman Empire was closely related to the political history of the Ottoman Empire and was important for the destiny of the state.