We, the FISCHER family, came from Mexico to Germany in 1931, on the condition that we would stay for one month.

My late father intended to go to Baghdad. He was a petroleum engineer. Due to a major surgery he underwent in Mexico, his leg was left disabled. At that time, in 1931, his plan was to settle in Germany permanently. He had spent his entire life working in foreign countries.

However, my father did not like the situation in Germany at the time. He used to say, “I will go abroad for a few more years, but I want to spend my final years in the place where I was born.” In 1943, he suffered a sudden heart attack and passed away at the age of 66.

The reason we stayed in Turkey was as follows:

At that time, there was a Deutsche Bank on Yüksek Kaldırım (Bankalar Caddesi), and its manager, Dr. Schmidt, visited our restaurant in Galatasaray with his wife after many years. He said, “Do you know, Mrs. Fischer, when you and your brother were children, I admired your father very much.” At that moment, he advised: “Mr. Fischer, do not go to Baghdad. You have two children that are growing up, and you will not find the necessary schools for their education there. Turkey is more suitable for education.” And thus, Fischer Restaurant in Tünel was established in 1931.

I want to tell you about a very important event. This incident almost led to a disaster.

It was a Sunday. My little brother was five years old at the time. Our shop was being restored, and the buffet was newly built. My father locked the shop for ten minutes to buy cigarettes, and we were inside. My little brother was playing with wooden pieces, sitting on the ground right in front of the door. Suddenly, a gunshot was heard, the bullet pierced through the glass of the door, passed just above my brother’s head, and embedded itself in the opposite wall. We were terrified. The shooters were jealous of us and wanted our shop to close down. They had hired a hitman to do this. Many similar incidents happened to us, but I do not want to burden you with more stories.

As a family, we always worked hard. My father became known as (BABA Fischer). Everyone loved him. He was a very cheerful and friendly person. This system continued until 1940, but then we separated. Because in 1939, I married someone my family did not approve of. We could not stay together. At that time, my father gave the shop to me as a gift. He said, “You continue, my daughter, I will now retire.” And he withdrew to his home in Tarabya.

However, since he was a very active person, he could not stay idle. One day, he came to me and said: “Türkan, there is a Nil Restaurant in Asmalımescit. I want to buy it. Don’t worry, I won’t be your competitor; everyone has their own risks, my daughter.” He ran it for two years, and one Sunday, he went to the German Moda Club with my brother. That evening, in my brother’s arms, he passed away in just a few seconds without any pain, leaving us forever.

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