Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

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driftwood
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Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#1

Post by driftwood » 08 Jun 2020, 19:42

Does anyone know how much chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis was done via sea vs. overland through Greece/Bulgaria? I'm also interested to learn if sea transport of these goods was mainly done on Turkish vessels, Axis vessels, or a combination of both. A third question I'll throw in is whether Turkish chromite was exported exclusively to Germany, or also to other Axis powers like Italy (as an end consumer rather than a transit point).

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Sheldrake
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#2

Post by Sheldrake » 08 Jun 2020, 22:05

Most Turkish chrome may have gone to the Allies.

The British government publication "What Britain has Done" (1945) made the claim that the Ministry of Economic Warfare had made preemptive purchases for all chrome from 1940 to the early part of 1943 and that in April 1944 Turkey agreed to suspend all shipments to Germany. If this is correct, the Germans had about a year's Chromite.

The British also bought up as much wool as the could from Spain and Turkey too.


driftwood
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#3

Post by driftwood » 09 Jun 2020, 05:47

Sheldrake wrote:
08 Jun 2020, 22:05
I've heard that too, but I've still seen no evidence to suggest that Turkey didn't export some quantity of chromite to Germany before 1944 under the terms of the German-Turkish Treaty of Friendship. I'm looking for info on any shipments that may have gone out to the Axis.

Carl Schwamberger
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#4

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 09 Jun 2020, 06:17

driftwood wrote:
09 Jun 2020, 05:47
...
I've heard that too, but I've still seen no evidence to suggest that Turkey didn't export some quantity of chromite to Germany before 1944 under the terms of the German-Turkish Treaty of Friendship. I'm looking for info on any shipments that may have gone out to the Axis.
My copy was purloined so I can't check, but would recommend Ellisis 'Brute Force'. He presented considerable statistics on critical materials & there may be what you are looking for.

driftwood
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#5

Post by driftwood » 09 Jun 2020, 06:24

Carl Schwamberger wrote:
09 Jun 2020, 06:17
Thanks for the suggestion. Doesn't seem like my local library has that one on their catalogue, but I'll try nosing around.

Carl Schwamberger
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#6

Post by Carl Schwamberger » 09 Jun 2020, 06:50

This paper seems to have some data: http://www.thesis.bilkent.edu.tr/0006102.pdf

Page 57 indicates a agreement to trade 180,000 tons of Chromite ore for specified German military supplies in 1943-1944. Other sources refer to railway equipment in exchange for the ore. I did not read far enough to see if there was a indication of how much ore was actually sent.

driftwood
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#7

Post by driftwood » 09 Jun 2020, 07:44

Carl Schwamberger wrote:
09 Jun 2020, 06:50
Thanks for that, I'll check it out.

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Andy H
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#8

Post by Andy H » 11 Jun 2020, 20:54

driftwood wrote:
08 Jun 2020, 19:42
Does anyone know how much chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis was done via sea vs. overland through Greece/Bulgaria? I'm also interested to learn if sea transport of these goods was mainly done on Turkish vessels, Axis vessels, or a combination of both. A third question I'll throw in is whether Turkish chromite was exported exclusively to Germany, or also to other Axis powers like Italy (as an end consumer rather than a transit point).
Hi Driftwood

Click and open this link and it should help, especially Chapters 3&4
https://opus4.kobv.de/opus4-fau/files/8 ... tation.pdf

Regards

Andy H

driftwood
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Re: Chromite shipping from Turkey to the Axis

#9

Post by driftwood » 11 Jun 2020, 21:01

Andy H wrote:
11 Jun 2020, 20:54
Cheers, I'll give it a read.

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