Abstract

This archival document, dated July 11, 1912, and authored by Serbian officer Jovan Jovanović, outlines Serbia’s strategic directives regarding the Albanian population on the eve of the Balkan Wars. The document reveals that Serbia aimed to exploit the conflict between the Albanians and the Ottoman Turks to weaken both parties while preserving Serbian military strength for future engagements. It instructed that Albanians should be encouraged and supported in their resistance against the Turks through weapons, advice, and logistical aid, but without allowing them to gain full control. The strategy emphasized creating a perception of Serbian indispensability among Balkan allies and fostering trust with the Albanians to eventually secure them as political partners. The original Serbian text and its Albanian translation, by Muzafer Bislimi, are preserved in the archival record.

Betrayal

After the Albanians were exhausted from fighting the Turks, the Serbian army then entered Kosovo and defeated the disorganised Albanian troops, and massacred 50,000 civilians and 100,000 in northern Albania. The Albanian fight against the Turks enabled Serbia, Montenegro, Greece and Bulgaria to invade the remains of the Ottoman Empire, and chop up Albanian territory.

Transcribed:

“Belgrade, July 11, 1912

Our position regarding the Arnauts (Albanians) in case of war

The situation in brief is as follows:

All means must be used to prevent discord between the Turks and Arnauts, so that the deep hatred between them does not become apparent. The Arnauts and Albanians must, if brave, fight against the Turks, not only for their own bravery and benefit, but also to help the Serbs in the end.

Some Serbs think that the Turkish administration over the Arnauts will be useful to us and them, only insofar as it serves our interests, the national interest. It should not be allowed that the Arnauts, who are under Turkish rule, interfere in the struggle between us and the Turks. If the struggle is of a revolutionary character, we must provide the Arnauts with help necessary for the decisive fight against the Turkish army (with weapons, ammunition, etc., if possible).

It should be remembered that all the Turks’ trust must be misused and no consideration given to them, as they would suppress the Albanian revolution. In this way, we could achieve our goals, and the Turks would be involved in a desperate fight, only to weaken themselves in the final conflict against Serbia (and allies like Bulgaria, Greece, and Montenegro, whose help we cannot rely on entirely), which would inevitably attack them. Otherwise, if they became convinced, they could not help us against the Turks.

The Arnauts would see in us the true friend and ally, and they would side with us politically. Serbia would gain some strength for a decisive battle that would eventually free us from the Turks.

However, the position should also be noted for Montenegro. It is necessary to gain the trust of the Arnauts, to establish mutual confidence to some extent, and in a certain measure, to prevent misunderstanding between the friends of the Turks. There is no national future without mutual trust between Serbs and Arnauts.

Jos. Jovanović, officer”

Reference

Jos Jovanović, Stavovi u pogledu. Veternik, 11 July, 1912, archival document.