Written by Petrit Latifi

Tygjeci or Tygjec is a village in the Municipality of Dardan, in Kosovo, bordering Serbia.^[1]

Name

Tygjeci was named Toegezeuzi, and is mention in 1436 in the book of the trader Mikael Lukari.^[2] The village was renamed Tugjefc in Ottoman tax records in the Vilayet of Novoberdo in 1498 with 12 families.^[3] According to the tax records of the Sandzak of Vushtrri, the region was uninhabited in 1566-1574.^[4][5]

History

Tygjeci was a village in the Highlands of Gallapi in Kosovo and when the Congress of Berlin split it up, the village was split at the border of Serbia, close to Sfirce. Tygjeci became a strategical position for Ottomans and Serbs. There was a fortified tower at the border with ammunition built by Albanians from the village of Boroc. The inhabitants were used by Ottomans and there Albanians were trapped between fighting Ottomans and Chetnik paramilitary forces.

A known person named Arifi was born 1858 and according to the grandson Halil Salih Kosumi, Arifi was killed in the battle of Kapisë, in Sfricë in 1912 at the age of 55. In 1876 Arifi joined the Ottoman military and served for 9 years and fought in many areas, such as Edirne, in Bulgaria. During this period Arifi became an advanced military commander and he returned to Tygjec in 1885.

Arifi then started a “Han”, an inn that with the purpose of helping traveling villagers who seeked to trade, drastically improving the economy of Tygjec. Years later the Greeks had been planning for the Battle of Gjili against the Ottomans in the Vilayet of Janina. The Ottomans therefore send their forces to Thessaloniki (Albanian: Selanik^[6]

As the forces left Kosovo, Serbia decided to occupy parts of Kosovo, they had been inspired by the Austro-Hungarian general Bek who said ”The strategical position of the Balkans is Kosovo. Whoever has Kosovo will dominate the Balkans”. Arifi and his family returned to Tygjec, who together with other villagers decided to defend the Vilayet of Kosovo in 1912.

In the fortified tower of Tyrgjec there was little ammunition and some food left for the family. Bozidar Jankoviq, the commander of the Serb army, had set up a letter at the town center saying ”For all the Albanians, oh Brothers” stating that the Albanians not resist the Serbian forces because the Serbs were ”friends of Albanians” who were there to ”throw out the Turk”.

Arifi refused to be persuaded and said that he would not let the Serbs pass the border until his death. The Albanians of Sfirce immediately began collecting arms. 70 men were recruited under Arif Ajet Kosumi. Together they vowed to not surrender. When they heard that the Serbian army was moving towards the border, the Albanians opened fire at two Serb soldiers killing them as they traveled on a wagon.

The Serbian army panicked and Arifi and his men continued opening fire, hoping they would be able to confuse the Serb army to retreat. The Serbian army however flanked Arifi and his men and injured Arifis shoulder. Arifi died at the spot and the rest fled. Mulla Rama, the imam of Sfirce, said that Arifi went to a place called Dodajve, where he died and his grave is found there to this day. Serbian forces opened fire with cannons at the town of Sfirce, resulting in the Albanians fleeing and their homes.^[7][8][9]

References

1. ^ ”Zemra Shqiptare – Nexhat Rexha: Monografi me dritare të hapur”. http://www.zemrashqiptare.net.
2. ^ Mihailo Dinic, Iz Dubrovackog Arhiva I, SAN, Zbornik za istoriju, jezik iknizevnost srpskog naroda, III odeljeneje, Knj.XVII, Beograd, 1957. nr.51, 83
3. ^ Kadri Rexha, Regjistrimi i vendbanimeve dhe popullsisë së Kazasë së Novobërdës, sipas defterit kadastral nr.28
4. ^ Dr. Jusuf Osmani: Vendbanimet e Kosovës, Dardana dhe Artana, Prishtinë,2004, faqe 182
5. ^ ”70 vjetori i Masakrës së Gjilanit – Rajonipress.com”. http://www.rajonipress.com.
6. ^ .Fazli Hajrizi: Mbrojtja e trojeve shqiptare nga shovinistët fqinj, 2.Dr.Milazim Krasniqi: Lufta e armatosur shqiptare për Kosovën ka filluar në vitin 1912 3.Bogumil Hrabak: Orijentacija kosovskih i debarskih albanaca u prvim mesecima 1912 godine 4.Bislim.B. Pireva: Dhuna njëqindvjeçare serbe I (Tygjec,Sfircë, Zajçec dhe Gmicë), Prishtinë 2010 5. Xhemush Biçku:”Xhamitë e Dardanës” 6. Sheradin Berisha: Kosova midis çlirimit nga Turqia dhe pushtimit nga Serbia, Janar-Nëntor 1912, 7.Branisllav Millosavleviq:”Prvi na Kosovu” Beograd 1930 8. Prvi Balkanski rat-Fejton në gazetën Veçernje novosti, Tetor 2012 9. Deklaratë e Shaban Mahmut Rama (1926) dhënë autorit 10. Deklaratë e Halil Salih Kosumit (1933) dhënë autorit 11.Ukshin Zajmi: Në mbrojtjen e Kosovës u vranë më tepër se 25 mijë shqiptarë, Zëri, 13.XII.2008 faqe 31.
7. ^ https://books.google.se/books?id=0ZdOAQAAIAAJ&q=tygjec&dq=tygjec&hl=sv&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwjuncq7yeTMAhUEtxoKHWjGAUwQ6AEIHTAA
8. ^ http://galabri.page.tl/
9. ^ http://gallapi.blogspot.se/2009/12/ritet-e-motmoti-ne-gallap-te-dardanes.html