dierswerenotusedtothelocalOttomangermsandbacteria,theMilitaryMis-
sion’scommandtriedtoreducetheriskoffoodpoisoning.OnlysomeOttoman
specialtieswereadvisableforconsumption:
“Carefullypreparedyoghurt(ifitismadefromboiledmilk)isunproblematicandisaval-
uable,intestinalcleansingfood.Ayranisrecommendedasagoodrefreshmentwhenitis
madefromgoodyoghurtandboiledorfiltratedwater[...].”²⁹¹ItisonthesegroundsthatthecuriosityoftheGermansoldiersforotherdelica-
ciesofOttomancuisinewasgenerated.YettheGermanmedicalservicewarned
theGermantroopsnottoeatoutsidethemilitarycanteens,sincesaladwasper-
ishableandprocessedmeat(likethesucuksausagesandtheköftemeatballs)
wereallegedlyflavored withsavoryspicetocoverthetaste ofthespoiled
meat.²⁹² Butthosewarningsdidnotderogatethesoldiers’interestintheir
ally’sfood.EventheGermanMilitaryMission’speriodicalranalengthyarticle
ontherotatingdönerskewer,atthosedaysafascinatingnewdelicacyforthe
Germansavailableeverywhereonthestreetsofthecapital.²⁹³Theauthorgave
adetailedaccountofthepreparationofthemeat,sincemanyoftheGerman
readersseemedtohavebeendistrustfulafterthewarningsoftheirmilitarydoc-
tors.The“Dönerspieß”washeatedbywoodcoalandwasreferredtoasthe
“Turkishnationalroast”(“dertürkischeNationalbraten”).Toincreasethedesir-
abilityforthisparticulardishamongtheGermanreadership,theservedmeal
wasdescribedas“meatschnitzel”.²⁹⁴
Alcoholwasalsoafavoredmediumofdistractionfromtheoccasionallybor-
ingdailyroutineatthebackoffice.BeerwasimportedfromGermanyandsoldin
theGermanmilitarymesshall(Soldatenheim).ThelocalBomontibreweryalso
enjoyedgreatpopularityamongtheGermansoldiers.²⁹⁵Officially,itwasforbid-
denandevendangeroustodrinkrakıspiritsinrestaurants,sincerakıwasadul-
teratedinsomecaseswithcheapindustrialalcoholduetowartimeshortagesof
“SanitäreVorschriftenfürmilitärischeVerpflegungsbetriebeundSoldatenheime,” 23 Au-
gust 191 7.BayHStAIVHS 2254.
GarrisonorderNo. 116 :“GesundheitlicheVerhaltungsmaßregeln,” 25 August 191 7.BayHStA
IVHS 2254.
OttoLotthammer,“TürkischeKüche,”AmBosporus 35 (27June1918).
Lotthammer,“TürkischeKüche”.
Onthelocalbreweriescf.MalteFuhrmann,“Beer,theDrinkofachangingWorld.BeerCon-
sumptionandProductionontheshoresoftheAegeaninthe19thCentury,”Turcica 45 (2 01 4),
95 – 100 .ThenewlybuiltSoldatenheimwaslocatedintoday’sİstiklalCaddesiNo. 51 .Wolf,Gal-
lipoli1 915 ,70.
TheWatchattheBosphorus:GermanSoldiersintheOttomanCapital 91