Emigré scientists at the Ankara Higher Institute of Agriculture

Sevtap Kadıoğlu

The opening of the Higher Institute of Agriculture (Ankara Yüksek Ziraat Enstitüsü) in 1933 in Ankara, and that of Istanbul University the same year following the Atatürk's University Reformation were two major events having significant impact on Turkish education and science. The aim in establishing both institutions was to introduce the scientific methods of the new century into Turkey. European scholars were recruited to both institutions for this purpose. Though most of the appointed academicians were from Germany. Almost all of the scientists arriving at the Istanbul University were those discharged from their posts in German universities. On the other hand, scholars nominated by the Reich held professorships in the Higher Institute of Agriculture in Ankara. Thus, while scholars worked as emigrants in Istanbul. Others worked as representatives of German universities in Ankara from 1933 until early 1940s. There were, however, four émigré scientists in the Higher Institute of Agriculture at Ankara: The geologists Wilhelm Salomon-Calvi and Max Pfannenstiel, the chemist Otto Gerngross, and the botanist Hans Bremer. All four contributed to the Turkish agriculture and geology as researchers, professors or/and advisers in Higher Institute of Agriculture and other Turkish governmental institutions.

Key words: Ankara Higher Institute of Agriculture, émigré scientists, agricultural education, history of science; Anahtar kelimeler: Ankara Yüksek Ziraat Enstitüsü, mülteci bilim adamları, tarım eğitimi, bilim tarihi.