Figure 1.--We note an unidentified Ottoman orphanage in Nazae=eth (Palestine) during the early-20th century. We wonder about the religion of the children. While in the Ottoman era, we suspect foreigners financed it and the Ottoman Govrnment had nothing to do with it, and the girls were probably Christians. Source: Library of Congress LC-DIG-ppmsca-10630.

A good indication of Ottoman.Muslim attitides toward orphans is a 1894 publication which indicates how active Christian charities were in the Ottoman Empire. The author notes a letter complaining that there wre no orphanages in the Ottoman Empire and printed a letter about the religious supported orphanages in the major cities. [Kellogg, p.78.] The Ottoman Empire until the Russo-Turkish War included huge numbers of Christians, especially in the Balkans (1877-78). At the turn of the 20th century, there were still many Christains, but the Balkan Wars (1912-13) liberated the Christain Balkans. The first specific orphnage we know of is the Kalfayan School & Orphanage was founded by to assist the victims of a cholera epedemic (1866). Today it is supported by international charities to support abandoned and at risk girls. There were still Christians in the Arab provinves of the Middle East, including Lebanon and Palestine. These minorities were under attack by Arab mobs. The Great Powers pressured the Ottomans to protect Christian minorities. We note an unidentified Ottoman orphanage in Nazareth (Palestine) during the early-20th century. We wonder about the religion of the children. While in the Ottoman era, we suspect foreigners financed it and the Ottoman Govrnment had nothing to do with it, and the girls were probably Christians. The situation worsened with the outbreak of World War I and the Young Turks launched the horrendous Armenian Genocide. The Arminians were a Christian population. We see orphanages being formed, especially with the British and French seizure of the Ottoman Arab provinces (Mesopotamia, Lebanon, and Palestine). Many were formed to protect the surviviors of the Armenian genocide.

Navigate the Boys' Historical Clothing Turkish pages:
[Return to the Main Turkish orphanage page]
[Return to the Main Turkish country page]
[Return to the Main country orphanage page]
[Turkish choirs] [Turkish folk costumes] [Turkish movies] [Turkish royals] [Turkish schools] [Youth groups]

Created: 10:59 PM 9/10/2024
Last updated: 11:00 PM 9/10/2024