The Dönme: Jewish Converts, Muslim Revolutionaries, and Secular Turks

Finally an intriguing account of a very important part of Turkey's history that is highly readable yet conforming to highest academic standards. I consider Dr. Baer a very brave person, because as far as I know the topic of 'dönme' or anything related to Sabetay Sevi is very controversial in Turkey. Conspiracy theories regarding those people (who are often called 'Sabetayist' in Turkish) are dime a dozen. It is only after reading this book that I gained an amount of more or less objective knowledge about this part of Turkish - Ottoman history. The author not only provides a great deal of references (as should any respectable historian do) but also provides his sociological analyses of a people who witnessed huge transformations such as the catastrophic forced population exchange (between Greece and Turkey) during 1920s, the fall of Ottoman empire and foundation of Turkish republic and the changing role of religion throughout these big events.There are still some mysterious parts which probably need more light to be shed upon but I think this will require another book and maybe further interviews. The author says that the topic was considered to be very sensitive by some of the people he interviewed and some of them who accepted to give information refused to do so after a week. I think this shows that the topic is still very alive for these group of people whom Muslims did not consider real Muslims and claimed that they were Jews, yet at the same time Jewish communities plainly claimed that those people were not Jews and followed the orders of a false prophet, a heretic according to them. As if this was not enough, those 'dönme' people from Thessaloniki were also engaged with Sufi orders to complicate the analysis even more. I guess when people are looking for clear-cut categories, black and white distinctions, not being identified 'cleanly' with a 'well established and more or less accepted' category poses a lot of problems for some.I really wonder what the reactions will be when (and if) this book is translated into Turkish, it may put an end into some of the conspiracy theories (because the author claims that based on his research the people who were supposed to follow Sabetay Sevi are no longer a closed group, they married with other people and assimilated into the general Turkish population long time ago) or at the same time it may trigger even more conspiracy theories (thinking about Dr. Yalçin Küçük, a famous Turkish author who is one of the champions of these kind of conspiracy theories, I'm inclined to believe that this option is a strong one).I sincerely recommend this book to anybody who wants to understand the early years of Turkish Republic as well as the Ottoman period with its events that led to the new country better. The reactions as well as strategies employed by a very interesting and highly intellectual group of people who really had a very mysterious position and did not marry outside of their group for a very long time is anything but boring. Dr. Baer wrote one of the most exciting history books I've read for a long time. If only I could go back in time to visit that fountain built by Hamdi Bey, the mayor of Selanik then, and which delivered cherry juice...

The book creates a story of a different sect or even a sect of crypto Jews when in fact it is the political agitations and policies of mainly the eccentric and paranoid Abdulhamid II and later the ​Jeune Turkler /CUP (who were the actual rulers in the Ottoman empire from 1908) to divide and rule and to show (in the case of JT/CUP) that all other ethnicities apart from Turks were weaving conspiracies against them. Ataturk was of course part of the CUP , and by the end of the first world war and the Allied occupation of Istanbul, not wanting any competition, steered himself away from them as a true power-thirsty politician.Anyway, there is nothing wrong in having an ethnically different minority try to preserve its traditions and intermarry amongst itself just like the Chechens and Circassians in many a country : a big and clear example is Jordan . Both of these communities (the Chechens and Circassians) are moslems and very rarely marry their daughters or sons to other ethnicities Arab or otherwise. They still have their own language, traditions, food, songs, and culture in general.The Donme where victims to the CUP and later Ataturkish paranoid policies of trying to create a nation with no ties to the past nor to any ethnicities save one.The author has depended in certain places on reports by the Paranoid Intelligence Apparatus of the Paranoid Abdulhamid II who fed him (Abdulhamid II) a lot of rubbish on almost everything and every constituent community of the Ottonan Empire. The author cited some newspaper articles (based on similar intelligence reports as mentioned above) that discredit and paint the Donme in a perverted light.The Donme are no different to other special communities like the Chechens and Circassians of Jordan.

A very interesting book that ultimately discusses nationalism and how race and religion determine who is a trusted member of society. The period of the population exchanges between Greece and Turkey are especially interesting. What is the definition of Jewish or Muslim or Turk? And if someone converts to another religion (especially Jews) why are they not fully accepted and seen as "crypto" secret actors. The book is very relevant to today's nationalist anti-globalist movement and the cosmopolitan vs. nationalist political battles as well. For those of us who like to think of ourselves as "world citizens" and "tribeless", and who do international business via the internet, this dönme topic is very relevant.

Deserves a big applause. Well articulated, diligent work. Also interesting to see an independent unbiased viewpoint from a researcher outside Turkey.It must have been very hard to find and analyse the material and sometimes conflicting verbal communications thoroughly. Marc has created a really good material presenting the situation on this very sensitive subject of cultural, economic, and religious interactions and the transformation, considering the participation of dönmes in society and management not only during the Ottoman times but also within the young republic.Read, understand and learn!

You can't find any conspiracy theories in this book which is a relief. An unbiased, detailed study on Dönme people, how they live, how they coped with the changes after First World War.

Very interesting book if you are Turkish and of Jewish origin and wonder where you came from.Difficult book to read.I found it rather boring.

Very interesting

Great cover , looks great on the book shelf , and the information is great.

I finnaly bought this book and been able to read about this sect. It is an amazing insight on the group. I learned a lot about them.