Adynasty of Turkish subjectsnamedOflilivedin Minskin the XIX century. Surely it was not the only Turkish citizens living on the territory of Minsk, but the Oflifamily left their mark more than in the house registers. Their dynasty was a dynasty of bakers, which initially traded in the market of oriental sweets, and then opened an extensive confectionery and bakery chain under the name «Constantinople».

Ahmet Efendi Ofli-Zadeh, the founder of the network «Constantinople» became very successful and wealthy manover time of business development. The first mention of his name in history isassociated with an application to open a small bakery on the Bazarnayasquare.

The bakery was opened in a building in 1892 and was rented from Mr. Meltzer. Today National Bank of the Republic of Belarus is in this building. Later the bakery branch was opened on today’s Komsomolskaya Street, which was led by the brother of Ahmed - Khalif.

During several years several confectioneries were opened in Minsk, then in Bobruisk and some other cities. The Oflifamily opened a few groceries and coffee shops in addition to bakeries and confectioneries. Ahmed was the real king of confectionery.

There was a wide range of productsin the Ofli chain: fresh cakes, muffins, various oriental sweets and biscuits, manufacture of which they made themselves. Besides baking buyers were offered coffee and tea of the different species and varieties, chocolate and other «imported» products.

The production was very high, not only by the varietal composition but also by the quantitative. Despite the volumes, all products met the essential health and safety standards at the time. The quality was monitored very strictly.

An interesting fact is that Oflidid not sign any written agreements with their employees. It was all done verbally: all rights and obligations, and no one was deceived, each worked on conscience.

First, Belarusians were employedin the confectioneries, but thenonly Turkish havebegun to work since 1902. For an extreme exception. For example, a Russian worked as a managerof Ofli- NikolayOvanesov.

Ahmed himself lived with his wife Amineta in a luxurious and spacious three-storey mansion, which was built by his order. Unlike the confectionery buildings,it didn’t manage to keep in its original form. At the moment, it is being restored.

It is surprising that after the death of Ahmed confectionery management passed to his wife, not his brothers or other male relatives. Aminetahad successfully coped with her responsibilities before the start of the First World War. Despite the fact that all Turkish citizens deported from Minsk at the beginning of the war, the Ofliwidow was allowed to stay. And she stayed and continued to manage the confectionaries, though thesituation, of course, went down. The entireOfli familyleft Minsk in the end of the war and confectioneries ceased to exist.