Abstract

The newspaper Iskodra, first published in 1868 and reissued in 1879, occupies a foundational place in the history of Albanian journalism. Although printed primarily in the Ottoman language and at times accompanied by Italian, it represents the earliest sustained press activity within Albanian territories. Published in Shkodra—the first city to establish a printing house—it reflected both administrative functions and emerging political awareness among Albanians. Reprinted weekly from June 24, 1879, under the direction of Hysen Pasha, Iskodra addressed regional and international developments, including criticism of Austro-Hungarian actions in Bosnia. Its most significant contribution came in 1880, when it published an appeal advocating Albanian self-governance, signaling the rise of nationalist sentiment and organized resistance during the late Ottoman period.

‘Iskodra” was first published in 1868 and republished in 1879.

The newspaper ‘Iskodra” becomes the first newspaper published in Albanian territories. Although only in the Ottoman language, ‘Iskodra’ marks the first trace of journalism in Albania, while Shkodra becomes the first city where the first printing house was established, which issued publications for citizens, a luxury product for the inhabitants.

According to reports, it would have one page in the Ottoman language and the other in Italian. The newspapers of the Albanian vilayets in Shkodra, Janina, Prizren, Manastir and Thessaloniki did not have pages in the Albanian language either at the beginning or later, as many of the other newspapers were bilingual, and yet they wrote about the lives of Albanians.

The vilayet of Shkodra reprinted its official newspaper ‘Iskodra’ on June 24, 1879. It was published for two years once a week, every Thursday, in Ottoman, directed by Hysen Pasha. From the first issue, it wrote about Bosnia, occupied by the dual monarchy (Austro-Hungary) a year earlier, and criticized Austria-Hungary. This short news was also published in the Leka magazine of Shkodra.

On May 7, 1880, in the official newspaper ‘Iskodra’, which saw the light for the first time in Albanian and Ottoman, an appeal was published signed by Ali Pasha (Gucia), Hodo Beg (Sokoli), Preng Bib Doda… on behalf of the nobility and the people, which stated that:

“… since Albania ceased to be under the rule of the sultan, all non-Albanian officials would be dismissed from their jobs and forced to leave the country and that from now on the people would no longer obey anyone, except the orders of the League and the advice of the elders of the tribes, which would continue to be, as before, the only legislators of the new state.”