A documentary by the Turkish state-run TV network, TRT, was broadcast originally in 2006. Here is the first three parts of the nine-part series (about 30 minutes each) courtesy of Google Video, with apologies to the non-Turkish speaking followers. (only Part 3 is subtitled in English)
Check out the prologue to this post on the 'next page,' as well as my last post. Here's one such recounts of an exiled Prince.
Enjoy! (double-click on the videos to watch them in full screen)
I posted the following in its entirety as a comment within my last post. If you've read the comment already, you can have a free pass ...
Most of them (the 'exiled' Ottoman Royal Family) ended up in France, Italy, and Austria, as well as Egypt as political refugees. Later on, some emigrated to the U.S. and other countries. They endured financial and other hardships, not being citizens of any country, and all of the first generation exiled members died in foreign lands. Some among them even committed suicide due to the impersonal nature of the intrusion of their pride and honor.
The men were given 24 hours to leave; with a one-way passport, and about 2,000 sterlings, with no personal possessions. The women and children had 10 days to conform to the exile orders. But most of them left altogether, mostly by train (Orient Express) out of Istanbul.
Some of the exiled parents made their kids marry Indian, Lebanese and Egyptian, as well as other royal princes or princesses. Those countries were thinking that the 'dynasty' would one day return to Turkey, and the marriages would be beneficial to them. And it also kept the bloodlines royal I guess. Some others ended up marrying the locals of the countries they were living in, and almost all of them adopted the citizenry of and assimilation into their new homelands.
Some 50 years later, in 1974, the male members of the Ottoman royal family were allowed to return to Turkey. Some did, but the new generation who were born abroad did not, and if they did it was only for a brief visit to check out their roots.
Then in 2006, more than a hundred of them reunited in Istanbul for the kickoff of the documentary, ‘Ottomans in Exile.’ Some of them had never even seen each other before. And many of them did not speak English. But all of them were happy to be invited back, and promised to return for more frequent visits.
The most senior member alive, then 92-year-old Ertugrul Osman, the grandson of Abdulhamid II (another misunderstood one and misrepresented in Turkish history), had actually visited Turkey for the first time in 2004, after Turkey issued him a passport and a Turkish citizenship, so that he can be used as an adviser for the said documentary.
While in Vienna, he may even have had an encounter with Hitler in his early days.
It’s amazing to this day, no mention of compensation, retribution, and reparation have been claimed, at least by the deposed Ottoman royals, and no apologies as far as I know have been issued officially; although, in my opinion, some may at a future time decide to go after their looted and transferred rightful belongings. Especially, if others such as the Armenians and Greeks are successful in their current ongoing cases against the Republic of Turkey.
As for Vahdettin, he died penniless in 1926 in San Remo, Italy, but is buried in Damascus, Syria, according to his will.
Here's more on Ecevit and the Vahdettin controversy. Keep in mind, Vahdettin was on the throne only 3 months when the Ottomans surrendered in WWI. Vahdettin wrote in his memoirs, "I tried to save my country by sacrificing myself."
And here's a great article as further proof of my original intent and point with these recent posts, that history, at least in Turkey, "is a reason for ideological divide which forces us to take sides, a constant topic of debate blurring and obscuring reality, even historical reality."
The article goes on to say, as I too wholeheartedly agree, "So be it. The Turkish Republic has made giant strides ever since, and the Turkish public has become more mature in appraising the integrity of its founding fathers, and the hardships and sacrifices they assumed to achieve their goals. The Ottoman Empire is a thing of the past and not a single soul would like to live under any other type of state, but our beloved republic. Even the descendants of the Ottoman family today are diehard republicans as well."
But... Why the "fuss about Vahdettin and Lausanne, then? Why have the words of four-time Prime Minister Mr. Bulent Ecevit, to the effect that 'Vahdettin was not a traitor,' created so much interest and initiated a heated discussion?"
"Our history still hounds us, this is for sure."
By the way, Mavi Boncuk is a good resource for all things Ottoman, and Ottomania.
