Martin Hartmann (1851-1918): A German Orientalist and His Discourse on the Young Turks

German orientalism started out in the context of theological studies and evolved into a philological discipline. Then, it experienced a process that turned into cultural and social work. Martin Hartmann (1851-1918) played an important role in the construction of this change, by challenging to the tradition of classical philology in the late 19th century and made the living Orient a part of German orientalism. Working on different subjects, from Berber folk tales to Arabic press and Arabic studies, in the course of time, Hartmann focused on political, cultural and literary studies related to the Islamic world and the Ottoman Empire. In this context, the Young Turks became a significant part of his writing. His close relationship with the Ottoman intelligentsia and his own observations and impressions of Istanbul enabled Hartmann to follow the Young Turks too nearly. This article firstly examines how Hartmann represents the Young Turk thought in the context of the Ottoman modernisation from his early texts to his later works and letters. Secondly it demonstrates the intellectual background of the changes in his approach to the Young Turks.