Written by Petrit Latifi

Gun Culture in Albania
Gun culture in Albania (Alb. Kultura e armeve ne Shqipëri) refers to the tradition of owning and using firearms across Albanian-inhabited territories in Malësia, Montenegro, Kosovo, Macedonia, and Serbia. Most areas where gun culture was prevalent were mountainous and pastoral, with little agriculture. This necessitated the carrying of firearms by shepherds to protect cattle and sheep from enemies or thieves. Owning and carrying arms became an essential part of Albanian national identity and male honour.

Numerous proverbs reflect the importance of gun ownership among Albanians, such as “You can kill an Albanian, but you cannot make him give up his gun” and “An Albanian loves his rifle as much as he loves his wife.” In Albanian romanticism, shepherds are often imagined carrying a rifle instead of a staff, with the rifle symbolizing security. Historically, it was said that “an Albanian was not born by his mother but by the gun.” By 1912, no Albanian tribesman was considered complete without his firearm.

History
Albanian highlanders (Alb. malësor) have carried firearms since the musket was introduced in the 16th century. These weapons were necessary for self-defense as Albanian lands faced threats from Ottoman, Montenegrin, and Serb invasions. Edith Durham referred to Gusinje as “The Land of Mausers” during her travels in 1879. In 1909, some Albanians even believed the Mauser revolver was harmless and invited her to test it.

In Adrianople, Turks protested against Albanians carrying arms, remarking that “Albanians were more expert with the Mauser than with the plow.” A popular saying was, “An Albanian has no cooking oil for his beans but will find some for his rifle.” As Ottoman pressures increased, Albanian Tosk and Ghegh chieftains converted to Islam not out of religious preference but to retain their arms and lands.

During the Greek War of Independence, Albanians aspired to acquire pistols, rifles, yataghans, and daggers, which they sourced from French and British gunsmiths. Franz Nopcsa observed that the size of a gun correlated with male honour, noting an example of an Albanian highlander kissing his rifle after hitting a target.

Following the fall of communism, gun factories closed, leading to unemployment. Michal Mochtak highlighted that social divisions and authoritarianism after communism intensified Albanian gun culture.

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