Contribution of German Jewish Professors to Turkey’s University Reform of 1933

The afternoon talk concerns an extraordinary response to the rise of Nazi persecution in Central Europe. It begins with a 1933 request for help from Albert Einstein to President Atatürk of the Turkish Republic. In this rare exchange almost 200 “heimatlos” or expelled professors, mostly of Jewish descent, immigrated to Turkey and taught the first generation of modern Turkish citizens, who would later become the professors, specialists, reformers and creators of the new Republic of Turkey. Many of the heimatlos professors eventually stayed permanently in Turkey.

The lecture will be presented by Mr. Mesut İlgim, a highly respected Turkish researcher, specialist on historical monuments, and photographer. His research began over a decade ago when he first found the letter Einstein wrote to Atatürk offering the assistance of a group of expelled professors in modernizing/westernizing the newly founded educational, architectural, musical, medical, legal, and scientific initiatives in Turkey.

The participants of the panel discussion are Rudi Lindner, Professor of Ottoman Studies, and Associate Professor Kader Konuk of the Department of Germanic Languages and Literatures and Comparative Literature at the University of Michigan. Professor Lindner is the son of Austrian refugees and knew some of the exiles. Professor Konuk is an expert in Turkish-German Studies and the author of a recent book on German Jews in Turkey entitled East West Mimesis: Auerbach in Turkey.

This event is organized and supported by the Turkish American Cultural Association of Michigan and American-Jewish Committee, as well as financial support from theTurkish Cultural Foundation and the University of Michigan Center for Middle Eastern and North African Studies.

Our supporting sponsors are Beth Israel Congregation, The Frankel Center for Judaic Studies, The Jewish Community Center of Greater Ann Arbor, The Interfaith Council for Peace & Justice and Temple Beth Emeth.

This event is free and open to the public
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