Germany’s Political and Economic Interests in West Turkestan: 1900s–1930s

Abstract

Introduction. The German Empire was late to the colonial stage and soon witnessed the inefficiency of investment in subject economies across Africa. So, it started looking for more developed and resource-rich territories. As a result, the affluent Turkestan attracted Germany’s attention. Goals. The article examines political and economic interests of Germany in Turkestan in the 1900s to 1930s. The period is characterized by turbulent political processes, dramatic changes in Germany — and covers the imperial and Weimar eras coupled with the increasing attention to Turkestan. Materials and methods. The study focuses on documents contained in German repositories. The paper employs the historical systemic method which makes it possible to consider the subject under study as part of a comprehensively organized system. The principle of historicism also serves as a research method thereto since it implies historical insights into the emergence and evolution of the policy of German authorities in Turkestan — in the context of actual historical realities inherent to Germany’s development in the 1900s to 1930s. Results. The work analyzes some prerequisites for the emergence of German economic interests in Turkestan, reveals certain narratives as evidence of Germany’s increased attention to Turkestan during WWI and the Treaty of Rapallo. Conclusions. It is shown that Germany did lack a well-developed, coherent strategy for Turkestan and Central Asia at large.