While the debates over the political nickname “Topuklu Efe” continue, here is the proud yet sorrowful story of an unsung hero of the War of Independence: the child heroine Corporal Nezahet Baysel, known among the soldiers as “Topuklu Efe.”
One of the child heroes of the War of Independence, Corporal Nezahet (Baysel), nicknamed “Topuklu Efe” (Efe on high heels) by the soldiers, lost her mother to tuberculosis when she was 8 years old. Born in 1908 in Xanthi (İskeçe), young Nezahet grew up alongside her father, Colonel Hafız Halit Bey, commander of the 70th Regiment. Raised among soldiers, she joined her father on the front lines and fought in the Battle of Geyve, the Konya Rebellion, the First and Second Battles of İnönü, as well as the Battles of Sakarya and Gediz.
With her bravery, she became the symbol of the 70th Regiment. Among the soldiers, her courage and fearlessness earned her the name “Topuklu Efe.” During the Battle of Gediz, an incident led to her being awarded the rank of corporal.
“I Am Going to Die Next to My Father”
During fierce clashes in the battle, while some soldiers fled, Topuklu Efe stood in their way and shouted: “I am going to die next to my father, where are you going?” With this defiant stance, she inspired the soldiers to return to the battlefield.
A Medal Was Decided, but Never Given
Nezahet’s heroism during the war was brought up in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey on January 30, 1921, after the proclamation of the Republic. It was proposed that she be awarded the Independence Medal. There was even discussion of making her a formal soldier, granting her the rank of brigadier general, and honoring her as “Madame Pasha.” In the end, it was decided that she would receive the Independence Medal. But the decision was left forgotten on the dusty shelves of Parliament.
Sixty-five years later, when a journalist brought the issue back to light, Speaker of the Parliament Necmettin Karaduman presented her with a certificate of appreciation. On July 6, 1986, in Dolmabahçe Palace, Nezahet Onbaşı, then 78 years old, was finally given a plaque of gratitude. The “Topuklu Efe” of the War of Independence passed away in 1994 at GATA (Gülhane Military Medical Academy).
In 2013, her long-forgotten Independence Medal was finally awarded posthumously to her great-granddaughter Gizem Ünaldı, the daughter of her granddaughter Şebnem Üçok.
Encounter with Mustafa Kemal Pasha: “A Wolf’s Child Becomes a Wolf”
Her life was later turned into a book by screenwriter and author Ozan Bodur, titled “The Hero Forgotten by Parliament: Nezahet.” Bodur recounted in an interview that Nezahet Onbaşı once met Mustafa Kemal Pasha at the front:
“As Commander-in-Chief, Mustafa Kemal Pasha was inspecting the troops. Rows of strong men stood side by side, and he observed them with approval. When he reached the end, there was a gap, and he lowered his gaze—there stood a child. A child who did not fit the height or stature of the others, which surprised him. Next to him was Arif Pasha, nicknamed ‘The Bear Tamer.’ Mustafa Kemal turned to him and said: ‘Arif Bey, didn’t I order you not to enlist children into the army?’ Arif Pasha replied: ‘This is Nezahet, the daughter of Hafız Halit Pasha. A wolf’s child becomes a wolf, Pasha.’ Surprised, Mustafa Kemal listened to her story and caressed her cheeks with affection.”
Bodur also explained how the parliamentary decision to award her the Independence Medal was forgotten:
“That decision was left in the dusty archives of Parliament. While reading parliamentary records, I wondered: ‘Was this girl ever given her medal?’ That curiosity led me to write the book. For 92 years, the first Independence Medal of the Turkish Republic had never been delivered. It was a tragedy. Nezahet Baysel was heartbroken that her medal was never given to her. Her heroism continued in the Second Battle of İnönü as well, where she once again stood at the front of the 70th Regiment. It was Derviş Pasha who first granted a girl the rank of corporal. That’s how she became known as ‘Corporal Nezahet.’”
Years later, Bodur noted, when Nezahet Baysel was invited to a reception by Atatürk, she and her husband Rıfat Bey decided it would be inappropriate to bring up the medal issue since everyone in the hall was a hero of the War of Independence. Though the matter resurfaced during the İnönü and Menderes governments, it was once again forgotten.
“They Denied Me a Single Independence Medal in This Whole Nation”
Bodur also recalled:
“The President of the Association of Former Parliamentarians once invited Nezahet Baysel to a program at Dolmabahçe Palace. She was very excited—by then very old, but personally called by the Speaker of Parliament. She prepared herself, thinking, ‘I will finally receive my medal.’ But at the ceremony, they presented her only with a porcelain plate. Heartbroken, she left the palace in tears. Before she passed away at GATA, her last words to her daughter İnci were: ‘In this whole nation, they begrudged me even one Independence Medal.’”
