The fez was the headgear worn by troops recruited from Bosnia-Herzegovina
during W.W.I.  This was a result of the Ottoman Turks and their influence in
the region during their brutal and barbaric suppression of the Orthodox
Christians for over 400 years.  The fez became a popular piece of headgear
in many Mediterranean countries.  The fez is also to be seen in the uniforms
of many of the Fascist armies during the middle of this century.

Wayne Hart, Executive Director
Museum of Valor
"What is Past is Prologue"

-----Original Message-----
From: C.F.William Maurer <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, March 11, 1999 5:54 PM
Subject: the fez thing


>Thinking about this for a minute... The last guy - beside Brother
Shriners -
>I remembr to wear a fez was old King Farouk, Egypt. He last "sultan" there.
>And, Ataturk did get rid of the sultans in the early 1920s in Turkey.  The
>"Austrian-Germany" "Czech" connection might be from WWIs "allies" with
>Turkey and Egypt? This is what I remember from somewhere.  Any help?
>
>Bill Maurer
>[log in to unmask]
>Director, Gomez Mill House
>Marlboro, NY
>http://www.gomez.org/
>