Fear and fascination
The changing image of Russia in Turkey
Deutsche Fassung
Abstract
For a long time, the Ottoman and Turkish image of Russia was characterised by a fear of the “hereditary enemy” in the north. Anti-communist Muslims who fled to Turkey after the October Revolution emphasised the repressive and expansive nature of the Soviet Union. Turkish attitudes towards Russia and the Russians were extremely negative. The interest taken by Turkish intellectuals in Russian literature and culture helped to improve this image. The most recent rapprochement between Ankara and Moscow continues to influence attitudes towards Russia, and so do current developments in international politics, such as the war in Syria and the decision by Russia and Turkey to turn their backs on Europe and the USA. However, the sense of fear and suspicion still persists.
(Osteuropa 10-12/2018, pp. 317–337)