New facts from the biography of turkologist Ahmet Temir

Abstract

The article deals with new sources from the Archives of the Humboldt University in Berlin, which allow us to present in detail the defense procedure of the famous turkologist Ahmet Temir’s thesis. Ahmet Temir entered the University of Berlin in 1936 and studied there for nine semesters. His thesis was ready by the spring of 1941. In particular, the article presents what documents were submitted by the applicant to the university, what reviews were written on his thesis, and how he passed the oral examination. German researchers confirmed the high scientific quality of Akhmet Temir’s thesis, which, in their opinion, besides having a serious linguistic base, was also truly innovative research, deserving high praise and setting new trends in Turkology. This peer-reviewed study was supported by experienced scholars. The thesis was submitted for defense in the very first phase of World War II; so, the political and military events had an impact on the defense procedure, as well as on the prospect of the thesis publication, which was eventually published only long afterwards, in 1956. The procedure itself included two stages an oral examination and a public defense of the thesis and lasted for two whole years Ahmet Temir received his Ph.D. degree only in July 1943.