The Law of Army Conscription: with Addenda. Translated from the original Turkish. Dated 1332 according to the Ottoman calendar – 1914, on the eve of World War I (Was printed in 1916, as evident from the content). Laws of the Ottoman Army. The booklet was printed for the Jewish public in the Land of Israel in preparation for the conscription of Ottoman subjects into the army following the outbreak of the war. Azriel Press, Jerusalem – first edition. Rare.
The late 19th- and early 20th-century Ottoman army underwent significant reforms as part of broader modernization efforts. In 1908, following the Young Turks’ revolution, general conscription laws were enacted, introducing, for the first time, mandatory military service for minority populations, including Jews. On the eve of World War I (1914–1918), even before the Ottoman Empire officially entered the war alongside Germany, widespread conscription of local populations was implemented. The draft met with strong resistance from the Jewish community in the Land of Israel, which often sought to avoid service through various means, emigration, evasion, or paying exemption fees. The Ottoman army was multiethnic, comprising soldiers from across the empire – Arabs, Turks, Kurds, Jews, Christians, Balkans, and others. Despite its challenges, it played a significant role in the Middle Eastern theaters of war.
Among the many laws included in this booklet are the following: “Every Ottoman male is, according to this law, subject to military duty. The only exception is the imperial family of Ottoman lineage.” Military service was mandatory from the age of 18. The booklet outlines enlistment criteria, conditions for exemption, unit assignments, military taxation, special regulations for short-term service, and the conscription schedule. A section on physical requirements for combat service states: “The recruit is weighed and measured for height and chest circumference. A soldier for weapon-bearing service must be in excellent health, of stature, and physically fit according to the law – capable of bearing the hardships of war…”. Strict penalties are established for draft evasion. One clause states:
“Those caught after the age of 35, even if deemed fit for service, will not be placed in combat units but will be assigned to five years of construction and roadwork, and for the remaining years of military obligation will be taxed accordingly.” The booklet also details exemption payments (kofer nefesh), and more.
45 pages. Original softcover. Very good condition.
