gismundvonSchlichting,instructorinthe 5 thinfantryregimentintheYıldızbar-
racks,usedtocorrectthebodypostureoftheOttomansoldierswithhisriding
crop.AfterseveralofthosephysicalassaultsanAlbaniannativeOttomansoldier
couldnolongerbearthishumiliatingtreatmentandshottheGermandrillin-
structorfromclosedistancewithhisservicerifle.⁷³Inthisparticularcase,the
conditionsoftheextendedOttomanmilitaryrecruitingpractices⁷⁴andtheinsen-
sitivityinherentintheGermanmilitary’seducationalprinciples⁷⁵hadfatalcon-
sequences.However,itwastobetheonlyincidentofthiskindinthecourseof
theentireGerman-Ottomanmilitarycooperation.
ThehiringofGermaninstructorswasonlyonesideoftherenewedOttoman-
Germanmilitarycooperation.TheacceptanceofGermanmilitaryknowledgewas
alsopavedbythesendingofOttomanofficerstoGermany.
OttomanOfficersinGermany,1 908 – 1918
FortheGermansidethesendingofOttomanofficerstoGermanywasacrucial
partofmilitarycooperation.Itcanbearguedthatthisaspectofmilitarycooper-
ationhadthedeepestimpact,especiallyontheOttomanside.Ithadbeenapro-
posalofthefirstGermanmilitarymissionbackin 188 3toselectableOttoman
youngofficersfor athree-year’sinternshipintheGermanarmy.Thismight
alsohavebeenduetothefactthat,sincethebeginningoftheTanzımatera,
mostoftheOttomanofficersweresenttoParisorVienna.BythismeasureGer-
manyasaplacetostudywastobepromoted.
ThesalarywastobepaidbytheOttomanside.Inreturn,theGermanside
paidforasix-monthGermancourse,trainingatoneofthewarschoolsandor-
ganizedpostingstothediversegarrisonsandtheGermanGeneralStaff.Sultan
AbdülhamidtookcarethathismenreportedtoIstanbulonamonthlybasis,ex-
plicitlyavoidingnon-militaryi.e.mainlypoliticaltopics.⁷⁶Since 1890 ,theSultan
SeethedetailedaccountsinAmbassadorMarschalltoAA, 28 March1 911 .AA-PAR1 3255 ;
Anonymous,“DiepreußischeMilitärtragödieinKonstantinopel,”SchwäbischeTagwacht,1
April 1911 ,HStAStgtM1/3Bd.7 94 ;Anonymous,“DieErmordungdesOberleutnantsvon
Schlichting,”OsmanischerLloyd,29March1 911.
TherewasconsiderableresistanceagainstthismeasurebytheformerlyexemptedAlbanian
population;Römer,MilitärhilfefürdasOsmanischeReich,6 9 – 70.
SeetheletterofForeignMinisterKiderlen-WächtertoJenisch, 12 April 1910 .AA-PAR1 3255.
MehmetCebeci,Diedeutsch-türkischenBeziehungeninderEpocheAbdülhamidsII.( 1876 –
1908):DieRolleDeutschlandsindertürkischenAußenpolitikunterbesondererBerücksichtigung
derBulgarischen,ÄgyptischenundArmenischenFrage(Marburg:Tectum, 20 10), 357 – 35 9.
44 2ThePeakofKnowledgeTransfer