The first issue of Büyük Mecmua was headquartered in Cağaloğlu, İstanbul, and appeared on 6 March 1919.[1] Sabiha and Zekeriya Sertel were among the founders of the magazine, which aimed to raise the awareness among people about the significance of unity and support for the Independence War.[2] The magazine adopted a secularist and modernist approach.[3]
The license holder for the first seven issues were Zekeriya Sertel.[2] He was imprisoned for his articles published in Büyük Mecmua that criticised the authorities for their inability to stop invasion of the Ottoman Empire by the West.[4] Following Zekeriya Sertel's imprisonment the license holder became his wife, Sabiha Sertel.[2][5] The publisher was Diken Publishing Company.[1] The magazine's first five issues were published weekly on Thursdays, but it then became a biweekly publication.[1]
The magazine covered many topics from political articles and women-related issues to arts, literary work and poems.[1] It also featured caricatures and presented some polls concerning the political situation of the country such as the implementation of Wilsonian principles and the future of the Turkish National Movement.[1] The contributors of Büyük Mecmua in addition to Sabiha and Zekeriya Sertel included many significant authors: Halide Edib Adıvar, Falih Rıfkı Atay, Faruk Nafiz Çamlıbel, Mehmed Fuad Köprülü, Ahmet Rasim and Ömer Seyfettin.[3][6] Sabiha Sertel's early writings on feminism were published in Büyük Mecmua.[4]
After publishing a total of 17 issues, Büyük Mecmua folded in 1920.[1]