Reconsidering Multidirectional Dynamics of German-Turkish Migration Relations: German Construction Workers in Ankara between 1924-1925

Traditionally, many German-Turkish narratives revolve around the antagonisms between East and West, the Orientalist concepts of Orient and Occident, or between Islam and Christianity. Instead of different worldviews and polarization, however, the portrayal of German-Turkish migration history has recently begun to focus more on connecting elements (Fuhrmann, 2014, p. 24). Since 1961, this story has increasingly sought to promote a change of perspective, appreciation, and understanding, and this small episode in German-Turkish migration history is a contribution to this. The portrayal of the fate of approximately 40-60 German construction workers and skilled builders who were recruited in Berlin in October 1924 by the Ankara city administration and worked on the construction of the new capital until May 1925 paves the way for two changes in perspective. On the one hand, this story draws attention to migration as a constant in human history and, on the other hand, it shows that current developments such as the heated debate on migration in Germany lose their political relevance when viewed from a historical perspective.