The Albanians of Macedonia

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  • Вардарец
    Member
    • Sep 2008
    • 122

    The Albanians of Macedonia

    When i was younger, i always thought that the Albanians migrated in the Balkans/Macedonia during Ottoman times. I was wrong, but partly.

    The first mention of Albanians in the Balkans is in the early 11 century, but that doesn't apply for Macedonia alone.

    As most Macedonians are, i am also irritated when the Albanians from the Republic of Macedonia claim that they are the oldest population in the region and label us as newcomers.

    Well, i don't deny their right to live in this lands. They have been here as long as the Turks, which would mean at least 500 years and i would be racist if i deny them the right to call Macedonia their home. 500 years is a very long time span.

    However, i was not able to find any sources mentioning Albanians living in Macedonia and Kosovo prior the Ottoman conquest of the region.

    I've seen in some books that they were given lands here because they accepted Islam (so they can balance the religious percentage of the land).

    So, i would really like to see any quote/source mentioning that Albanians live in the following areas: Kumanovo, Skopje, Tetovo, Gostivar, Struga and possibly Kosovo, prior to the Ottoman conquest of the region/Macedonia - the unofficial date being 1371 (After the Maritsa battle).

    I asked Epirot to provide me with some quotes in the other topic (Albanians and their supposed Illyrian origins, but he provided me with a quote from Ottoman times)

    Uskup is a stern place with a breath of the mountains upon it. It is but an eight hours’ journey from Salonica, but, thanks to the restrictions of travel and intercourse, wholly free of a Levantine atmosphere. It is peopled principally by Arnauts – as the Turks call the Albanians – and Slavs, both men of character, though their morals are of a peculiar code.
    (The Balkan trial [i.e. trail]Autorzy Frederick Moore, pg.185
    What am i looking for is a quote that Albanians live in the above mentioned regions before the arrival of the Ottoman Turks, and not that Illyrians, Thracians, Dacians and Moesians live in this region prior the Ottoman conquest.

    Fellow Macedonians and Albanians (all others are welcomed too), lets discuss this and shred some light to the topic. I am really tired of Albanians labeling me as a newcomer in my own country.

    Please, prove your existence in these regions by citing some medieval sources.
    For the glory of the Hellenes! Abandon orthodoxy and join your true religion! http://www.hellenicreligion.gr/... Zeus awaits you!
  • Onur
    Senior Member
    • Apr 2010
    • 2389

    #2
    Originally posted by Вардарец View Post
    So, i would really like to see any quote/source mentioning that Albanians live in the following areas: Kumanovo, Skopje, Tetovo, Gostivar, Struga and possibly Kosovo, prior to the Ottoman conquest of the region/Macedonia - the unofficial date being 1371 (After the Maritsa battle).

    This is kinda impossible or at least close to the impossible because arrival of Anatolian Turks was so early as you noted and before that date of 1371, Balkans was in constant turmoil since 7th AD. I don't think you can find a proper record for any minor society in Balkans, let alone specifically for Macedonia. If there was Albanians in there b4 1371, they would had to be an ally or enemy to the Byzantine Empire to be able to get mentioned in their archives. Or at least, they would had to be a lot in terms of population(which they wouldn't be). I mean they would had to be a significance to the Byzantines to be able to get mentioned in their records.

    Also, as i recently learned, earliest written Albanian text was from late 15th century, so you probably cannot find a proof for their presence earlier than that either.


    So, all you can find are the unprovable ancient Illyrian theories and post Ottoman reign records.






    I've seen in some books that they were given lands here because they accepted Islam (so they can balance the religious percentage of the land).
    This cant be the truth because no one could get an ownership of a certain territory just because they were muslims. For example, Ottoman Empire ruled not only in Balkans, in whole middle-east too and these lands was belonged to the Turks again, not the Arabs. There is only one thing; Ottoman government could displace and relocate certain people if there was a disagreement or disharmony among the people but this was never in huge numbers which can be called as exile or expulsion except the case with Armenians at eastern Anatolia in 1915. If something like that would happen, we would know now.

    Ottoman governments didn't even care for the percentages of muslims and christians in Balkans either. For example, %95 of Turkish people in Balkans lived in Macedonia(including Aegean side) and Bulgaria, between Salonika at south to Kosovo at furthest north. Why you think? because of fertile soil of these places, for agriculture. Most Turkish crowded land was always Aegean Macedonia and this proves that these people settled here all by their own needs. If Ottoman governments would care for religious percentages, they could easily settle these people to current Serbia, Hungary, Romania, southern Greece etc. They wouldn't have any problem to find Turkish people either, since Anatolia and Caucasus was full of them.
    Last edited by Onur; 08-18-2010, 07:26 PM.

    Comment

    • Soldier of Macedon
      Senior Member
      • Sep 2008
      • 13669

      #3
      Good luck!
      In the name of the blood and the sun, the dagger and the gun, Christ protect this soldier, a lion and a Macedonian.

      Comment

      • Вардарец
        Member
        • Sep 2008
        • 122

        #4
        Originally posted by Onur View Post
        This is kinda impossible or at least close to the impossible because arrival of Anatolian Turks was so early as you noted and before that date of 1371, Balkans was in constant turmoil since 7th AD. I don't think you can find a proper record for any minor society in Balkans, let alone specifically for Macedonia. If there was Albanians in there b4 1371, they would had to be an ally or enemy to the Byzantine Empire to be able to get mentioned in their archives. Or at least, they would had to be a lot in terms of population(which they wouldn't be). I mean they would had to be a significance to the Byzantines to be able to get mentioned in their records.

        Also, as i recently learned, earliest written Albanian text was from late 15th century, so you probably cannot find a proof for their presence earlier than that either.


        So, all you can find are the unprovable ancient Illyrian theories and post Ottoman reign records.
        Indeed Onur. By the way, i am pretty sure that the Romans recorded pretty much everything that settled in Macedonia (and the Balkans as a whole) during their rule in the region. There are dozens of quotes and texts about Anatolian populations (mainly Armenians) being resettled in the Balkans and Macedonia.








        Originally posted by Onur View Post
        Ottoman governments didn't even care for the percentages of muslims and christians in Balkans either. For example, %95 of Turkish people in Balkans lived in Macedonia(including Aegean side) and Bulgaria, between Salonika at south to Kosovo at furthest north. Why you think? because of fertile soil of these places, for agriculture. Most Turkish crowded land was always Aegean Macedonia and this proves that these people settled here all by their own needs. If Ottoman governments would care for religious percentages, they could easily settle these people to current Serbia, Hungary, Romania, southern Greece etc. They wouldn't have any problem to find Turkish people either, since Anatolia and Caucasus was full of them.
        Possible Onur, and yes i agree - the Turkish people were mainly concentrated in the regions that you described, but they were present in the whole peninsula, including the whole of modern day Greece (usually around the Aegean coast.)


        Originally posted by Onur View Post
        This cant be the truth because no one could get an ownership of a certain territory just because they were muslims. For example, Ottoman Empire ruled not only in Balkans, in whole middle-east too and these lands was belonged to the Turks again, not the Arabs. There is only one thing; Ottoman government could displace and relocate certain people if there was a disagreement or disharmony among the people but this was never in huge numbers which can be called as exile or expulsion except the case with Armenians at eastern Anatolia in 1915. If something like that would happen, we would know now.
        You are somewhat right, but please consider,

        After the Karposh uprising, many christians from the Gostivar, Tetovo, Skopje and Kumanovo regions in Macedonia and Kosovo, in order to avoid persecution by the Ottoman authorities for rebelling, and by the invitation of Leopold, moved in and settled in Austria, where later they formed their own battalions to combat the Ottoman Empire under the Austrian banner. Later, these christians from Macedonia and Kosovo were assimilated into the Austrian culture. (There are a lot of quotes and excerpts proving this). Others moved out and settled in Wallachia and Russia.

        In order to repopulate the depopulated places in Macedonia and Kosovo, the Ottoman authorities settled the freshly islamized Albanians.

        Of course they were given free land (the land once inhabited by the Macedonian and Kosovo christians who left to live in Austria, Wallachia, Ukraine and Russia).

        The Albanians were one of the most loyal subjects to the Sultan. They were obviously settled to balance the situation and prevent the christians from making problems in the future.
        For the glory of the Hellenes! Abandon orthodoxy and join your true religion! http://www.hellenicreligion.gr/... Zeus awaits you!

        Comment

        • Вардарец
          Member
          • Sep 2008
          • 122

          #5
          Originally posted by Soldier of Macedon View Post
          Good luck!
          Hehehehe thanks, i will need it. They are very stubborn, as i see. Иљири, Иљири! бребре
          For the glory of the Hellenes! Abandon orthodoxy and join your true religion! http://www.hellenicreligion.gr/... Zeus awaits you!

          Comment

          • Pelister
            Senior Member
            • Sep 2008
            • 2742

            #6
            A look at the regions demographic over the last century clearly shows that the Albanians have migrated into these regions for the first time.

            They are the descendants of Christian Arabs for Syria settled by the Byzantine Empire on the coast of the Adriatic in the 8th and 9th centuries. Their capacity to join the dominant Empire in control at any time has seen them gain many advantages over the natives, i.e., Macedonians.

            Comment

            • thessalo-niki
              Banned
              • Jun 2010
              • 191

              #7
              Ptolemy

              Well, a critical reference is this
              Albanoi first occurs in extant written sources in a work of Ptolemy dating back to 150 AD[14]. "Albanopolis of the Albanoi" appears on a map of Ptolemy, a place located in what is now North central Albania.

              The Albanoi were Illyrians, but whether the modern Albanians have an ethnic continuity with the Illyrian Albanoi is disputed (see Origin of Albanians), and the ethnonym may have been transferred to an unrelated people. The Albanoi are also named on a Roman-era family epitaph at Scupi, which has been identified with the Zgërdhesh hill-fort near Kruja in northern Albania



              ________________________________
              Odysseas Elytis - Our name is our soul

              Comment

              • Bratot
                Senior Member
                • Sep 2008
                • 2855

                #8
                Originally posted by thessalo-niki View Post
                Well, a critical reference is this
                Albanoi first occurs in extant written sources in a work of Ptolemy dating back to 150 AD[14]. "Albanopolis of the Albanoi" appears on a map of Ptolemy, a place located in what is now North central Albania.

                The Albanoi were Illyrians, but whether the modern Albanians have an ethnic continuity with the Illyrian Albanoi is disputed (see Origin of Albanians), and the ethnonym may have been transferred to an unrelated people. The Albanoi are also named on a Roman-era family epitaph at Scupi, which has been identified with the Zgërdhesh hill-fort near Kruja in northern Albania



                ________________________________
                Odysseas Elytis - Our name is our soul

                Misleading historification.

                Let's see where, when and how it started and to finish this subject.


                -------------------------------------------------------------------

                The territory of present-day Azerbaijan has been continuously inhabited since the Paleolithic era. The first evidence of tribal alliances date to the first millenium BC, when such peoples as the Mannaians, the Medes, the Cadusiis, the Albanoi, and the Caspians appeared.

                The famous Russian historian, V.L.Velichko, wrote: "Especially interesting is also the question of Caucasian Albania, or, in Armenian, Aghvank. This country, which incorporated contemporary Elizavetpol' Guberniia, as well as part of Tiflis [Guberniia] and Daghestan, was populated by nations of non-Armenian ancestry.... Until the beginning of XIX century a separate Aghvan or Gandzasar Catolicosat existed, which competed with the Echmiadzin [Armenian Catholicosat].... Currently, the Christians who were before of Aghvan Catholicosat, are considered Armenians, and after mixing with them [assimilating], adopted their character." (p. 66).
                Velichko later continues: "An exception were the inhabitants of Karabakh (Albania or Aghvania), incorrectly (in relation to history) called Armenians, who professed the Armenian-Gregorian faith, but were descendants of [Caucasian] Mountaneer and Turkic tribes, and who had gone through the process of Armenianization only three to four centuries earlier." (p.154)

                Azerbeidzan scientist R. B. Gejusev published in Bakuu a studious study in 1984, in which he wrote that Kavkaz Albanians were among the first to accept Christianity and, after losing their state under the Arabic invasion, they were exposed to a mass islamisation. A part of them joined Arabic troops and moved with them to Byzantium in the 10th century. That is how and when they arrived at Balkan, by concentrating themselves, mainly in the South of Italy and in Mountains of the contemporary Albania

                (V.L. Velichko, "Caucasus: Russian affairs and interethnic questions." St.Petersburg, 1904, pp. 66, 154. IN RUSSIAN: Vasilii L'vovich Velichko "Kavkaz. Russkoe delo i mezhduplemennie voprosi")

                The Byzantine historian Michael Ataliota recorded the migration of
                Albanians into the region of today's Albania around 1043 AD
                when a few thousands of Byzantine mercenaries and their families, who were
                previously brought as Arabian slaves from the Caucasus to Sicily, were
                settled on the other side of the Adriatic Sea.

                (Michael Attaliota: Historia, Corpus Scriptorum Historiae Byzantinae. Impensis ed. Njeberi, Bonnae)


                When the blessed Omar conquered Jerusalem, Jabal could not remain any longer in that place, so they boarded ships and took refuge with the king of Spain. Jabal-i Alhama was given the mountains of Dukat, Progonat and Frengis in the Albanian regions of Avlona and Delvina to live in, which were then under Spanish rule. These lands were previously uninhabited and, within a short period of time, he settled them and, mingling with the Franks, they created the Albanian language from a mixture of Frankish and Arabic. The place they originally inhabited, and where they still reside after many generations, is now called the mountain of Quryelesh, since they are descended from the Quraysh tribe of Arabs. Accordingly, the Albanian people boast that they are descended from the Quraysh, the companions of the Prophet. Although Jabal-i Alhama died as a Muslim and was buried at this site according to his last will and testament, his descendants intermarried with the treacherous Franks and became Frankish and bookless themselves..........The Albanians claim that their ancestor Jabal-i Alhama was a companion of the Prophet and died a Muslim. In short, Jabal-i Alhama of the Quraysh tribe is the ancestor of the Albanian..........


                Quryelesh = Kurvelesh -toponym in today's Albania. A coincidence?



                They all speak Arnaud, which is like no other tongue. In origin, the Arnaudi were one of the Arab tribes of Quraysh in Mecca. That is why there are some Arabic words still in use among them. When these Arnaud tribesmen emerged from the mountains of Skadar and Vlora, they mingled with the Italians and Franks, and so, during the Caliphate of Omar, produced a language between Arabic and Frankish.

                “Jabal-i Alhama subsequently died as a Muslim in the city of Elbasan. In the Tuhfa history, there is extensive information on this Arab tribe. This clan of Quraysh actually do look like Arabs........ “

                Robert Dankoff, Robert Elsie; Evliya Celebi in Albania and adjacent regions (Kosovo, Montenegro, Ohrid).

                Travelling through southern Albania in 1670, Ottoman traveller Evliya Chelebi (1611-1684) recounts the apocryphal legend of the Arab sheikh Jabal-i Alhama, who fled to the mountains of Kurvelesh in Albania and died in Elbasan. According to Evliya, he is the father of the Albanian people.







                "Albanus" = foreigners


                Strabo:



                "Argonauts" - after Argonaut Armenos

                Kolchis: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colchis




                The city of Albanopolis in Balkans is first mentioned in 2 century AD by Ptolemy:




                But Albanopolis already existed in Armenia, from much earlier.
                As well the Albanoi and Argonauti.

                In the 5th century BC.

                Albani:








                That's why we have to pay attention to the chronological historical development and the transfer of toponyms.

                От османски регистри от XV–XVI в. може да се види, че редица селища в района на югозападна България носят названието Арбанас. Такива са Арбанас в Софийска каза, Арбанас в каза Радомир, Арбанас в каза Кюстендил, махалите Арбанас в Славище и Сирищник.

                Заселването на албанците в Долни Дебър е позволило тяхното пнататъшно придвижване в източна посока.
                В съседната област Горна Река, лежаща около поречието на р. Радика, албанците вероятно са се установили трайно още през XIV в. Може да се приеме, че Горна Река и Полог са първите западномакедонски области, в който още през XIV в. е имало масови заселвания на албанци.

                Първото свидетелство за наличието на албанци в Горна Река е гореспоменатият османски данъчен регистър от 1467 г.
                Тук албански лични имена преобладават в села със славянски названия като Вълковия, Търница, Кракорница, Стрезимир, Рибничица(121). Смесеният етнически характер на вилает Река не е убегнал от погледа на османския данъчен регистратор.




                The Albanians are divided into four tribes. These are, the Gheghides and Mirdites, the Toskides, the Tsamides, and the Liapides.

                The Toskides are the most handsome of the Albanians. They have noble features, with fair hair and blue eyes, indicating the mixture of Georgian blood, which probably flows in their veins : less warlike than their countrymen of the other tribes, their stature is also less Herculean. They are supposed to have derived their name from the Toxidse, mentioned by Chardin as inhabiting Mingrelia.

                The Principality of Mingrelia was a historical state in Georgia ruled by the Dadiani dynasty


                The country now occupied by this tribe lies to the south of that of the Ghegs and Mirdites, and extends to the river Vojutza. It is called by themselves Toskouria. Their chief places are Elbassan and Berat, called by the Turks Arnaout Belgrad, in order to distinguish it from Belgrade on the Danube. Te-pellene, the birth-place of Ali Pasha, is now included in their territory, although it was formerly considered as belonging to the infamous Liapides.

                The women of the Toske tribe are remarkable for their beauty, like those of Georgia, whence they issue, according to the conjecture of some antiquaries.


                In their own language they call themselves Skipetar, which name bears some affinity with that of of the Skitekip, mentioned by the Armenian geographers as inhabiting a territory near the Caspian.

                Journal of the Ethnological Society of London (1848-1856)
                Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland






                iWin.
                Last edited by Bratot; 08-19-2010, 04:19 AM.
                The purpose of the media is not to make you to think that the name must be changed, but to get you into debate - what name would suit us! - Bratot

                Comment

                • Bratot
                  Senior Member
                  • Sep 2008
                  • 2855

                  #9
                  Originally posted by Вардарец View Post



                  However, i was not able to find any sources mentioning Albanians living in Macedonia and Kosovo prior the Ottoman conquest of the region.
                  The purpose of the media is not to make you to think that the name must be changed, but to get you into debate - what name would suit us! - Bratot

                  Comment

                  • Вардарец
                    Member
                    • Sep 2008
                    • 122

                    #10
                    Originally posted by Pelister View Post
                    A look at the regions demographic over the last century clearly shows that the Albanians have migrated into these regions for the first time.

                    They are the descendants of Christian Arabs for Syria settled by the Byzantine Empire on the coast of the Adriatic in the 8th and 9th centuries. Their capacity to join the dominant Empire in control at any time has seen them gain many advantages over the natives, i.e., Macedonians.
                    Many of them migrated into Macedonia for the first time during the 20th century, that would be correct, judging by the censuses done in Macedonia after WWII

                    Here is a link: http://faq.macedonia.org/information/ethnic.makeup.html

                    The % of Albanian population has risen from 12.% in 1963 to 22.7% in 1994.

                    Pretty unrealistic, they haven't doubled. And some brainless Albanians claim that they constitute 35% of the population in Macedonia.
                    For the glory of the Hellenes! Abandon orthodoxy and join your true religion! http://www.hellenicreligion.gr/... Zeus awaits you!

                    Comment

                    • Onur
                      Senior Member
                      • Apr 2010
                      • 2389

                      #11
                      Originally posted by Вардарец View Post


                      The % of Albanian population has risen from 12.% in 1963 to 22.7% in 1994.

                      And there was an Albanian idiot in the forum last month. He even claimed that all the people who have been expelled to Turkey at 1950s was only Albanians, not the Turks. He told us that Turkish government made a secret agreement with Tito to accept Albanians and settled them in eastern Anatolia among the Kurds!!! But this wasn't his own myth. He gave us quotes from a book written by Albanian author;

                      08 September 2008 Pristina _ Kosovo leaders say any move by Macedonia to condition its recognition of Kosovos independence on Pristinas honouring of Macedonias constitutional name is unacceptable. Kosovos President Fatmir Sejdiu and Prime Minister Hashim Thaci said they are committed to good neighbouring relations with



                      What a nonsense this is but it`s obvious that there are Albanians who believes that and they even write a book for that while the truth is clearly visible at census records;






                      Albanian nationalistic tactics are so obvious and it`s same in Kosovo and Macedonia for about a century, since the time of bashibozuk mobs. They tried to replace the diminishing authority and presence of Turkish people upon muslims by taking over mosques and all the other things which formerly belonged to the Turks. They also tried to assimilate all the muslim people and convert them as newborn Albanians to have stronger presence in these territories. For example, there was a strong Turkish presence in Kosovo like 60 years ago but now it`s an Albanian only protectorate and most of the remaining Turkish people has been stuck only in one district and i am sure that if Turkish military wouldn't go there, this certain district wouldn't exist now either.
                      Last edited by Onur; 08-19-2010, 07:58 AM.

                      Comment

                      • TrueMacedonian
                        Senior Member
                        • Jan 2009
                        • 3810

                        #12
                        I have read somewhere that Albanians migrated from Kosovo to Macedonia in the 17th or 18th century.
                        Slayer Of The Modern "greek" Myth!!!

                        Comment

                        • Вардарец
                          Member
                          • Sep 2008
                          • 122

                          #13
                          Originally posted by TrueMacedonian View Post
                          I have read somewhere that Albanians migrated from Kosovo to Macedonia in the 17th or 18th century.
                          Late 17th and onwards, after the Karposh rebellion and the Austrian attack in the region. The self proclaimed "Iljiri" are not here even 5 centuries.
                          For the glory of the Hellenes! Abandon orthodoxy and join your true religion! http://www.hellenicreligion.gr/... Zeus awaits you!

                          Comment

                          • George S.
                            Senior Member
                            • Aug 2009
                            • 10116

                            #14
                            the albanians have been allowed to get away with increasing their population without check Even president trajkovski let 120,000 kosovo albanians let in to macedonia.They are waiting to produce a large majority albanian population & they think it will be like kosovo & secede.Macedonia will be threatened by this unless it passes some kind of
                            legislature to protect macedonia.At the rate the Albanians are going it will take 25 yo 30 years to do it.
                            Last edited by George S.; 08-20-2010, 10:31 AM. Reason: edit
                            "Ido not want an uprising of people that would leave me at the first failure, I want revolution with citizens able to bear all the temptations to a prolonged struggle, what, because of the fierce political conditions, will be our guide or cattle to the slaughterhouse"
                            GOTSE DELCEV

                            Comment

                            • Epirot
                              Member
                              • Mar 2010
                              • 399

                              #15
                              Originally posted by Onur View Post
                              And there was an Albanian idiot in the forum last month. He even claimed that all the people who have been expelled to Turkey at 1950s was only Albanians, not the Turks. He told us that Turkish government made a secret agreement with Tito to accept Albanians and settled them in eastern Anatolia among the Kurds!!! .
                              The massive expelling of Albanians during early years of Tito regime was a true occasion not a myth as you blatantly claim.

                              3. The Turkish-Yugoslav “Gentlemen's” Agreement in 1953

                              The agreement on friendship and co-operation between Yugoslavia, Greece and Turkey, signed in Ankara on 28 February, 1953, became known as a Balkan Treaty. The agreement contained ten points and took a military character, but without influence and obligation, that resulted from the North Atlantic Contract of 4 April, 1949, dealing with Turkey and Greece. Its fourth point foresaw conclusion of new agreements and formation of the bodies for their application and solution to economic, technical and cultural problems.33 Based on this agreement, common parliamentary groups were formed and they visited Turkey and Yugoslavia. Yugoslavia wanted to establish as closer links as possible with Turkey in order to expatriate the Albanians from Kosova. The links should be established by activating the Yugoslav-Turkish Convention of 1938 on the expatriation of the Albanians to Turkey. First of all, Yugoslavia ought to fulfil some financial obligations of the Convention that amounted to 90 million dollars. Turkey was interested in reactivating this Convention. It was interested to use the Albanians in its war against Curds, settling them on their border.

                              The question of expatriation of the Albanians was instigated by Yugoslavia through the Turkish press. At the end of 1952, numerous talks were held on the agreement between Yugoslavia and Turkey. Agreements on trade, floating, air traffic, and many other matters were concluded during 1953. In this spirit of collaboration between them the “Gentleman's” Agreement between Yugoslavia and Turkey was signed.34

                              In case of a future Balkan conflict this agreement intended to secure the Turkish friendship to Yugoslavia. On the other hand, emptying Kosova and other regions of ethnic Albanians by means of this convention, the danger on the part of the Albanians that requested financial compensation from Yugoslavia, as well as from the funds provided for refugees and others that had resettled, could be reduced. Turkey had also its needs to populate its large vacant regions. The Government of Turkey requested from the Government of Yugoslavia, on 4 October, 1951, to fulfil the Convention of 1938. It requested that before the accomplishment of various agreements began, Yugoslavia should fulfil its financial obligations. Due to them, Tito invited the Turkish foreign minister, Fuad Khprili, to visit Yugoslavia. At a lunch organised on that occasion in Split, at the end of January 1953, an agreement on the requests of both parties was worked out, and it was to the detriment of the Albanian population. They did not sign anything on this occasion, and that is why it was called ‘Gentleman's Agreement'. By this convention Tito could accomplish the dreams of the Serbs by expatriating of the Albanians from Kosova, and Turkey would obtain vital inhabitants and financial funds.

                              The obligations of expatriation of the Albanians from Yugoslavia had to be fulfilled as soon as possible, since at the very beginning Turkey asked for expatriation of 250,000 inhabitants, out of a million inhabitants that were anticipated to be resettled. In the official statement issued on 29 January, 1953 on the talks in Split, neither delegation mentioned the convention and refereed to parliamentary collaboration and the question of the Balkan Treaty.35
                              At the population census of Yugoslavia in 1953 many Albanians were forced to declare themselves Turks. This self-declaration would save Yugoslavia and Turkey from public reactions to expatriation of the Albanians to Turkey. An it happened so. Almost 260,000 Albanians declared themselves Turks.

                              4. Expatriation of Albanians to Turkey (1944-1966)

                              At the end of 1944 and beginning of 1945, seeing that they had been betrayed, the Albanians began to escape in mass to mountains.36 The government bodies made use of such actions of the majority population of the Albanians in Kosova and justified every persecution of any Albanian that opposed reoccupation by Yugoslavia. Due to this, military courts were very busy with Albanians, and arrests, imprisonment, killing of the Albanians became a daily phenomenon. Serbia intended to empty these territories as soon as possible, or at least to leave as few Albanians as possible.

                              One of the most efficient methods to accomplish such a policy in Kosova against the Albanians after they had been occupied by the detachments of YNLA, and especially after the establishment of military administration, was forceful mobilisation. In that time, 50,000 Albanians were mobilised in Kosova. When one bears in mind the number of those that were held in prisons or in exile, thousands lost and killed, it can be seen that Kosova had remained without the required forces to defend itself. In these circumstances, the Yugoslav regime intended to create conditions that colonisation should take place in the regions of ethnic Albanians. Confiscation of real estate, requisition, nationalisation and ‘solidarity aids' that were implemented by force and that intended to knee down the people economically, in addition to perpertration of repression influenced the expulsion of the Albanians from their homeland. These measures of the Yugoslav regime were directed to the Albanians only; the Serbs and Montenegrins were saved. The opponents of the YCP were in the most difficult position, and also those with western democratic viewpoint, that were deported from Kosova, and their movable property and real estate was confiscated. Their families were forced to leave the country too. As a consequence of such an attitude, the Albanians had to emigrate to Turkey, or Albania, or elsewhere.

                              Recolonisation of Kosova by the Serbs and Montenegrins in the spring of 1945, as well as the Law on the revision of agrarian reform worsened further the economic position of the Albanians. A part of the land of Albanian farmers was given to colonists. The interest of colonists to usurp the Albanians' land was great. Only in 1945, 10,054 families applied for it, who could get up to 5 hectares of the land of Albanian farmers.37

                              Forceful collectivisation of a part of farming land in Kosova, then mistreatments and perfidious abuse of the Albanians by the Serbs, touched deeply the national tradition and dignity of the Albanians.

                              The Law on five-year plan (1947-1951) was also in the function of expulsion of the Albanians. This plan provided more accelerated economic development for the undeveloped republics of Yugoslavia (Bosnia, Macedonia, Montenegro), in order to smooth down the existing economic differences, but it left Kosova on the side, despite its being the most undeveloped region in Yugoslavia and its having a great economic and natural potential. Apart from this, the largest part of the plan in Kosova was anticipated to be implemented by ‘voluntary' work, such as: to construct and renovate and restore houses of colonists, to till the soil for them, to provide them with food, etc. Therefore, not only that the regime did not invest anything, but it also worsened the lives of the people here by such measures.38

                              The Yugoslav regime, parallel to violence and economic kneeling, attacked deeply the national feelings of the Albanians, their past and historical tradition. Very few schools and educational and cultural institutions were opened for the Albanians and the origin of the Albanian population was denied.39

                              In conformity with the intentions of unitary national-chauvinist policy, State Security perpetrated great repression in order that as many as possible Albanians should declare themselves as members of Turkish nationality. Before this action, 1,315 inhabitants of Turkish nationality were recorded in Kosova in the census of 1948, and 97,954 inhabitants in Yugoslavia. However, according to the census of 1953 the number of Turks in Kosova amounted to 34,583 and 259,535 in Yugoslavia.40 The Albanians that opposed to this policy ended in prisons or were forced to leave the country. Thus, during 1953, as a result of this repression, 37,000 Albanians emigrated to Turkey.41 In 1953 the Yugoslav regime ‘took care' of creating special administrative ‘facilities' for the Albanians wanting to emigrate to Turkey, no matter whether they had declared themselves Turks or not. According to official evidence, 19,300 Albanians were expatriated in 1953, and 17,500 others in 1954.42

                              To achieve the emigration of the Albanians to Turkey in great mass, the first condition was to create a psychosis of unbearable life. The state machinery exerted pressure of various forms on the Albanians, such as arrests, persecutions, inhuman tortures, physical exterminations, etc. The organs of State Security made use of the action of searching for arms in order to accelerate the expatriation of the Albanians to Turkey.

                              This punishing activity of the organs of State Security and other organs of the regime, was expressed drastically in the field of culture and education too. The government took measures to close down middle schools in the Albanian language, to reduce the net of elementary schools and to close the sole scientific institution, the Institute of Albanology in Prishtina.
                              Here is the table of the expatriation of the Albanians during the period 1952-1965.45



                              Year

                              No. of persons

                              Year

                              No. of persons

                              1952

                              37000

                              1959

                              32000

                              1953

                              17300

                              1960

                              27980

                              1954

                              17500

                              1961

                              31910

                              1955

                              51000

                              1962

                              15910

                              1956

                              54000

                              1963

                              25720

                              1957

                              57710

                              1964

                              21530

                              1958

                              41300

                              1965

                              19821




                              The expatriation of the Albanians to Turkey continued also in the period between 1955-1957. In this period, from Kosova and other regions of ethnic Albanians in Yugoslavia emigrated 16,200 Albanians to Turkey.43

                              In 1958, around 41,300 Albanians were sent away to Turkey, and the year after it another 32,000. According to official evidence of Yugoslavia, 27,980 Albanians emigrated from Kosova to Turkey in 1960.44 The expatriation of the Albanians to Turkey amounted to 115,000 in the period between 196-1965.

                              The process of expatriation of the Albanians from Kosova and other regions of ethnic Albanians was replaced by the so-called economic emigration in the political circumstances created in Yugoslavia after the Plenum of Brione.


                              For example, there was a strong Turkish presence in Kosovo like 60 years ago but now it`s an Albanian only protectorate and most of the remaining Turkish people has been stuck only in one district and i am sure that if Turkish military wouldn't go there, this certain district wouldn't exist now either.
                              You got it wrong. Based on what you claim that there was a strong presence in Kosova 60 years ago? Serbian regime misrepresent Muslim Albanians as Turks in order to expel them toward Turkey. To be honest, Turks in Kosova were less numerically than in Macedonia. You know that Macedonia in general had the biggest concentration of Turks in all Balkans.

                              They tried to replace the diminishing authority and presence of Turkish people upon muslims by taking over mosques and all the other things which formerly belonged to the Turks.
                              You are wrong again! The mosques in Macedonia aren't at all in hands of Albanians because not all Muslims in Macedonia are Albanian, are not they? Two of my friends from Zhitosha (now I don't know to which municipality belongs) who are Albanian by descent in the last census were declared as Turks because some Turkish organization makes possible to them to study in Turkey and to benefit financially them.
                              Last edited by Epirot; 08-20-2010, 12:35 PM.
                              IF OUR CHRONICLES DO NOT LIE, WE CALL OURSELVES AS EPIROTES!

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