Turkish women's role in war "Mobilization Bread"

While their fathers, brothers, husbands, and even sons were fighting on the frontlines for the country's struggle, Turkish women who put their hands under the stone were an important part of the victories won. Sometimes they carried ammunition to the front, sometimes they tended to wounds behind the lines.

In both the Çanakkale epic and the War of Independence, their hands, labor, and support were always present.

During the days when mobilization was not only on the frontlines, they carried the prepared foods from all corners of Anatolia to the frontlines after days of travel. One of these foods was the "mobilization bread."

In the battle years, while women in the region prepared this special bread with flour, yogurt, olive oil, sugar, and sourdough yeast collected by the community, they would tie the loaded donkeys and travel to Çanakkale within 7 days. This bread, which supported the soldiers, who fought in the battle, with its power during the battle years, is still produced in Savaştepe district of Balıkesir. Fatma Erdil, who has been in the bakery business for 28 years, explains the story of this bread as follows:

"At that time, it was taken to Çanakkale for the war. When almost all the men in the village went to the front, a woman named Ayşe acted as the village head, which was equivalent to a muhtar. With the remaining women, they made this bread for their husbands and children who went to the front, filled the bags, tied them to the donkeys, and went to Çanakkale within 7 days. Since then, it has continued like this."

The most important two features of the mobilization bread are that it keeps one full and does not go stale for a long time.

This special bread, prepared with flour, yogurt, olive oil, sugar, and tarhana yeast that the people collected during the mobilization period, was registered with a geographical indication last year. Fatma Erdil, who emphasized that especially the people of the region have embraced the mobilization bread, said that traditions are continued and this is the reason why they stand.