Génie Civil Ottoman (1910) and Zeitschrift für Technik und Industrie in der Turkei (1916): Journals published by architects and engineers in Istanbul in the aftermath of the Young Turk Revolution

Çetin Ünalın

The Young Turk Revolution which led to the proclamation of the Second Constitution in 1908, was a major driving force behind the publication of a large number of journals in early 20th century Turkey. Genç Mühendis (The Young Engineer, 1909) and the Osmanlı Mühendis ve Mimar Cemiyeti Mecmuası (The Journal of the Ottoman Society for the Architects and Engineers, 1912) were among the earliest journals published in Turkish by the Ottoman architects and engineers. The presence of a large number of European architects and engineers in the Ottoman Empire paved the way for the publishing of journals in languages other than Turkish. The present paper aims to introduce the Génie Civil Ottoman and the Zeitschrift für Technik und Industrie in der Turkei, published in the aftermath of the Young Turk Revolution, popularly known as "the area of freedom".

The Génie Civil Ottoman was published between the years 1910 and 1914. Its editor-in-chief was Alexandre M. Raymond, an architect also reknowned for his work on Islamic art. The editorial board was mostly composed of civil enginners and architects but also included a number of electrical, agricultural, chemical and mining engineers. Most of the articles focus the public works carried on in the Ottoman Empire and its natural resources. Articles introducing French investments and companies in Turkey reflects the journal's close bias towards French entrepreneurs.

The Zeitschrift für Technik und Industrie in der Turkei, first saw the press in 1916, during the WW1. Its publication can be considered within the French-German rivalry in engineering in the Ottoman Empire. The articles are published in German, French and Turkish and deals with the public work projects carried on in the Otoman Empire and the status of its mineral resources.

Both journals were interested in the issues related to the evolution of engineering and architecture as a profession and published a number of articles to discuss the position of architects and engineers working in the Empire. Together with articles dealing with engineering, industral and economical aspects of public work projects, both journals are primary sources for evaluating work done in the last decade of the Ottoman Empire.

Key words: Génie Civil Otoman, Zeitschrift für Technik und Industrie in der Turkei, engineering journals, engineers' societies, architects' societies, history of engineering, history of architecture,Alexandre M. Raymond, Ottoman Empire, Turkey; Anahtar sözcükler: Génie Civil Otoman, Zeitschrift für Technik und Industrie in der Turkei, mühendislik dergileri, mühendis dernekleri, mimar dernekleri, mühendislik tarihi, mimarlık tarihi, Alexandre M. Raymond, Osmanlı İmparatorluğu, Türkiye.