Foreign and Local Construction Practices and the Formation of Ottoman Engineering in the Hejaz Railway Construction (1900-1908)

Abstract

Infrastructure projects were one of the most important elements of the reform processes in the Ottoman Empire in the 19th century. One of the central projects was the Hejaz railway line (1900-1908), which ran from Damascus to Medina through the Hejaz region in present-day Saudi Arabia and had a branch line to Haifa on the Mediterranean. For many of these technically demanding projects, foreign companies were engaged who were obliged to collaborate with local experts and labourers. This paper focuses on the Haifa-Dara line characterized by ambitious structures due to the rugged topography. A key person here was German engineer August Heinrich Meissner who facilitated the inclusion of Ottoman engineers (some graduates of the Hendese-i Mtilkiye and others educated in European schools). Meissner's apprenticeship model for Muslim and non-Muslim laborers played a crucial role in shaping the Hejaz railway project. The research investigates the Project's catalyzing role in the development of Ottoman civil engineering in the empire. It aims at a better understanding of how, rather than by whom, new technical knowledge of modern engineering practice was established in the empire. Archival research into diplomatic documents and foreign companies sheds light on the intertwined connections with European enterprises, particularly German ones. The discussion traces construction knowledge and organization, offering a better understanding of the technical, economic, and cultural impact of Ottoman control over foreign enterprises and highlighting the multifaceted implications of infrastructure projects in the complex execution of Ottoman railway projects.