Petrit Latifi
In 1913, the paper “Tiroler Stimmen” published an article refering to various sources such as Berjelbe, Trentinto, Archbishop Marconi and the organiszation “Germania” with the article “Albania and the Catholic Church”, who all refered to Serbian atrocities against Albanian Catholics and Muslims in Kosovo and Macedonia.
“The atrocities against the Catholic Albanians, committed by the Montenegrins and Serbs, formed an almost constant feature in the reporting on the Balkan War. But they were also probably the ugliest and most outrageous things this war produced. Often, attempts were made to downplay or completely deny the reports of these atrocities that surfaced abroad.
But time and again, the reports surfaced and were confirmed For example, Trentino recently published several letters from Archbishop Marconi, in which the reports about the atrocities committed by the Serbs and Montenegrins in Albania are fully and unequivocally confirmed. A few days ago, Germania described similar atrocities in an article entitled “Albania and the Catholic Church.”
The center-right organ also emphasized the obligation of Germany and Hungary, which, out of its protectorate over the Catholics of Albania, out of its own best interests and the interests of humanity, to step out of its reserve.
The article, which concluded with an appeal to the Catholics of Germany to provide material aid to the oppressed Albanians, stated, among other things: The general attention is eagerly directed Familiarity is present in Macedonia today. How will this little people fare? For a long time, it has fought diligently for its independence; for years against the Güngörenjoć, and now against the sovereign power over Serbs and Montenegrins.
This little people’s position is not important for the European question. But that is not what we are talking about here. It should be pointed out that the Old Church is interested in the way things are going in Macedonia, especially since Austria has defeated the protectorate over the Roman Catholics of Macedonia, and in the last few days a persecution of Catholics has broken out in the Albanian district of Ipet, and martyrdom has already flowed.
Murder of Father Angelus Balic
The Franciscan Father Angelus Balic, a native Albanian, at the age of 43, who had repeatedly refused to convert to the schism, was slaughtered before the eyes of his forcibly converted parishioners. While still in his arms, the hero declared: “No, I will not abandon my faith, nor break my vows.” How many more might follow him, or perhaps have already followed him?
One thing is certain: if Albania is not made independent, but incorporated into one of the Albanian states, then the fate of Albania’s 200,000 Catholics is sealed. Either they will be immediately forced to convert to schism, as is the case in Ibel, or they will be slowly sucked into the schism, and thus the Church will lose its last hope of regaining the Albanian, losing Albania with its four dioceses (including three gradual dioceses).
All of which have an exemplary native population. The fate of Albania cannot be a matter of indifference from this perspective, quite apart from the pity that the sad situation of our fellow believers must inspire in us, which could be further exacerbated by the possible persecution of Catholics throughout Albania.
Newspapers have reported extensively on the atrocities committed by the Serbs and Montenegrins, but on February 10, an Albanian who was in a good mood towards the author of these lines wrote: No newspaper, even one that is often inclined to exaggerate the tragedies, has yet sufficiently reported the cruelties committed against the Albanians. The atrocities are indescribable.
On March 21, Berjelbe wrote: At least for this one, it is impossible for me to send you a precise report. You must be trembling, we live in the times of Arias. I can tell you with certainty that in Kosovo alone, 30,000 Albanians were massacred, including women and children, whose number amounts to at least 4,000. In the Gjilan district, 59 Albanian villages were destroyed, in the Uskub district, 12, in the Dibra district, 24, and in the Prizren district, more precisely in Luma, 32 villages. The same thing happened in Gjakova, Pejë, Ferizaj, Prishtina, Tetovë, Gostivar, Kumanovë, and Balanka—it’s almost unbelievable. You can’t imagine what has happened to us in this war. In Pejë, a Franciscan priest was murdered 15 days ago.”
Reference
Balkan Academia 