Hi all
If you're planning a holiday in Turkey, stop by...
Most government documents, procurement contracts (including contracts with the Krupp company), and official correspondence of the Ministry of War are held by the State Archives of the Republic of Turkey.
Main Catalog and Search: The official *Devlet Arşivleri*
https://katalog.devletarsivleri.gov.tr/catalog
is used to search for documents in digital format. Note: The system requires free registration. While foreign researchers without a Turkish ID card (e-Devlet) can search the online catalog for document abstracts (descriptions), the full scans of the historical records themselves are often—due to licensing restrictions—accessible only via computer terminals located directly in the archive's reading room in Istanbul (Kağıthane district).
In the archives, you must search for Ministry of War materials under the Ottoman collection designation HR.NZAT. (Harbiye Nezareti ...) or under the collection of the Sultan's military office. The documents are written in Ottoman Turkish (using the Arabic script), so knowledge of the language or of paleography is required to read them.
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ATASE Military Archive (Military History and Strategic Studies)If you are specifically looking for tactical manuals, artillery training handbooks, and operational orders, these are housed in the specialized Military Archive of the Turkish General Staff (ATASE) in Ankara.
https://www.ermenisorunu.gen.tr/en/archives-of-the-turkish-general-staff-atase
: Information regarding access applications and the structure of the collection can be found on the ATASE Archive website. For security reasons, this archive is subject to stricter security measures, and access for foreign researchers requires formal approval via the Turkish Embassy.
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Alternative online option: Atatürk Library (Atatürk Kitaplığı)A large number of printed army manuals and military periodicals from that era (e.g., *Harp Mecmuası*)
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ARCHIVE OF THE MINISTRY OF NATIONAL DEFENSE (MSB)
The archive has a rich content of documents and records pertaining to the Turkish Military History from 1864 to the present. Besides the historical documents category, it also has documents regarding the Staff, Recruiting, Health, Law, Accounts of Money and Assets.
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In the archives, you must search for Ministry of War materials under the Ottoman collection designation HR.NZAT. (Harbiye Nezareti) or under the collection of the Sultan's military office. The documents are written in Ottoman Turkish (using the Arabic script), so knowledge of the language or of paleography is required to read them.
This serves as inspiration: when materials from the countries of origin are unavailable, look for them in the recipient country...
