Translation by Petrit Latifi
Summary
English journalist Frederick Moore portrays early-20th-century Albania as a “romantic” yet lawless land shaped by Ottoman neglect, tribal autonomy, and strict unwritten customs. He describes fortified villages, blood feuds, and the dominance of the gun over formal justice, comparing Albania to a densely populated “Wild West.” Moore argues that Albanians, whom he considers of ancient European (Illyrian) origin, resisted Ottoman reforms, disdained Turks, and valued tribal loyalty over religion. Illiteracy was enforced by Ottoman policy, while Albanian language and education were suppressed. Suspicious of Europeans, Albanians relied on tribal protection, remaining isolated from Western influence despite their European identity.
“It is in the power of the Turks to subjugate and govern them (the Albanians); but the sultans have preferred to give the Albanians the right to keep under ‘autonomous’ control the strip of land of the Adriatic themselves and thus unconsciously they have become an illegal barrier positioned against the West! A
lthough the Turk protests that he cannot afford the European passport safe in the whole of Albania, on the other hand the Albanian has been taught to suspect that every European is a spy! Some men of (Western S. L.) civilization have stood in the heart of this romantic country”
This was written by the English journalist Frederick Moore, who stayed in the Balkans in the years 1900 – 1917.
In the book “The Balkan Trail” in which the situation in the turbulent Mitrovica of the spring of 1903 is also described, the English journalist Frederick Moore (1877-?) who stayed in the Balkans in the years 1900 – 1917, continues with his story.
“Albania is the most romantic country in Europe, perhaps in the whole world. It is a lawless land where might makes right (justice), and in some parts of that local justice there are even certain prohibitions for foreigners… In the areas around Ipek, Gjakova and Prizren, and even Kalkandele (Tetova), the houses are fortresses built of stone, without windows on the ground floors and with turrets placed on the upper floors.
At the corners of a village or estate are erected defensive towers, from which the tracking of the enemy’s movements down the road can be done without any particular hindrance. The first law of the land is the law of the gun, as it once was in the ‘Wild West’. But the country is more populated than the American frontier was in olden times and the men are united in tribes for offensive and defensive purposes.
There is no education in Albania – the Turks have kept the country illiterate – and the promises of power are only obligations left in the letter…Albanian customs are dangerous to violate and they have been handed down to Albanian generations unwritten but are as sacred as the feuds themselves”, writes Moore. He also dwells on customs.
“To compliment an unmarried woman is a provocation to death”
“There are some strange customs. To compliment an unmarried woman, for example, is a provocation to death. An enemy (blood) is under amnesty if he is in the company of a woman. A woman can shoot a fiancé who breaks off the engagement or call the father of the young man to kill him…”, he writes. His writing continues with descriptions and observations.
“The Albanians are of pure European origin. They are tall, broad-shouldered, handsome-faced men, and resemble none of the other Macedonians, and even speak a completely different language. But, although nothing is known with certainty about their origin, it is very likely that they are descendants of the ancient Illyrians, who once occupied the entire western side of the Balkan Peninsula and were gradually driven into the mountains of Albania over the centuries by successive invasions by the Greeks, Romans, Slavs, and Turks.
Albania has never been fully subjugated or civilized. Most Albanians have converted to Islam mainly because religion guaranteed them the right to bear arms and other privileges. An interesting story is told about the conversion of the Albanians in ‘European Turkey’. About a hundred years ago, the inhabitants of a small group of villages in Southern Albania had preserved their Christianity.
Being unable to repel the constant attacks of a neighboring Muslim population, they met in a church, solemnly swore that they would fast until Easter, and prayed to all the saints to perform some miracle within that period that would improve their miserable condition. If this reasonable request were not granted, then they would convert to Islam. However, Easter day came, and no sign appeared from saints or angels, so the whole population converted to Islam.
Soon after, the change of faith was rewarded, they received the weapons they wanted, and had the pleasure of massacring their old adversaries and conquering their lands! The Albanians of the north and the south are completely different from each other. The Tosks are less turbulent than their northern brethren.
They are ruled by beylers, or hereditary lords, in a feudal manner. These beylers are obliged to loyalty to the Sultan. They receive their titles from the Turk and if the Sultan does not make the decree of the certain Albanian beyler, to the modest extent he demands, then a means is found to get rid of the Sultans!
In the north the situation is different as a Catholic propaganda is protected by Austria and with the exception of one tribe, which is entirely Catholic, every other tribe is composed of Muslims but also Christians. This fact proves that there are few fans among them tism (religious) and tribal affiliation is stronger than religious feeling”, he writes.
“The Albanian looks at the Turk with contempt”
The English journalist Moore writes that “the Albanian looks at the Turk with contempt”. “You offend an Albanian if you compliment the Turk and thus equate him with the Albanian! The Albanian rarely puts the Turkish religion on his head. Even in the Turkish army the white plis is his head covering.
Sometimes the Albanians show very little respect for their Turkish officers. Once in Salonika I saw a group of Albanians refusing to board a train because the officials of the foreign monopoly that existed in Turkey had taken some smuggled tobacco from them. But the Turk is different, he is fanatically submissive.
On several occasions I have seen Turkish soldiers standing like inanimate objects, while their officers pulled their ears, hit them on the head with their fists or kicked them. While the Albanians have always resisted reforms, since their implementation would at once interfere with their privileges!”, writes Moore. The story continues.
Disarmament of the Albanians
“The disarmament of the Albanians is necessary for reforms in Macedonia. The creation of courts in Albania was one of Hilmi Pasha’s additions to the Austro-Russian reform scheme! But, if this reform is ever implemented, then the disputing parties will appear before the court with all their weapons, but regardless of which direction the solution brought by the court will go, the final result of the resolution of the contexts between the parties will be certain and that is the murder of the judge, who actually brought the decision!
In recent years, attempts have been made by educated Albanians living in Bucharest and Italy to create an agitation for Albanian autonomy, but these movements have not yet influenced the Albanians, since the Turks are very clever in their control. If it happens that among the Albanians a leader appears who threatens the Ottoman organization or civilization, then to that very center the sultan sends an emissary who comes there full of gifts and decorations.
If the Albanian leader of propaganda for the realization of the autonomy and progress of the Albanians is not violent, then he is seduced or secretly taken by force and sent to Constantinople and there he can be given authority over a district or province that would more compensate for his loss and in the future he can be put in the service of the empire without suffering any harm.
In the encirclement of the Albanian lands there is no free state, and the reality is that the Greeks, Bulgarians, Serbs, and Turks are always able to hinder the education of the Albanians! There are Catholic schools in Northern Albania and Greek Orthodox in Southern Albania, but the Turks deny the very existence of the Albanian language, so the publication of Albanian books and the oppression of Albanian schools occurs continuously.
Some years ago, some of the wealthiest inhabitants of a certain town opened a school to teach their children their native language. One evening the professor who had begun work there disappeared without a trace. He was captured by Turkish soldiers, deported, and imprisoned…”, writes Moore.
“The Albanian suspects that every European who comes to their country is a spy!”
“It is in the power of the Turks to subjugate and govern them (the Albanians); but the Sultans have preferred to grant the Albanians the right to keep under ‘autonomous’ control the strip of land on the Adriatic, and thus they have unconsciously become an illegal barrier positioned against the West!
There is no railway in all Albania, there is only one place along the coast where ships anchor, and there the stranger is forbidden by both the Albanians and the Turks. Although the Turk protests that he cannot afford a safe European passport throughout Albania, the Albanian on the other hand has been accustomed to suspect that every European is a spy! Some men from civilization (Western S. L.) have stood in the heart of this romantic country.
To get there safely, it is necessary to gain the friendship and trust of a tribal chief, and this at the same time means that you have received a promise of a safe passport! It is said that so far there has been only one case where someone has lost his life although he has been placed under the oath of the Albanian chieftain. And despite his escort that man was killed by members of a hostile tribe and as a result the blood feud between these two Albanian tribes at odds with each other continues to this day.
Reference
Balkan Academia 