Die Türkei auf dem Weg nach Europa: Lehren aus der Religionsfreiheit im Osmanischen Reich
Turkey on Its Way to Europe. Lessons Learnt from the Freedom of Religion in the Ottoman Empire

Summary/Abstract: Turkey is on its way towards Europe. We are all aware that it has to cross some boundaries and there is more than one problem to solve. In the essay the authors want to focus on Turkey's history concerning its minorities and their current status. The former Ottoman Empire was famous for its tolerance towards Jews, Christians and Armenians, the so called "millets". But what exactly was their status back then? How did they live and which rights did they hold? Above all: how is the situation in Turkey today? After the First World War and the downfall of the Ottoman Empire, the first president of the Republic of Turkey, Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, turned the country upside down. Turkey became more modern and thanks to many new laws and orders, Atatürk managed to "westernize" the nation within a couple of years. But his anti-religious attitude also made many religious people suffer. Not only were the Muslim people affected but also the Jewish, Christian and Armenian Communities. Since these days, religion is a focal point in Turkey’s state affairs. Instead of learning from its ancestors and the Ottoman’s tolerant handling of religious and minority issues, modern Turkey pursues a more radical strategy by basically forbidding all religious freedoms; an aspect that definitely deserves more attention. If Turkey really wants to join the European Union, it needs to change its hard-handed attitude towards religion.

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