The Balkan War began on October 18, 1912, when the Bulgarian army, supported by the Serbs, trampled on Turkish territory, and Edirne was completely surrounded within a few days. The city remained under this relentless siege for exactly 155 days until March 26, 1913, when it fell into enemy hands. The Bulgarian army, defeating Ottoman forces decisively, had taken control of all of Thrace up to Çatalca, leaving only the former capital of the empire, Edirne, like an island in the middle of the sea.
In the city, 140,000 people were living, including 60,000 military personnel and 80,000 civilians. Around 25-30 thousand Muslim refugees, escaping from different regions of the Balkans in fear for their lives were added to this crowded population. Cut off from any assistance and unable to communicate with the outside world, tens of thousands of people, under the leadership of Şükrü Pasha, displayed an unprecedented resistance against the artillery of the allied forces, as well as hunger, freezing cold, and epidemic diseases.
This book, written by Enver ŞENGÜL is about the epic resistance of Edirne against Bulgarian army and allies.
Note: The book is in Turkish (not translated yet).
Türkçe