Feiland Media - Your Crew in Turkey

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The owner Christian Feiland lives for more than four years in Istanbul. Already more than 20 years ago his father was shifted from 1974-1978 due to his work to Turkey and the linkage to Turkey continues to hand back still substantially: His sister, father and great-great-uncle were born in Istanbul.

Up to the times of the Ottoman Empire one can retrace the family tradition. In order to document this unusual family history, Wolfgang Meyer (great-great-uncle of Christian Feiland) wrote for the family a 44 page strong dairy. On this Homepage this historical record is published for the first time.

Old Istanbul
Istanbul, Galatabridge (1900) - In the background "Tünel" & "Karaköy"

A German in Turkey
Written by Wolfgang Meyer (1909 - 1981)

Before I tell of my experiences in Turkey, particularly during my internment in Kirsehir and Corum, I would like to report, how my ancestors came to Istanbul. My grandfather was employed as watchmaker in the service of the Sultan Abdul Hamit II. and made himselves 1878 independent, by opening a watchmaker's shop opposite to the gates of the subway in Galata. He will have been surely called (like many German craftsmen) in the country, as me also still another German gardner, a printer and a carpenter in particular from this time admits is. My father married the daughter of a Lindauers, which had been assigned the construction of the "Kaiserbrunnen" here in Stanbul. Emperor Wilhelm II had donated this well, which was inaugurated during the first emperor attendance in Istanbul in the year 1889. My father and my mother also constantly lived in Istanbul with a short interruption during the years 1919 to 1923, in which all Germans were proven, after Istanbul had been filled by the winners of the First World War. After the death of my father. experiences of this time, which are reported here, like to understand the Gepflogenrs took over I the business and resumed it. This activity was interrupted only by at the end of the Second World War to 23.8.44 internment in Kirsehir, taken place, which is situated in the heart Anatoliens. To 22.12.45 I could return again to Istanbul, in order to take up the line of my company again. For me the unvergesslicheiten, habits, habits and life opinions of humans coming from the anatolischen high country contribute and thus an approximation between the many Turkish immigrant workers and the located one in the Federal Republic facilitate.

As German watchmaker in the country of the Sultane

As uhrmacher at the Hofe Abdul Hamit II: my grandfather had become resident Johann Meyer in Istanbul. It had the function to care for in the lock " Yildiz Sarayi " all clocks, which were there set up or hung up. In addition, the clocks of the princes, princesses and lock inhabitants as well as the higher officials, generals, Minister etc. were incumbent on its Obhut. A daily brought it a high officer a clock with the request to hand these to that out which will require it of it in its name. " making you at the clock anything, it does not go very well, " was its expression, with which he said good-bye to my grandfather. This did not appear to my grandfather somewhat strangely, particularly it the clock some weeks beforehand thoroughly repairs hatte.Es left to it peace, it opened the rear cover of the clock, out fell a round piece paper, on which illegibly something written. When it held the page against the light, it could detect that it was described in mirror writing. This provoked it now the more. Thus it made itself to the deciphering of this mysterioesen note. It read: " with this clock the time bomb stops to 2 hours 38 minutes and deposits everything at you admitted workstation on Friday at 4 o'clock. " as my grandfather should react now? " If he delivered the clock, he made himself jointly guilty at an assassination attempt. If he did not deliver it, it could for him and its family a calamity become. It only a selection remained: It terminated its work, collected its tools in and always left its activity in the lock. All it entrusted clocks he transferred to his superior with the remark, it is gets sick. It established itself now as a uhrmacher in the city and created 1878 our watchmaker's shop. At this time in Istanbul the subway was built, which connects today still the quarter Karakoey with Beyoglu. My grandfather experienced the fact that one wanted to establish a holzbaracke because of the groundwater, since with the Ausschachten had occurred as input to the future tunnel. Opposite this barrack he rented a small business in hope that the passengers of the subway would have sufficient clock repairs on the uhrmacher attentively will and it, in order to be able to live. The initialization of our business took place in all silence to 1.5.1878. Hopes would fulfill themselves, it came to sufficient customer, so that living costs were secured 1906 occurred then my father, after it had terminated its teachingteaching teachings in Berlin, into the company. My grandfather died 1921. Since in the course of the years the clientele had rather extended and mehre coworkers had to be employed, a discharge of my father was necessary. Thus I began in the year 1933 after my formation to operate beside my father in the business. Apart from the varied activity relating to crafts as uhrmacher we pleased of so some attendance of prominent personalities, that did not only let their clocks repair, special also gladly with a cup coffee to discussions with us were, so e.g. Yusuf Bey, the Minister of Justice Atatuerks, Ambassador, also often and gladly our German Ambassadors Mr. Nadolny and Mr. von Papen, and about some Saturdays even Msgr. Roncalli, the later Past Johannes XXIII. So various episodes occurred in the course of the years in our business. Two of it will remain always unforgotten for me, because of us other the mentality of the host country and the other one because of an example of humanity. One morning entered a high-grown strong man with black hair and long Schnurrbart the business and submitted a repair card. My father regarded these and said themselves, I was to bring him the repair book from the year 1926. It opened the page up of the entries and could by the customer the names be said. " Mehmet " corresponded with the book. " there the clock became delivered before 18 years the repair, is situated it with us in the safe ", explained my father and requested the customer to take workstation until we would have picked the clock out. The large man stopped however calmly and moved not. I was assigned by the father to remove of the lowest safe the clock. It was a silver allotting pro rata ash clock, as they carried the farmers Ostanatoliens for on long chains. The housing was oxidized by the long stocks. When my father requested me to up-polish the housing the customer declined and insisted on it, the clock, like that as her was to carry forward. It was drawn up and placed. To our surprise it caught on directly to tick. The man asked us, what he would have to pay. My father answered it: " which is on the note: " Tuerk Lira 3. -. " The customer put now the cash on the desk, took the clock and led her to the ear, in order to hear it tick, then it put it into its vest pocket, smiled and noticed: " at least one memory. " Whereupon my father asked it, why he would have here-let the clock 18 years. The giant twisted no expression and erklaerte:"Heute tomorrow I after 18jaehriger detention released, because I had to murder the owner of this clock from family honour, now carries I his clock as memory. " It opened the door and went out without a greeting. My father turned to me and meant: " blood revenge, such a thing gives it thus also still. "

A daily came our hausherr, an older, simply dressed man, into the business. It belongs to one of the very wealthy Jewish buyer families numerous in the city. Through long years it led a large paper action nearby our loading. It always fetched in the first monthly days the rent. This time he came however, as he said beforehand, in order to speak with me. He asked me: " come before the door, then legend I you, which I want from you. " Before the business door it gave me, together-rolled, cash to the hand with noticing: " exact behind your business is the loading of the eisenhaendlers Malkasyan, you knows it, gives it this cash, it is tl 400. -. " It led still the index finger to the mouth and went away. I ran around the corner to this businessman and aligned him: " Mr. Benzonana gave me for it. " Benonzonana? " he asked and looked themselves surprised, " on not possibly".
Back in the business I had first fill with the customers to do, so that the affair was forgotten for some time. In the afternoon against 4 o'clock came Mr. Malkasyan to us into the business, in order to thank you. He explained us that he could not sell for a long time its commodity any longer, because cheap building iron was introduced. It however must sell therefore with loss, in order to receive, which it absolutely for the life need. For one year it did not pay therefore its rent and to Mr. Benzonana, but several members of the large family. These would have, in order to receive the rent, against the will of Mr. Benzonana threatened with seizing. Actually before 4 o'clock the seizing officials had come also briefly into his business and had for an amount of tl 400. - Commodity to guarantee want. Malkasyan had given and was the matter on it the cash brought by me to the officials its seizing. Directly he had come to us, in order to report this. It closed with the words: " this crisis, which I go through now, will surely soon have projected. From the first cash I will pay Mr. Benzonana, my debt to the understanding businessman back. While its joint owners also as good humans are as he nevertheless! " Several months later Mr. Benzonana came into our business, in order to fetch the rent. My father was not present even, then I gave him the cash and asked him whether the affair with Malkasyan was completed. It looked me seriously on and said: " you should be silent nevertheless; but after you ask in private, which sent Malkasyan to me after 6 months a crystal bowl, into under fresh fruit the tl 400. knows - were situated. " When leaving he admonished me. " my son, does property, it is always worthwhile oneself!"