Travels in the Orient

Jewish Orientalism?

In her book Susannah Heschel investigates the role of Islam in the emergence of a Jewish identity and seeks to pay tribute to the academic legacy of Jewish-German scholars of Islam of the 19th and 20th centuries. But the romantic narrative of a somewhat different kind of Orientalism has its pitfalls. By Ozan Keskinkilic

Pepper... a universally-used condiment

Delving into Peter Heine's cookbook, now also available in English, you are left with the feeling that he bit off more than he could chew. "The Culinary Crescent" reads like a mishmash of a thousand and one culinary arts. By Marcia Lynx Qualey

Around the world of Islam

Writer, nomad and feminist

Rather than perpetuate the romanticised image of the Orient commonplace in 19th century literature, writer and nomad Isabelle Eberhardt traversed and explored the Maghreb with a critical eye. She not only condemned French colonialism, but also the established gender roles of her era. By Melanie Christina Mohr

Freeloading in Iran

"Iran, Ordibehescht 1396" is the title of a new book about Iran. According to the publisher, the "travelogue" by Christian Welzbacher is "a call for dialogue with the supposed enemy". For reviewer Fahimeh Farsaie, it feels more like a catalogue of tired cliches about the Middle East

Cementing the Orientalist legacy

Over the course of over 800 pages, the British historian and broadcaster Bettany Hughes paints a dazzling picture of the history of Istanbul. Using vibrant and vivid language, she describes wars and battles, eunuchs and harems, but says little about everyday life in Istanbul or how the city grew and evolved. Ulrich von Schwerin read the book

How the Germans came to Iran

During the First World War, the German Empire allegedly attempted to incite Muslims to engage in a holy war against Russia and Great Britain. This common cliche is also often used to explain the long-standing relationship between Germany and Iran. Ali Sadrzadeh takes a closer look at German–Iranian relations 100 years ago

Andalusia begins in northern Morocco

Any journey to southern Spain, to Al-Andalus, is akin to the start of a dream that finds its beguiling continuation beyond the Pillars of Hercules, in the Andalusian cities of northern Morocco – Tangiers, Chefchaouen, Tetouan, Fes, Meknes, Larache and Asilah. The relationship between Morocco and Spain is closer than we think. By Mourad Kusserow

Deciphering the first written language

Some time around 3200 BC, humans living in the ancient Middle East developed the first written language. George Smith presented fragments of the Flood narrative from the ancient Middle Eastern story of Gilgamesh at a conference in London in 1872 – and mankind’s first epic was rediscovered. By Melanie Christina Mohr

Into the heart of Shia

Shia Islam is largely unknown to many people in the West. But pictures by the German photographer Hans Georg Berger taken in the centres of Shia Islam afford an unusually deep insight. By Mariam Brehmer

One of Turkey's Germans

The orientalist and journalist Friedrich Schrader was one of the first and most active cultural mediators between Germany and Turkey. Today, the founder of the "Osmanischer Lloyd" has been largely forgotten. By Ceyda Nurtsch

Closer to the unknown

With great attention to detail and understated humour, Christoph Peters′ new short story collection revolves around Western Europe′s well-known longing for wisdom and spiritual experiences from the East. By Volker Kaminski