Historica Olomucensia

Ottoman entry into the First World War is often considered a natural conclusion to long-lasting German activities in the Near East. However, the role of German ambassador Hans von Wangenheim is often overlooked, despite his large expertise in regional issues and his influence on the formulation of German Near East policy. Wangenheim was ultimately responsible for the decision to sign the treaty, even though he was the main proponent of continued Turkish neutrality. In older literature, his contribution is often overshadowed by long-term German projects like the Baghdad Railway. The more present works, often by Turkish authors, disprove the importance of such undertakings, nevertheless, they do so from primarily Ottoman perspective, focusing on the role of characters like Enver Pasha and Talaat Bey. The current state of research is still missing a dedicated paper focusing on Wangenheim’s beliefs and activities regarding the conclusion of the alliance. Hence, this paper aims to ascertain Wangenheim’s position on the alliance question and find the reasons behind his decision to conclude the treaty, which stands in complete opposition to his advocation of Ottoman neutrality. Based on the qualitative research of German and Ottoman primary sources, the author concludes that Wangenheim considered the treaty to present the best assurance of continuing Ottoman neutrality.

Keywords: Ottoman Empire, Germany, Hans von Wangenheim, Near East, Diplomacy, First World War, Young Turks