Smyrna times., 1911-08-02
FOILED The TURKS
Vienna Bakers Saved Europe
From the Grip of the MoSIemS.
CAUSE OF SoLYMAN'S DEFEAT.

Carries With 1t an Explanation OF |
Why Vienna Rolls Are Nodded In the
Form of Crescent.
Do you know why Vienna rolls are |
shaped like creScents2 The story |
forms one of the great Ifs" of history. |
Solyman the Magnificent, sultan of |
Turkey. planned to overrun Europe, !
even as he and his Moslem predeces-
sors had seized the countries of the
orient With a mighty army he cap
tured the fortified island of Rhodes
and invaded Hungary, annihilating the
Magyar forces at MOhacs lin 1926 and
Staying the Hungarian king.
So successful was the first expedition
that he planned a second and more far
reaching raid in 1929. Moving on
ward almost unchecked and carrying
all before him. he captured Buda and
advanced against the city of Vienna.
All Europe stood aghast Nothing
had been able to stem the wave Of
Moslem conquest. Men remembered
how one eastern land after another
had been seized by the Mohammedan
hordes and forced to adopt MOham-
mechanism as their religion People
trembled for the fate of Christendom.
/ 1t seemed for a moment almost pos
sible that the whole eastern section of
the European continent might fall vic
tim to the Turk and become part of
the Moslem possessions.
To hope for clemency from SOlyman
was to rely upon the mercy of the
merciless. Conquering one Christian
army and stronghold after another, the
sultan's all powerful army threatened
to carry destruction and Mohammed-
anism throughout the continent 1t
was one of fate's big movements.
On moved the Turks. Vienna Chen
capital of the German empirel stood
in their path, a seemingly frail Obsta-
Gle between such host and the rest
OF Europe. Should Vienna fall before
the Moslem onset the progress of the
sultan's army would be made far easier
and other lesser cities would lose heart.
The inhabitants of Vienna were at
that time more renowned for culture
and thrift than for warfare. Yet un-
der Nicholas Won Salm they gallantly
proposed to defend their city against
the foe and to fight to the last gasp for
their imperiled homes. The Turks
drew near. destroying Vienna's sub
urbs. and encamped close to the town
itself.
1t was on Sept. 27, 1929, that the
enormous Turkish host laid siege tc
Vienna. SOlyman conducting the affair
in person. Before risking useless loss
Of life in a general assault the sultan
tried to make an entrance into the city
by means of tunnels. His soldiers
were set to work with pick and spade
to dig a secret underground way into
Vienna by which a body of men might
later pour into the place and thus
catch the defenders between two
fires"
The cleverness of the Turkish engi-
! neers and the countless workers at
.. their command made the task a swift
one. Here it was that an ''if'' inter
vened to save the threatened capital
and perhaps Europe as well.
Some Vienna bakers were at work
one night-so the story runs-in a eel
lar. making bread for the garrison
During pause In their conversation
one of the bakers happened to hear the
muttied sound OF digging. 1t seemed
to come from a spot not far beyond
one OF the cellar walls. Guessing al
once that the enemy was tunneling g
way into the city, the bakers rushed
out and gave the alarm. The garri
son, aroused, was able to battle SOly
4 mans plan.
The sultan, failing at strategy. mex
! tried force. He hurled his army
: against the city in one fierce assault
8 after another. The Viennese Tough
; like heroes. Each attack was repulseC
Z with terrific loss to the Turks. Fo
4 four entire days the Moslems assaileC
! the city. fresh detacnments ever TAX
ing the places of those who reeled bacl
I defeated. On the fifth day of the as
; sault. Oct IA. Solyman gave up tn
attempt to crush Vienna. He with
! drew sullenly from the scene OF his de
ACaAs tC0NAhS OOsOOO hfti0 vi No Ol III
field. The price OF conquest was 70
) once too nigh for him.
1 Vienna was saved. and not only v
D emma. but Europe Vienna had bee
) Europe's barrier against the Turks
farther advance. and the barrier bel
s firm. The northern limit of Europe
y Turkish raids was reached
I Once more in later years. Vienn
2 was besieged by the Moslems, and sh
again beat them of. The high lid
Of such invasion had come and rece'
y ed Europe at large was now fOrevt
: secure from This long dreaded foe.
d In the moment of victory. accOrdin
- TO the account. the bakers who ma
- given the alarm were not forgottei
a To commemorate the event they an
their descendants thenceforth molde
their rolls into the shape OF a crescei
(the sacred emblem of Turkey. II
custom prevails to this day.
Few Amorioaus who nj "a. rsad IN 90