Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1911-12-28
Fooled THE TURKS
Vienna Bakers Saved Europe
From the Grip Of the Moslems.
CAUSE OF SOLYMAN'S DEFEAT.

Why Vienna Rolls Are Nodded In the
Form OF Crescent.
Do you know why Vienna rolls are
shaped like crpScenrsf The story
forms one of the great ifs of history.
SoIyman the Magnificent. sultan OF
Turkey. planltd To overrun Europe.
even as he aud his Mosem predeces-
socS had seized rhe countries of the
orient With a mighty army he cap
mred the fortified island of Rhodes
and invaded Hungary. annihiating the
Magyar forces al Mohacs lin l526i and
staying the Hungarian King.
So successful was the first o. pedition
that he planned second aud more far
reaching rad in 1929 Moving on
ward almost unchecked and carrying
all before him. he captured Buda aud
advanced against the city Of Vienna
All Europe stood aghast Nothing
had been able 10 stem the wave uf
MosIem conquest Men remembered
| how one eastern land after another
had been seized 10y the Mohammrdn
hurdes and forced to adop Mohain
mechanism AZ their religion t"upie
trrmhed for the fate OF Chrlstendom
! II seemed for Il moment almost pos
! sible thai he whole eastern secloh Of
the European continent might fall vie
| tim to the Turk and become part of
| the MoSlem possessions
TO nope for clemency from Soymau
| was TO rely upon the mercy OF the
mercileSs Conqmeriug one Christian
! army and stronghold after another. the
! sutan'S MI powerful army Threatened
| to carry destruction and Muhammed-
| apism throughout the continent 1t
! was one OF fate's big movements
! On moved the Turks Vienna then
| capital OF the German empire stood
! iii he'll path. Il seemingly frail obSla-
! che between such II host and The rest
| OF Europe should Vienna fan before
| the MoSlem onset the progress OF the
! sutan'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 CALAMITY
! 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. 81, 1929, that the
| enormous Turkish host laid siege to
| Vienna, Solyman conducting the affair
| in person. Before risking useless loss
| of life ia 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 body of men might
| later pour into the place and thus
| catch the defenders "betweeu two
| fires"
The cleverness of the Turkish engi
| neers and the countless workers at
their command made the task n swift
one. Here 1t was that an IF inter
vened TO save the threatened capital
| aud perhaps Europe as well
Some Vienna bakers were al work
! one night-sO the story runs--iu q eel
Tar. making bread tor the garrison
During pause IN their conversation
one OF the bakers happened 10 hear the
untitled sound OF digging 1t seemed
10 come from spot not tar beyond
one OF the cellar walls Guessing AT
once that the enemy was tunneHug a
way into the city, the bakers rushed
out and gave the alarm The garri-
son, aroused, was able 70 battle Soly.
mans plan
The sultan, failing at strategy. next
tried force. He hurled his army
against the city in one fierce assault
after another. The Niennese fought
ike heroes. Each attack was repulsed
with terrific loss 10 the Turks For
four entire days the MoSlemS assaIled
the city. fresh detarnmeuts ever tax
ing the places OF thoSr who reeled bach
defeated On the nttn day OF the rs
sault. Oct IA Sn!yman gave up the
attempt TO crush Vienna He with
drew sullenly from the scene OF his de.
feat, leaving SO.OOO dead Turks on the
held The price % conquest was for
once too higb tor him
Vienna was saved and not only 81.
emma, but Europe Vienna mad been
Europe's barrier against the Turks
farther advance and the barrier held
hrm fhe northern limit Of Europes
Turkish raids was reached
Once more in later years. Vienna
was besieged by the Moslems. and sue
again beat them OF The nigh tide
OF such invasion had come and reced.
ed Europe NJ large was nov rorever
secure from tins long dreaded foe
In the moment OF victory. according
10 the account. the bakers WHO nad
gwen the alarm were not forgotten
To commemorate the event they and
their descendants thenceforth nodded
their rolls into the shape OF a crescent
Che sacred emblem OF Turkey The
custom prevails to this day
Few Americans who are used TO see
lng crescent shaped Vienna rolls have
any idea now such rolls FIRST came TO