Serbs in Albania
Encyclopedia
Albanian Serbs constitute an ethnic minority in Albania
, officially as the Serbo-Montenegrin minority. According to the latest national minority census in Albania (2000), there were around 2,000 Serbs and Montenegrins (they are listed together as one ethnic group) in the country. Domestic Serb-Montenegrin community claims the figure is around 25,000, while independent sources placed the figure at 10,000 in 1994. Serbian sources estimate up to 30,000. The Serb-Montenegrins of Albania numbers at least 4,000 as of 2009 as the number of the members of Morača-Rozafa Association of Serb-Montenegrin minority in Albania.
There also exists a Islamicised Serbian community in Shkodra, however their stance on nationality is unknown.
The Serbs were not able to declare themselves as Serbs as they were not a recognized minority as the Macedonians (4,000), however in 2011, it is the first time for Serbs to register themselves as Serbs in the upcoming census for eight decades.
Interviews with Serbs from the Shkodër district in 2002 showed that they earned a living by farming and trade connections to Montenegro.
According to the Serbian Ministry of Diaspora in 2009, the most vulnerable minority of Europe are the Serbs in Albania, who since Communist Albania have not had their right to the use of the Serbian language, the religious orientation (Serbian Orthodox), while during the rule of Enver Hoxha, they were forced to change names and are not able to reclaim them.
(Sklavenoi), who began raiding Byzantine territories in 520s, conquered Durrës and most of Epirus and Macedonia in 548. According to Emperor Constantine VII
Porphyrogenitus (r. 913–959) in his work "Administration of the Empire", described the many peoples in proximity to the Eastern Roman Empire. The Early Serbs lived in the former Roman provinces of Dalmatia
, Praevalitana
and Moesia
; in parts of northernmost Albania (around Lake Skadar) and were initially organized in Sclavinias (Slavdom, i.e. "Slav area") where powerful patriarchal tribes had autonomy under the Byzantine Empire. During the rule of Časlav Klonimirović
(r. 927-960), most of Albania was part of Bulgaria (eastern) and the Byzantine Empire (Dyrrhachium (theme)
, western maritime). After the annexation of Rascia
, the Serbian principality of Duklja
(later Zeta
) succeeded as the peripheral entity of the Serbs and had much of the land north of Durrës, with Shkodër being an important city in the dominion. Many towns with historical Serb population derive their name from the early Middle Ages when Slavs ruled Albania.
Jovan Vladimir
(r. 990-1016) held Koplik
during his rule. In 1018 Basil II
conquers most of the Balkans and established the Archbishopric of Ochrid, an Eastern Orthodox see for the South Slavs.
In the Chrysobulls of Serbia in 1330, Malesia is populated by Orthodox Serbs and several town name also attest to a prominence of Serbs: Trebo polje, Bajbane, Luzane, Gorane, Buljane etc.
After the Ottoman Empire conquered the Balkans, the Serbs who were Christian Orthodox were pressured to convert to Islam and were paid with a portion of land. Catholics did not have the same pressure since Rome had a good stance in Ottoman Albania.
In 1582, in Ottoman defter "Tahrir defterleri", most of Northern Albania have Serbian populations, the Sanjak of Scutari had 81,700 Serbs, while Durrës Sandjak had 8,600 Serbs. The Serbs were majority in Shestani and Mrko, minority in Klimenti and Hoti. In the east of the Shkodra lake there was Serbian enclaves, attested also in place-names: Zlogora, Brezje, Grnčar, Podgor, Kosmač, Gradič, Dobre, Trnoslav, Gradec, Rumište, Maličevo, Kosovo, Brdence, Poljičani, Popine, and the village "Srbin" and city of "Šklav".
The Northern Albanian clans of Hoti, Gruda and Kelmendi are known to have mixed Serb-Albanian origin, with roots in medieval Montenegro and Malesija.
In 1828, a Serb school was opened in Shkodra. Nikola Musulin
attended it.
In 1920, the following villages had Serbian majority or plurality: Brch, Basits, Vraka, Sterbets, Kadrum. Farming was the chief occupation.
In 1921, Albanian government declared that the Greeks were to be registered as a minority, the Orthodox Serbs however were to register themselves as Albanians (thus becoming nationals of Albania) in a 2 year period. In the Albanian census the Greeks numbered 15,000 while Serbs and Bulgarians numbered 200 families. During the time of 1921-1928 the Serb community in Albania was strengthened through efforts of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
, which opened several Serbian private schools in 1923-1924 of which the school of Vrake had 72 pupils in 1930, three schools in Shkodra. A ethnic Serb football team existed in Shkodra that competed in the Albanian league. Two youth organizations (Guslar
and Obilich) existed in Shkodra. The formation of Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania
weakened the Serbs and Greeks in the country. The active 14 churches and Monastery were slowly closed by the Albanian government. The Serb school in Vrake was destroyed in 1934. Enver Hoxha decided to destroy the Serbian cemeteries and 2 of the Serb temples.
Following the liberation of the Balkan states, Serbs from Albania began to migrate to Serbia. With the Yugoslav wars, many Serbs moved to Yugoslavia, and finally with the Kosovo war.
On the small route from Elbasan to Djuhaze are the remains of 99 Serbian Orthodox buildings. In Shkodra is the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, in Donja the church of Mother Mary.
The Ljumljani were Serbs that were Islamicized and subsequently Albanised.
The Serbs of Albania are in process of changing their Albanized names to their original Serbian names, however the process is hard because of errors in the Albanian government.
Minority:
The Shkodra Sandjak had 81,700 Serbs, while Durrës Sandjak had 8,600 Serbs
bishop of Ohrid
Nikolaj Velimirović registered more than 60,000 Serbs in the region of Shkodra and Tirana and 39 ethnic Serb villages inside Albania. In Korçë 1,400 Yugoslavs were registered, however a much more estimation
are of Serb origin, that the founder came from the Morača
i.e. Piperi
i.e. Herzegovina
. A certain Klmen (or Amati) from Kuči settled first in Hoti then re-settled in the present clan area. Among some Kelmends, Nikola Oštroumni Kolmendija (Nikola "Sharp-minded" Kolmendija) is the founding father.
Many Serbs took simple words as surnames: Druri (Drvo, Tree), Arra (Orah, Walnut), Guri (Kamen, Stone), Hekuri (Gvožđe, Iron), Qershia (Trešnja, Cherry), Dritarja (Prozor, Window)
Other
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
, officially as the Serbo-Montenegrin minority. According to the latest national minority census in Albania (2000), there were around 2,000 Serbs and Montenegrins (they are listed together as one ethnic group) in the country. Domestic Serb-Montenegrin community claims the figure is around 25,000, while independent sources placed the figure at 10,000 in 1994. Serbian sources estimate up to 30,000. The Serb-Montenegrins of Albania numbers at least 4,000 as of 2009 as the number of the members of Morača-Rozafa Association of Serb-Montenegrin minority in Albania.
There also exists a Islamicised Serbian community in Shkodra, however their stance on nationality is unknown.
The Serbs were not able to declare themselves as Serbs as they were not a recognized minority as the Macedonians (4,000), however in 2011, it is the first time for Serbs to register themselves as Serbs in the upcoming census for eight decades.
Interviews with Serbs from the Shkodër district in 2002 showed that they earned a living by farming and trade connections to Montenegro.
According to the Serbian Ministry of Diaspora in 2009, the most vulnerable minority of Europe are the Serbs in Albania, who since Communist Albania have not had their right to the use of the Serbian language, the religious orientation (Serbian Orthodox), while during the rule of Enver Hoxha, they were forced to change names and are not able to reclaim them.
History
The army of South SlavsSouth Slavs
The South Slavs are the southern branch of the Slavic peoples and speak South Slavic languages. Geographically, the South Slavs are native to the Balkan peninsula, the southern Pannonian Plain and the eastern Alps...
(Sklavenoi), who began raiding Byzantine territories in 520s, conquered Durrës and most of Epirus and Macedonia in 548. According to Emperor Constantine VII
Constantine VII
Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos or Porphyrogenitus, "the Purple-born" was the fourth Emperor of the Macedonian dynasty of the Byzantine Empire, reigning from 913 to 959...
Porphyrogenitus (r. 913–959) in his work "Administration of the Empire", described the many peoples in proximity to the Eastern Roman Empire. The Early Serbs lived in the former Roman provinces of Dalmatia
Dalmatia
Dalmatia is a historical region on the eastern coast of the Adriatic Sea. It stretches from the island of Rab in the northwest to the Bay of Kotor in the southeast. The hinterland, the Dalmatian Zagora, ranges from fifty kilometers in width in the north to just a few kilometers in the south....
, Praevalitana
Praevalitana
Praevalitana was an ancient Roman province. It included parts of present-day Albania, Montenegro and Serbia.-History:...
and Moesia
Moesia
Moesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
; in parts of northernmost Albania (around Lake Skadar) and were initially organized in Sclavinias (Slavdom, i.e. "Slav area") where powerful patriarchal tribes had autonomy under the Byzantine Empire. During the rule of Časlav Klonimirović
Caslav Klonimirovic
Časlav Klonimirović or Časlav of Serbia was Prince of the Serbs from ca. 927 until his death in 960. He significantly expanded the Serbian Principality when he managed to unite several Slavic tribes, stretching his realm over the shores of the Adriatic Sea, the Sava river and the Morava valley...
(r. 927-960), most of Albania was part of Bulgaria (eastern) and the Byzantine Empire (Dyrrhachium (theme)
Dyrrhachium (theme)
The Theme of Dyrrhachium was a Byzantine military-civilian province located in modern Albania, covering the Adriatic coast of the country...
, western maritime). After the annexation of Rascia
Rascia
Rascia was a medieval region that served as the principal province of the Serbian realm. It was an administrative division under the direct rule of the monarch and sometimes as an appanage. The term has been used to refer to various Serbian states throughout the Middle Ages...
, the Serbian principality of Duklja
Duklja
Doclea or Duklja was a medieval state with hereditary lands roughly encompassing the territories of present-day southeastern Montenegro, from Kotor on the west to the river Bojana on the east and to the sources of Zeta and Morača rivers on the north....
(later Zeta
Zeta
-Science:* Zeta functions, in mathematics** Riemann zeta function* Zeta potential, the electrokinetic potential of a colloidal system* Tropical Storm Zeta , formed in December 2005 and lasting through January 2006* Z-pinch, in fusion power...
) succeeded as the peripheral entity of the Serbs and had much of the land north of Durrës, with Shkodër being an important city in the dominion. Many towns with historical Serb population derive their name from the early Middle Ages when Slavs ruled Albania.
Jovan Vladimir
Jovan Vladimir
Jovan Vladimir or John Vladimir was ruler of Duklja, the most powerful Serbian principality of the time, from around 1000 to 1016. He ruled during the protracted war between the Byzantine Empire and the First Bulgarian Empire...
(r. 990-1016) held Koplik
Koplik
Koplik is a city and urban municipality, serving as the capital of the Malësi e Madhe district in the northwestern tip of Albania. It is situated north of the city of Shkodër.-History:...
during his rule. In 1018 Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
conquers most of the Balkans and established the Archbishopric of Ochrid, an Eastern Orthodox see for the South Slavs.
In the Chrysobulls of Serbia in 1330, Malesia is populated by Orthodox Serbs and several town name also attest to a prominence of Serbs: Trebo polje, Bajbane, Luzane, Gorane, Buljane etc.
After the Ottoman Empire conquered the Balkans, the Serbs who were Christian Orthodox were pressured to convert to Islam and were paid with a portion of land. Catholics did not have the same pressure since Rome had a good stance in Ottoman Albania.
In 1582, in Ottoman defter "Tahrir defterleri", most of Northern Albania have Serbian populations, the Sanjak of Scutari had 81,700 Serbs, while Durrës Sandjak had 8,600 Serbs. The Serbs were majority in Shestani and Mrko, minority in Klimenti and Hoti. In the east of the Shkodra lake there was Serbian enclaves, attested also in place-names: Zlogora, Brezje, Grnčar, Podgor, Kosmač, Gradič, Dobre, Trnoslav, Gradec, Rumište, Maličevo, Kosovo, Brdence, Poljičani, Popine, and the village "Srbin" and city of "Šklav".
The Northern Albanian clans of Hoti, Gruda and Kelmendi are known to have mixed Serb-Albanian origin, with roots in medieval Montenegro and Malesija.
In 1828, a Serb school was opened in Shkodra. Nikola Musulin
Nikola Musulin
Nikola Musulin was a 19th-century Serbian poet. His best known work is "The Song about Grahovo". He was one of few trained teachers in Prizren from 1856-1859....
attended it.
In 1920, the following villages had Serbian majority or plurality: Brch, Basits, Vraka, Sterbets, Kadrum. Farming was the chief occupation.
In 1921, Albanian government declared that the Greeks were to be registered as a minority, the Orthodox Serbs however were to register themselves as Albanians (thus becoming nationals of Albania) in a 2 year period. In the Albanian census the Greeks numbered 15,000 while Serbs and Bulgarians numbered 200 families. During the time of 1921-1928 the Serb community in Albania was strengthened through efforts of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
, which opened several Serbian private schools in 1923-1924 of which the school of Vrake had 72 pupils in 1930, three schools in Shkodra. A ethnic Serb football team existed in Shkodra that competed in the Albanian league. Two youth organizations (Guslar
Gusle
The Gusle is a single-stringed musical instrument traditionally used in the Dinarides region of the Balkans ....
and Obilich) existed in Shkodra. The formation of Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania
Orthodox Autocephalous Church of Albania
The Autocephalous Orthodox Church of Albania is one of the newest autocephalous Eastern Orthodox churches. It declared its autocephaly in 1922, and gained recognition from the Patriarch of Constantinople in 1937....
weakened the Serbs and Greeks in the country. The active 14 churches and Monastery were slowly closed by the Albanian government. The Serb school in Vrake was destroyed in 1934. Enver Hoxha decided to destroy the Serbian cemeteries and 2 of the Serb temples.
Following the liberation of the Balkan states, Serbs from Albania began to migrate to Serbia. With the Yugoslav wars, many Serbs moved to Yugoslavia, and finally with the Kosovo war.
On the small route from Elbasan to Djuhaze are the remains of 99 Serbian Orthodox buildings. In Shkodra is the Cathedral of Saint Stephen, in Donja the church of Mother Mary.
The Ljumljani were Serbs that were Islamicized and subsequently Albanised.
The Serbs of Albania are in process of changing their Albanized names to their original Serbian names, however the process is hard because of errors in the Albanian government.
1582
Majority:- Shestani (Šestan),
- Mrko
Minority:
- Klimenti, relatively small
- Hoti, relatively small
- nahiyas east of Bojana river and Lake Skadar
The Shkodra Sandjak had 81,700 Serbs, while Durrës Sandjak had 8,600 Serbs
1912-20
The Serbian Orthodox ChurchSerbian Orthodox Church
The Serbian Orthodox Church is one of the autocephalous Orthodox Christian churches, ranking sixth in order of seniority after Constantinople, Alexandria, Antioch, Jerusalem, and Russia...
bishop of Ohrid
Ohrid
Ohrid is a city on the eastern shore of Lake Ohrid in the Republic of Macedonia. It has about 42,000 inhabitants, making it the seventh largest city in the country. The city is the seat of Ohrid Municipality. Ohrid is notable for having once had 365 churches, one for each day of the year and has...
Nikolaj Velimirović registered more than 60,000 Serbs in the region of Shkodra and Tirana and 39 ethnic Serb villages inside Albania. In Korçë 1,400 Yugoslavs were registered, however a much more estimation
Clans
There are sources that point that the KelmendiKelmendi
Kelmend, or Kelmendi mountains is a region and clan in the mountainous borderlands of Albania and Montenegro, of the wider Malësia-region . Part of the region lies within the Kelmend municipality, and is composed of a Roman Catholic majority and Muslim minority...
are of Serb origin, that the founder came from the Morača
Morača
Morača is a river in Montenegro. It originates in northern Montenegro, under Rzača mountain. It generally flows southwards for some , before emptying into Lake Skadar....
i.e. Piperi
Piperi
Piperi can mean:* Piperi, Greece, an island in Greece* Piperi clan, a clan in Montenegro* Piperi , a village in Bosnia and Herzegovina...
i.e. Herzegovina
Herzegovina
Herzegovina is the southern region of Bosnia and Herzegovina. While there is no official border distinguishing it from the Bosnian region, it is generally accepted that the borders of the region are Croatia to the west, Montenegro to the south, the canton boundaries of the Herzegovina-Neretva...
. A certain Klmen (or Amati) from Kuči settled first in Hoti then re-settled in the present clan area. Among some Kelmends, Nikola Oštroumni Kolmendija (Nikola "Sharp-minded" Kolmendija) is the founding father.
Names
As part of assimilation politics, Serbs were not allowed to have Serbian names.Many Serbs took simple words as surnames: Druri (Drvo, Tree), Arra (Orah, Walnut), Guri (Kamen, Stone), Hekuri (Gvožđe, Iron), Qershia (Trešnja, Cherry), Dritarja (Prozor, Window)
Albanized
- Rajçeviq (RaičevićRaicevicRaičević is a South Slavic surname, may refer to:*Mirko Raičević*Miroslav Raičević...
, Rajčević) - Millosh(i) (MilošMilosMilos , is a volcanic Greek island in the Aegean Sea, just north of the Sea of Crete...
), ethnic Serbian name - Vuksan(i) (Vuksan), derived from Slavic 'vuk' (wolf)
- Erkoçeviç (Erkočević)
- Lekiq (Lekić)
People
- MigjeniMillosh Gjergj NikollaMillosh Gjergj Nikolla was an Albanian poet and writer. He is better known under his pen name Migjeni.-Life:...
(Milos Djordje Nikola), Albanian writer
World War II
The student trio of Kandia, Misja and Rexhepi were on 22 June 1942, surrounded by Albanian quisling forces in a house in Shkodra for hours, they managed to kill many of the enemies but were at last killed, they were later proclaimed heroes, two of these were Serb:- Branko Kadia (Kandić), World War II national hero
- Jordan Misja, World War II national hero
Other
- Vasil ShantoVasil ShantoVasil Shanto was an Albanian communist leader and a hero of World War II. He was one of the leaders of Shkodër communist group and one of the founders of Albanian Communist Party. He did much work in organizing the resistance units and recruiting nationalist figures...
, Organizer of the Albanian Communist Party - Vojo Kushi, Albanian guerilla fighter
Sources
- Project RastkoProject RastkoProject Rastko — Internet Library of Serb Culture is a non-profit and non-governmental publishing, cultural and educational project dedicated to Serb and Serb-related arts and humanities...
, Population of Slavic descent in Albania- Гордана Томовић (Gordana Tomovic), 1990, Становништво словенског поријекла у Албанији (Population of Slavic descent in Albania), Cetinje