European newspapers covering Serbian atrocities in Albanian territories (1912-1915)

Petrit Latifi

The following article cites various European newspapers following the Serbian war crimes and Serb atrocities in Albanian lands of 1912-1915.

Serbian atrocities in Gjakova, Prizren, Drenica, Dibra and Luma

“For many weeks , it has been clear to everyone here that this major strike was inevitable. Isa Boletinim, Bajram Curi and Riza Bey in Gjakova have instigated the movement . Countless refugees from the territories conquered by the Serbs flocked there for months. Each brought new , terrible news about the Serbs actions against the Albanian population .

Atrocities and murders were reported from Kosovo, Dibra , and many other places. In Pristina, all the Albanian leaders were imprisoned . In Drenica , those members of the Albanian population who objected to the Serbian authorities were said to have been executed. People from Gjakova and Krasniqë were cut down like rabbits on the way to Gjakova and Prizren.

Before the outbreak of the uprising , the following incident occurred : Serbian soldiers seized ten Luma Albanians who were trying to flee to Prizren and brought them before General Zivkowic. He rebuked the officers leading the column, saying : ” We have told you many times that we do not need captured Albanians, I would rather see their graves!” This action against the Albanian population was the direct cause of the Albanian uprising.”¹

Montenegrin atrocities in Ponoshevc of Reka in 1915

“The “Albanian Correspondence” reports from Shkodër: Recently , there has been a growing number of horrific reports of atrocities committed by Montenegrins against Albanians in the new Montenegrin territory. According to a report from Malësia , Montenegrins recently carried out a terrible massacre among the residents of the village of Ponoshevc in Reka , twelve kilometers west of Gjakova , massacring 116 people , including women and children , in this village , which had 56 houses”.²

German paper labeling Serbs as “bloodthirsty”.

“Bloodthirsty Serbs”³

Albanians do not tolerate Serbian cruetly

“The Albanian side claims that the Albanians are standing against the Serbian oppressors because they can no longer tolerate their cruelties
want to endure their cruelties. The Serbs portray the Albanians as the troublemakers.”⁴

Massacres in Kachanik and Prizren

“In the area of Kachanik and Prizren, the Serbs are said to have destroyed several villages and massacred the Albanian population. One report states that the Albanian demarcation of their solution has not come any closer. New resistance is emerging from the Balkan states. 30,000 Serb troops have been assembled from Uskub and Pejë and are marching against Albania, 10,000 men are being equipped with artillery.”⁵

Robbery, looting, murders and rape

“Reports are also arriving from New Serbia, according to which the military authorities in the New Serbian border areas against Albania continued the oppression of the Albanian element in the most gruesome manner. Robberies, looting and murders as well as acts of violence against Albanian women and girls are generally affected. The situation of the Albanian population in the Kumanovo and Prizren districts appears most threatening. In the latter area, the Muslim Albanians living in the north have been the victims of the last Serbian march”.⁶

Serbian atrocities persist

“Serbian cruelties still persist. The Albanian Correspondence reports from Belgrade: Reports arriving from all over New Serbia make it known that in the newly conquered territories, the Serbian authorities are taking severe action against the Albanian and Bulgarian population, leaving them at the mercy of the authorities and the Serbian komitabshis.

Serbian authorities outlawed Albanians from Mitrovica, Brobonishtë, Selac and Drenica and expelled the families

“According to the exceptional provisions that the Serbian government issued for the conquered territories, a large number of refugees have been declared outlaws by the authorities. In Mitrovica, the Telal announced that the authorities had declared 23 Albanians from Brobonishtë, 7 from Liptovac, 1 from Boletin, 3 from Mitrovica, and 3 from Selac.

The families of these outlaws are soon to be banished and forcibly resettled in another part of Serbia. In Mitrovica, 28 Albanians were arrested. In Drenica, several Albanians who were completely uninvolved in the political events were killed by Serbian commissars, without the authorities taking any action against the murderers. Many Albanian residents emigrated or fled to the territory of autonomous Albania.”⁷

Serbs and Greeks compete to exterminate Albanians

“Serbs and Montenegrins compete with each other to exterminate the entire Albanian race, to devastate the country horribly, and thus to condemn the surviving remnants to bitter poverty for decades to come. The Greeks, too, are participating in this work of destruction. At the same time, all sides are working to make the future Albanian state as small and as unviable as possible. This effort by the Balkan states is supported by France and Russia.”⁸

Serbs hanged Albanian cheiftains

“According to a Greek report from Dusrazzo, 20 Albanian chiefs and many other people were hanged by Serbs.”⁹

Serbs murdering prisoners of war

“The Albanians protest-test against the infestation of the Albanians in Kosovo. Albanian prisoners of war were also secretly murdered. The Albanians will never admit the dismemberment of Albania and would rather suffer death.”¹⁰

Montenegrins bombarded Albanian monasteries and orphanages

“The outrageous murders of Catholics, forced conversions, and massacres of Albanians that the Montenegrins and Serbs allow themselves, the coercion of our merchant steamer “Skodra” by the Montenegrins, the bombardment of the monasteries and orphanages in Scutari, have finally roused Count Berchtold”.¹¹

Mass-hanging of Albanians of Gjakova

“Across the Monarchy, there were almost daily reports of atrocities committed by Serbs and Montenegrins in the two years before June 1914, including the mass hangings of Albanians in Gjakova.”¹² ¹³

Albanians beaten with swords until they converted

“The “Albanian Correspondence” reports from Uskub about recent atrocities by Serbs against the Albanian population in Uskub, Gjakova, and Pejë, where Albanians, such as those from Biel, were reportedly recruited. Apparently, the Serbs in Kabajid near Prizren were recruited. In Gjakova and Peje, Muslims and Catholics were forced to convet. They were beaten with naked swords”.¹⁴

References

European newspapers covering Serbian atrocities in Albanian territories (1912-1915)

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