Ankara blocks German film project on Ottoman sultan: Report

ISTANBUL

A document from the German archive has revealed that Ankara thwarted a German production company's attempt to create a film about Ottoman Sultan Abdülhamid II in 1935, citing concerns that the work focused solely on his private life, daily Hürriyet has reported.

The film production company "Neues Deutsches Lichtspielsyndikat," which had even decided to shoot a significant part of the film in historical locations in Istanbul, the capital of the Ottoman Empire, contacted Turkish authorities in Ankara through the Turkish Embassy in Berlin for permission regarding the film.

The prepared screenplay on the Ottoman leader who ruled the state for more than three decades was sent to the Interior Ministry via the embassy 88 years ago, according to a daily Hürriyet report published on Dec. 20.

The ministry of the time expressed reservations, stating, "We see an objection to granting permission for the filming of this movie."

Even the production company's willingness to modify potentially "problematic" elements in the screenplay did not sway the decision, leading to the film not being made, the report said.

Details explaining this decision were found in the report sent to Germany by the German Ambassador in Ankara. Researcher Dr. Resul Alkan, who conducted investigations in German archives, shared a document revealing that German Ambassador to Ankara Wilhelm Fabricius closely monitored the process and conveyed the "cold" atmosphere in Ankara regarding the film to the German Foreign Ministry.

In his report, the ambassador stated, "The film's screenplay revolves around sensational harem life rather than serious historical events.”

The harem is a palace area where the Ottoman sultan's mother, sister, concubines and their servants lived. Generally, the private lives of the sultans have been portrayed within the framework of events in the harem.

"The government circles in Ankara are concerned that the film could revive existing misconceptions about Türkiye in Europe and potentially damage Turkish enlightenment efforts."

The orientalist perspective in Europe and the artistic works it inspired often portrayed harem life as a vibrant, intricate and dramatic aspect of Turkish culture. However, with the establishment of the Turkish Republic in 1923 under the leadership of founding leader Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the reforms undertaken ushered in a more enlightened and modern face for Turkish culture.