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FLOWERS OF TURKEY
Gerhard Pils
Kurdish Info, Germany
http://www.kurdishinfo.com/modules.php?nam e=News&file=article&sid=5010
Nov 26 2006
Kurdishinfo-I am the Austrian teacher, who had to leave Turkey because
of mentioning the word "Kurdistan" in a completely apolitical member
in the Austrian school in Istanbul.
During the last decades Turkey experienced an enormous touristic
boom. At present about 20million visitors are pouring into the country
each year, among thema considerable number with an interest in Turkeys
natural beauties. Unfortunately this desire to learn more about nature
is hindered gravely by the lack of well illustrated literature. With
4153 species of ferns and flowering plants infull colour this
book intends toclose the gap.It should make plant identifications
mucheasier for both, professional botanists but also interested
"laymen" as entomologists, geographers, gardeners ornaturalists.
Knowledge of the Turkish Flora is still rather rudimentary in
comparisonwith the situation in European countries. This is due
partly to its highbotanic diversity, but also to the peculiar
development of scientific botany in Turkey. Until the middle of the
20. century, floristic exploration was mainlydone by foreigners. The
most importantof these early pioneers was PIERRE EDMOND BOISSIER,a
Swisscitizen. Withhis monumental "Flora Orientalis"(5 vols.,
1867-1888) he laid the fundamentals for all further research
in this area. The first local botanist with an international
reputation was GEORGES VINCENT AZNAVOUR (1861-1920), a wealthy
Armenian of Christianconfession. His collection of plants fromthe
Bosporus regioncomprised about 20.000 samples. After his deathTurkish
botanyagain sank back into stagnation. One possible reason was repeated
ethnic cleansing by the Turkish Republic. Thereby a considerable part
of the intelligentsia was slaughtered or expulsed, namely Armenians
andGreeks.
A final impetus to the explorationof the Turkish flora came from
the Flora of Turkey Project (DAVIES & al. 1965-2000). Specialists
frommany European countries contributed to this monumental work. One
of the most active collectors at that time wasmy compatriot Mrs.
FRIEDERIKE SORGER(Linz). Her private herbarium of Turkish plants
finally comprised about 33,000 samples. The Flora ofTurkey Project was
also a considerable stimulus for the development of systematic botany
in Turkey. Inconsequence the last supplement to the "Flora of Turkey"
was already published by an exclusively Turkish team of scientists
(GUENER & al. 2000).
The present book is the result of my 5-years stay as a teacher at the
Austrian school ("Avusturya Lisesi") inIstanbul. Fieldwork for this
project was originally planned for at least 8 years. Unfortunately,
however, my Turkish work permit was withdrawn suddenly in summer
2004. TheTurkish authorities argued that I was ~Da danger to the
security of the Turkish Republic". But apart froma single use of
the word "Kurdistan" in a completely apolitical manner there was
no concrete accusation whatsoever against me. Unfortunately, the
Austrian government showed no interest at all in startingdiplomatic
quarrels with the Turks because of this human rights violation
against an Austrian teacher.Therefore all my attempts to take legal
steps against this completely arbitrary verdict were underminedby
the Austrian authorities. In the end also my wife lost her jobat the
Austrian school and we had to leave Turkey*
*The withdrawal of my working permit was an obvious violation of
articles 6 und 8 of the Human RightsConvention (right for a fair
trial, protection of the family) and the Agreement of Association
between Turkey and the EU. Nonetheless theAustrian education ministry
ordered my immediate transfer back to Austria,refusing any possibility
of objection. In addition the Austrian ministry of foreign affairs
did everything possibleto hinder my defence against the Turkish
verdict. For form's sake the lawyer of the Austrian embassyin
Ankarawas entrusted with my defence.But the man did not even write
a simple objection in time. In last minute I had todo everything by
myself, including translation works. Then at the crucial moment of
deciding over a suit against the Turkish authorities, I was forced
to renounce due to false informations from the ministry. Attempts
of the Austrian Television Company (ORF) to inform the public about
the affair were blocked. Only some monthslater, when my case already
had been discussed in the Austrian press, the ORF was allowed to
report; but thiswas done in a completely one-sided manner. Finally
the education ministrydirectly intervened, forbidding any further
information of the press. But the peak of hypocrisy was reached by
Dr. U.Plassnik, Austrian minister for foreign relations, when she
informed the public about her personal efforts to solve my case. As
far as I can judge,these efforts had been purely symbolic. Their
intention was to deceive the public over the previous nine month of
continuous sabotage byher own ministry.
With our return to Austria my botanical projects in Turkey came to
an abrupt end. Also this book could not be finished in the planned way.
A lot of species I would have liked to include could not be
photographed any more (e.g. Phelypaea tournefortii, Zelkova
carpinifolia). But nonetheless about 45% of the Turkish Flora could be
illustrated, making this photo guide by far the most comprehensive
one for Mediterranean, Black Sea and Irano-Turanian flora. As I
intended to keep the book within reasonable dimensions, text hat to
be limited to an absolute necessary minimum. Therefore no keys were
added. For non specialists they would be of a rather limited use,
whereas for scientific purposes they never could replace the use of
"Flora of Turkey".
The preparation of a book of this kind would have been completely
impossible without the continuous support of my wife Inge. In the first
years she was a most reliable and patient companion on my journeys to
the most remote corners of Anatolia. At this time we climbed together
a lot of the best known peaks of the country. After the birth of our
son Felix, she took by far the bigger part of parental obligations,
thus keeping me free for further work on the project.
Another crucial point was access to scientific literature. In Turkey
I was confronted with such a lot of bureaucratic obstacles that I
decided to do my literature studies whenever possible in Austria.
Most disappointing was the refusal of admitting loans, photocopies
or photos by the Istanbul office of WWF, which is in custody of a
rather interesting collection of local botanical literature.
The contrast to the generous and always friendly treatment by my
Austrian colleagues could not have been greater. Dr. G. Leute and Dr.
R. Eberwein, both botanists at the Karnter Landesherbar, gave me free
access to scientific literature in a completely unbureaucratic way.
The same is valid for the botanists at the Vienna Natural History
Museum, Dr. E. Vitek und Dr. B. Wallnofer as well as for Doz. Dr. F.
Speta (Biologiezentrum Linz). The latter also controlled my
identifications of Scilla and Ornithogalum and identified Ornithogalum
cydni, not included in Flora of Turkey. Mag. H.
Standhartinger (Linz) had the kindness to review the English text.
All of them I would like to thank for their help.
Gerhard Pils
Kurdish Info, Germany
http://www.kurdishinfo.com/modules.php?nam e=News&file=article&sid=5010
Nov 26 2006
Kurdishinfo-I am the Austrian teacher, who had to leave Turkey because
of mentioning the word "Kurdistan" in a completely apolitical member
in the Austrian school in Istanbul.
During the last decades Turkey experienced an enormous touristic
boom. At present about 20million visitors are pouring into the country
each year, among thema considerable number with an interest in Turkeys
natural beauties. Unfortunately this desire to learn more about nature
is hindered gravely by the lack of well illustrated literature. With
4153 species of ferns and flowering plants infull colour this
book intends toclose the gap.It should make plant identifications
mucheasier for both, professional botanists but also interested
"laymen" as entomologists, geographers, gardeners ornaturalists.
Knowledge of the Turkish Flora is still rather rudimentary in
comparisonwith the situation in European countries. This is due
partly to its highbotanic diversity, but also to the peculiar
development of scientific botany in Turkey. Until the middle of the
20. century, floristic exploration was mainlydone by foreigners. The
most importantof these early pioneers was PIERRE EDMOND BOISSIER,a
Swisscitizen. Withhis monumental "Flora Orientalis"(5 vols.,
1867-1888) he laid the fundamentals for all further research
in this area. The first local botanist with an international
reputation was GEORGES VINCENT AZNAVOUR (1861-1920), a wealthy
Armenian of Christianconfession. His collection of plants fromthe
Bosporus regioncomprised about 20.000 samples. After his deathTurkish
botanyagain sank back into stagnation. One possible reason was repeated
ethnic cleansing by the Turkish Republic. Thereby a considerable part
of the intelligentsia was slaughtered or expulsed, namely Armenians
andGreeks.
A final impetus to the explorationof the Turkish flora came from
the Flora of Turkey Project (DAVIES & al. 1965-2000). Specialists
frommany European countries contributed to this monumental work. One
of the most active collectors at that time wasmy compatriot Mrs.
FRIEDERIKE SORGER(Linz). Her private herbarium of Turkish plants
finally comprised about 33,000 samples. The Flora ofTurkey Project was
also a considerable stimulus for the development of systematic botany
in Turkey. Inconsequence the last supplement to the "Flora of Turkey"
was already published by an exclusively Turkish team of scientists
(GUENER & al. 2000).
The present book is the result of my 5-years stay as a teacher at the
Austrian school ("Avusturya Lisesi") inIstanbul. Fieldwork for this
project was originally planned for at least 8 years. Unfortunately,
however, my Turkish work permit was withdrawn suddenly in summer
2004. TheTurkish authorities argued that I was ~Da danger to the
security of the Turkish Republic". But apart froma single use of
the word "Kurdistan" in a completely apolitical manner there was
no concrete accusation whatsoever against me. Unfortunately, the
Austrian government showed no interest at all in startingdiplomatic
quarrels with the Turks because of this human rights violation
against an Austrian teacher.Therefore all my attempts to take legal
steps against this completely arbitrary verdict were underminedby
the Austrian authorities. In the end also my wife lost her jobat the
Austrian school and we had to leave Turkey*
*The withdrawal of my working permit was an obvious violation of
articles 6 und 8 of the Human RightsConvention (right for a fair
trial, protection of the family) and the Agreement of Association
between Turkey and the EU. Nonetheless theAustrian education ministry
ordered my immediate transfer back to Austria,refusing any possibility
of objection. In addition the Austrian ministry of foreign affairs
did everything possibleto hinder my defence against the Turkish
verdict. For form's sake the lawyer of the Austrian embassyin
Ankarawas entrusted with my defence.But the man did not even write
a simple objection in time. In last minute I had todo everything by
myself, including translation works. Then at the crucial moment of
deciding over a suit against the Turkish authorities, I was forced
to renounce due to false informations from the ministry. Attempts
of the Austrian Television Company (ORF) to inform the public about
the affair were blocked. Only some monthslater, when my case already
had been discussed in the Austrian press, the ORF was allowed to
report; but thiswas done in a completely one-sided manner. Finally
the education ministrydirectly intervened, forbidding any further
information of the press. But the peak of hypocrisy was reached by
Dr. U.Plassnik, Austrian minister for foreign relations, when she
informed the public about her personal efforts to solve my case. As
far as I can judge,these efforts had been purely symbolic. Their
intention was to deceive the public over the previous nine month of
continuous sabotage byher own ministry.
With our return to Austria my botanical projects in Turkey came to
an abrupt end. Also this book could not be finished in the planned way.
A lot of species I would have liked to include could not be
photographed any more (e.g. Phelypaea tournefortii, Zelkova
carpinifolia). But nonetheless about 45% of the Turkish Flora could be
illustrated, making this photo guide by far the most comprehensive
one for Mediterranean, Black Sea and Irano-Turanian flora. As I
intended to keep the book within reasonable dimensions, text hat to
be limited to an absolute necessary minimum. Therefore no keys were
added. For non specialists they would be of a rather limited use,
whereas for scientific purposes they never could replace the use of
"Flora of Turkey".
The preparation of a book of this kind would have been completely
impossible without the continuous support of my wife Inge. In the first
years she was a most reliable and patient companion on my journeys to
the most remote corners of Anatolia. At this time we climbed together
a lot of the best known peaks of the country. After the birth of our
son Felix, she took by far the bigger part of parental obligations,
thus keeping me free for further work on the project.
Another crucial point was access to scientific literature. In Turkey
I was confronted with such a lot of bureaucratic obstacles that I
decided to do my literature studies whenever possible in Austria.
Most disappointing was the refusal of admitting loans, photocopies
or photos by the Istanbul office of WWF, which is in custody of a
rather interesting collection of local botanical literature.
The contrast to the generous and always friendly treatment by my
Austrian colleagues could not have been greater. Dr. G. Leute and Dr.
R. Eberwein, both botanists at the Karnter Landesherbar, gave me free
access to scientific literature in a completely unbureaucratic way.
The same is valid for the botanists at the Vienna Natural History
Museum, Dr. E. Vitek und Dr. B. Wallnofer as well as for Doz. Dr. F.
Speta (Biologiezentrum Linz). The latter also controlled my
identifications of Scilla and Ornithogalum and identified Ornithogalum
cydni, not included in Flora of Turkey. Mag. H.
Standhartinger (Linz) had the kindness to review the English text.
All of them I would like to thank for their help.