Greek minority in Albania
Encyclopedia
About a general view on history, geography, demographics and political issues concerning the region, see Northern Epirus
.
The Greeks of Albania are ethnic Greeks who live in or originate from areas within modern Albania. They are mostly concentrated in the south of the country, in the areas of the northern part of the historical region of Epirus
, in parts of Vlorë County
, Gjirokastër
, Korçë
and Berat County
. The area is also known as Northern Epirus
. Consequently, the Greeks hailing specifically from South Albania/Northern Epirus are widely known as Northern Epirotes ( Vorioipirotes). The Greeks who live in the 'minority zones' of Albania are officially recognized by the Albanian government as the Greek minority in Albania .
In 1913, after the end of five centuries of Ottoman rule
, the area was included under the sovereignty of the newly founded Albanian state. The following year, Greeks revolted and declared their independence
, and with the following Protocol of Corfu
the area was recognized as an autonomous region under nominal Albanian sovereignty, however, this was never implemented.
In modern times, the Greek population has suffered from the prohibition of the Greek language if spoken outside the recognized so-called 'minority zones' (which have remained after the communist era) and even limitations on the official use of its language within those zones. According to Greek minority leaders, the existence of Greek communities outside the 'minority zones' is even outright denied. Many formerly Greek place-names have been officially changed to Albanian ones. Greeks from the 'minority zones' were also frequently forcibly moved to other parts of the country since they were seen as possible sources of dissent and ethnic tension. During communist rule many Greek members of Albanian political parties were forced to cut off their ties with the Orthodox Church. In more recent times, the numbers of the minority have dwindled.
The Greek minority in Albania is concentrated in the south of the country, along the border with Greece
, an area referred to by Greek as "Northern Epirus". The largest concentration is in the districts of Sarandë
, Gjirokastër
(especially in the area of Dropull
), Delvinë
, and in Himara (part of the district of Vlorë
). Smaller groups can be found in the districts of Kolonjë
, Përmet
and Korçë
. In addition, Greeks communities are found in all the large cities of Albania, including the capital Tiranë, Fier
, Durrës
, Elbasan
, and Shkodër
. In more recent times, the numbers of the minority have dwindled. According to an estimate in 2005 more than 80% have migrated to Greece. However, in more recent years the majority of emigrants holding Albanian citizenship in general dropped and many of them eventually returned from Greece to Albania. As a result in regions such as Himara, part of the ethnic Greek communities that initially moved to Greece have returned.
, in order to establish control over the areas populated by the Greek minority, declared the so-called “minority zones” , consisting of 99 villages in the southern districts of Gjirokastër, Sarandë and Delvina.
Tirana's official minority policy defines the Greek origin of Albanian citizens according to the language, religion, birth and ancestors originating from the areas of the so-called “minority zones”. The Albanian law on minorities acknowledges the rights of the Greek minority only to those people who live in the areas which are recognized as minority zones. The last census that included ethnicity, from 1989, included only the numbers of the Greek minority in the minority zones. Ethnic Greeks living outside those areas were not counted as such. This has had a practical effect in the area of education: With the exception of the officially-recognized Greek minority zones, where teaching was held in both the Greek and Albanian languages, in all other areas of Albania lessons were taught only in the Albanian language.
, Korce
, Vlorë
and Berat
did not have access to any minority rights.
Contrary to the official Albanian definition, that generally provides a limited definition of the ethnic Greeks living in Albania, Greek migration policy defines the Greek origin on the basis of language, religion, birth and ancestors from the region called Northern Epirus
. In that way, according to the Greek State Council, the Greek ethnic origin can be granted on the basis of cultural ancestry (sharing “common historical memories” and/or links with “historic homelands and culture”), Greek descent (Greek Albanians have to prove that the birth place of their parents or grandparents is in Northern Epirus), language, and religion.
Albanian sources often use the pejorative term 'filogrek' (pro-Greek) in relation to ethnic Greeks, usually in a context disputing their Greek ancestry.
) in the region have historically self-identified as Greeks. They are mostly concentrated in the southern part of the country in the districts of Sarandë
, Vlorë
, Fier
, Gjirokastër
, Përmet
, Tepelenë
, Devoll
and Korçë
. Vickers suggests that a certain number of them have claimed to be Greek in exchange for benefits such as Greek pensions, Greek Passport
s and visas.
approximately 35,000 Northern Epirotes found refuge in Greece.
Since the collapse of the communist regime in Albania in 1990, an estimated 200,000 ethnic Greeks from Albania are believed to live and work (some of them on a seasonal basis) in Greece as immigrants. They are considered 'omogeneis' (co-ethnics) by the Greek Ministry of the Interior and have received special residency permits available only to members of the Greek minority from Albania.
for the unification of the region with Greece.
According to post-war sources, Northern Epirotes in America numbered over 15,000 families in 1965.
. Despite the relatively small distances between the various town and villages, there exists some dialectal variation, most noticeably in accent. Though Northern Epirote is a southern dialect, it is located far north of the reduced unstressed vowel system isogloss with the archaic disyllabic -ea. Thus, the provenance of the dialect ultimately remains obscure, and more research in this direction is needed.
The local Greek dialects (especially the Chimariotic
and the Argyrokastritic) are a more conservative and a purer Greek idiom (similarly to that spoken in the Mani peninsula
in Greece, and the Griko language
of Apulia
in Italy
), because they were spoken by populations living under virtual autonomy during Ottoman rule due to the rugged nature of the region. Thus, separated from other Greek dialects, the Northern Epirote Greek dialect underwent slower evolution, preserving a more archaic and faithful picture of the medieval Greek vernacular. The isolation of Albania during the years of communist rule, which separated the Greeks living in Albania from other Greek communities, also contributed to the slower evolution and differentiation of the local Greek dialects.
Christianity spread to the region during the 4th century. The following centuries saw the erection of characteristic examples of Byzantine architecture
such as the churches in Kosine, Mborje and Apollonia. Later, between 1500–1800, impressive ecclesiastical art flourished across Northern Epirus. In Moscopole
there were over 23 churches during the city's period of prosperity in the mid 18th century. Post-Byzantine architectural style is prevalent in the region, e.g. in Vithkuq
, Labove, Mesopotam
, Dropull
.
region (as well as in the Greek part of Upper Pogoni
) perform a style of polyphony -typically shared with the Albanian and Vlach music of Epirus- that is characterized by a pentatonic structure. Another type of polyphonic singing in the region seems to have features in common with the lament songs sung in some parts of Greece. The female lament singing of Northern Epirus is similar in nature and performance with that of the Mani peninsula
in Greece.
During the first period of Ottoman occupation, illiteracy was a main characteristic of the wider Balkan
region, but contrary to that situation, Epirus was not negatively affected. Along with the tolerance of the Turkish rulers and the desires of wealthy Epirote emigrants in the diaspora, many schools were established.
The spiritual and ethnic contribution of the monastery schools in Epirus such as Katsimani (near Butrint), Drianou (in Droviani), Kamenas (in Delvina) and St. Athanasios in Policani (13th-17th century) was significant. The first Greek-language school in Delvine was founded in 1537, when the town was still under Venetian control, while in Gjirokastër a Greek school was founded in 1633. The most important impetus for the creation of schools and the development of Greek education was given by the Orthodox missionary Cosmas of Aetolia together with the Aromanian
Nektarios Terpos
from Moscopole
. Cosmas the Aetolian founded the Acroceraunian school
, harkening back to the region's name in classical antiquity, in the town of Himara in 1770.
In Moscopole, an educational institution known as the ""New Academy"
and an extensive library were established during the 18th century. A local Epirote monk founded in 1731 the first printing-press in the Balkans (second only to that of Constantinople
). However, after the destruction of Moscopole (1769), the center of Greek education in the region moved to nearby Korçë
.
In the late 19th century, the wealthy banker Christakis Zografos
founded the Zographeion College
in his hometown of Qestorat
, in the region of Lunxhëri
. Many of the educated men that supported Greek culture and education in the region, then the culture of the Orthodox Patriarchate, were Vlachs
by origin. In 1905, Greek education was flourishing in the region, as the entire Orthodox population, including Orthodox Albanians, was educated in Greek schools.
However, in the northernmost districts of Berat and Durrës, the above numbers do not reflect the ethnological distribution, because a large number of students were Orthodox Albanians.
was created in 1912, the educational rights of the Greek communities in Albanian territory were granted by the Protocol of Corfu
(1914) and with the statement of Albania's representatives in the League of Nations
(1921). However, under a policy of assimilation, the Greek schools (there were over 360 until 1913) were gradually forced to close and Greek education was virtually eliminated by 1934. Following the intervention by the League of Nations, a limited number of schools, only those inside the "official minority zones", were reopened.
During the years of the communist regime, Greek education was also limited to the so-called "minority zone", in parts of the districts of Gjirokastër
, Delvina
and Sarande
, and even then pupils were taught only Albanian history and culture at the primary level. If a few Albanian families moved into a town or village, the minority's right to be educated in Greek and publish in Greek newspapers was revoked.
from Korcë gave all of his wealth for educational purposes in Greece. The Zappas brothers, Evangelos and Konstantinos
, endowed Athens with an ancient Greek-style marble stadium (the Kallimarmaro) that has hosted Olympic Games
in 1870, 1875, 1896, 1906 and 2004, and the Zappeion
exhibition center. The Zappas brothers also founded a number of hospitals and schools in Athens and Constantinople. Christakis Zografos in the Ottoman capital offered vast amounts of money for the establishments of two Greek schools (one for boys, known as Zographeion Lyceum, as well as one for girls), and a hospital.
During the years of communist rule, any form of organization by minorities was prohibited. In 1991, when the communist regime collapsed, the political organization Omonoia was founded, in the town of Dervican by representatives of the Greek minority. The organization has four affiliates, in Sarandë
, Delvinë
, Gjirokastër
and Tirana
, and sub-sections in Korçë
, Vlorë
and Përmet
. Its leading forum is the General Council consisting of 45 members, which is elected by the General Conference held every two years.
The Chair of Omonoia called for the autonomy of Northern Epirus in 1991, on the basis that the rights of the minority under the Albanian constitution were highly precarious. This proposal was rejected and thereby spurred the organization's radical wing to "call for Union with Greece".
Omonoia was banned from the parliamentary elections of March 1991 on the grounds that it violated an Albanian law forbidding the "formation of parties on a religious, ethnic and regional basis". This situation was contested during the following elections on behalf of Omonoia by the Unity for Human Rights Party
- a party which represents the Greek minority in the Albanian parliament. Omonoia still exists as an umbrella social and political organization, and represents approximately 100,000 to 150,000 ethnic Greeks.
Omonoia has been the center of more than one political controversy in Albania. A major political controversy erupted in 1994 when five ethnic Greek members of Omonoia were arrested, investigated, and tried for treason. Their arrest was substantially marred by procedural shortcomings in the search of their homes and offices, their detention, and their trial. None of the arrestees had access to legal counsel during their initial detention. Four of the five ethnic Greek members of Omonoia stated that, during their detention, authorities subjected them to physical and psychological pressure, including beatings, sleep deprivation, and threats of torture. The Albanian Government rejected these claims. The five ethnic Greeks also complained of lack of access to their families during the first 3 months of their 4-month investigation. During their trial, a demonstration by a group of about 100 Greek lawyers, journalists, and ethnic Greek citizens of Albania took place outside the courthouse. The Albanian Police
violently broke up the protest and detained about 20 lawyers and journalists. The members of Omonoia were eventually sentenced to 6 to 8 year prison terms, which were subsequently reduced on appeal.
The Panepirotic Federation of America was founded in Worcester, Massachusetts
, in 1942, by Greek immigrants from Epirus (both from the Greek and Albanian part). One of the organization's main goals has been the protection of the human rights of the Greek minority in Albania and to call on the Albanian Government to enhance its full acceptance within the community of responsible nations by restoring to the Greek minority its educational, religious, political, linguistic and cultural rights due them under bilateral and international agreements signed by by Albania's representatives since the country was created in 1913, including the right to declare their ethnic and religious affiliation in a census monitored by international observers.
The organization played and still plays essential part in promoting the Northern Epirote issue. It is claimed that the Albanian-American relations worsened in 1946 due to successful lobbying by the Panepirotic Federation in promoting the Northern Epirote issue among American political circles. Albanian leader Enver Hoxha
, opposing the restoration of an autonomous Northern Epirus
, decided not to pursue diplomatic relations with the United States.
was founded in 1982 as a Federation of various organizations representing migrants who originated from the region of Epirus throughout Australia. It is known for its dedication to the maintenance and development of Epirotic culture in Australia, its passionate championing of the rights of the Greek minority of Northern Epirus, and plays a prominent role in the life of the Greek community in Australia. It has donated over one million dollars to works of a charitable and philanthropic nature for the Greeks of Northern Epirus. It is also affiliated with the World Council of Epirotes Abroad and the World Council of Hellenes Abroad.
The Panepirotic Federation of Australia's former president, Mr Petros Petranis has notably completed a study of Epirotic migration to Australia, which is titled "Epirots in Australia" (Greek: Οι Ηπειρώτες στην Αυστραλία), published by the National Centre for Hellenic Studies, LaTrobe University, in 2004.
Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
.
The Greeks of Albania are ethnic Greeks who live in or originate from areas within modern Albania. They are mostly concentrated in the south of the country, in the areas of the northern part of the historical region of Epirus
Epirus
The name Epirus, from the Greek "Ήπειρος" meaning continent may refer to:-Geographical:* Epirus - a historical and geographical region of the southwestern Balkans, straddling modern Greece and Albania...
, in parts of Vlorë County
Vlorë County
The County of Vlorë is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Delvinë, Sarandë and Vlorë and its capital is Vlorë. As of January 1, 2010 the population of the Vlore District was estimated to be 211,773....
, Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër County
Gjirokastër County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Gjirokastër, Përmet, and Tepelenë and its capital is Gjirokastër. Its population includes a substantial Greek minority. To the southeast, Gjirokastër shares a border with Greece...
, Korçë
Korçë County
The County of Korçë is one of the 12 counties of Albania, located in the eastern part of the country. It is the largest county of Albania and consists of the districts Devoll, Kolonjë, Korçë and Pogradec and its capital is Korçë....
and Berat County
Berat County
The County of Berat is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Berat, Kuçovë, and Skrapar; its capital is Berat.The main cities are Berat city proper,Kucove,Polican,Ura Vajgurore, Corovode and Bogove. Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering an area of and a buffer...
. The area is also known as Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
. Consequently, the Greeks hailing specifically from South Albania/Northern Epirus are widely known as Northern Epirotes ( Vorioipirotes). The Greeks who live in the 'minority zones' of Albania are officially recognized by the Albanian government as the Greek minority in Albania .
In 1913, after the end of five centuries of Ottoman rule
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the area was included under the sovereignty of the newly founded Albanian state. The following year, Greeks revolted and declared their independence
Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded on February 28, 1914, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, by the Greeks living in southern Albania ....
, and with the following Protocol of Corfu
Protocol of Corfu
The Protocol of Corfu , signed on May 17, 1914, was an agreement between representatives of the Albanian Government and the Provisional Government of Northern Epirus, which officially recognized the area of Northern Epirus as an autonomous region within the Albanian state...
the area was recognized as an autonomous region under nominal Albanian sovereignty, however, this was never implemented.
In modern times, the Greek population has suffered from the prohibition of the Greek language if spoken outside the recognized so-called 'minority zones' (which have remained after the communist era) and even limitations on the official use of its language within those zones. According to Greek minority leaders, the existence of Greek communities outside the 'minority zones' is even outright denied. Many formerly Greek place-names have been officially changed to Albanian ones. Greeks from the 'minority zones' were also frequently forcibly moved to other parts of the country since they were seen as possible sources of dissent and ethnic tension. During communist rule many Greek members of Albanian political parties were forced to cut off their ties with the Orthodox Church. In more recent times, the numbers of the minority have dwindled.
Northern Epirus
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
, an area referred to by Greek as "Northern Epirus". The largest concentration is in the districts of Sarandë
Sarandë District
The District of Sarandë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, found in southern Albania, in the County of Vlorë.The area of the district is 749 square kilometers. The population of the district was 48,474 . According to the census of January 1993, it was 53,700.The centre of the district...
, Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër District
The District of Gjirokastër is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. It has a population of 56,720 containing a large Greek minority, and an area of 1,137 km². It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Gjirokastër...
(especially in the area of Dropull
Dropull
Dropull is a predominantly Greek-inhabited region in Gjirokastër District, in southern Albania. The region stretches from south of the city of Gjirokastër to the Greek-Albanian border, along the Drinos river. The region's villages are part of the Greek "minority zone" recognized by the Albanian...
), Delvinë
Delvinë District
The District of Delvinë or District of Delvina is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 11,985 includes a substantial Greek community. The district has an area of 348 km² . It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Delvinë...
, and in Himara (part of the district of Vlorë
Vlorë District
The District of Vlorë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 151,314 . The district has a land area of 1,609 km². It is in the south-west of the country, and its capital is Vlorë. Its population includes a Greek minority...
). Smaller groups can be found in the districts of Kolonjë
Kolonje
Kolonjë is a small village in Gjirokastër District, Gjirokastër County, southern Albania, located northwest of the city Gjirokastër which is about 30 minutes away. The village has a festival every year on the 10th of May called Dhjet Maj , when everyone who has left the village returns to celebrate...
, Përmet
Përmet
Përmet is a town in Albania, capital of Përmet District. The population is 7,717. It is flanked by the Vjosë river, which runs along the Trebeshinë-Dhëmbel-Nemërçkë mountain chain, between Trebeshinë and Dhëmbel mountains, and through the Këlcyra gorge....
and Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
. In addition, Greeks communities are found in all the large cities of Albania, including the capital Tiranë, Fier
Fier
Fieri is a city in southwest Albania, in the district and county of the same name. It is located at , and has a population of 82,297 . Fier is from the ruins of the ancient Greek city of Apollonia.-History :...
, Durrës
Durrës
Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari...
, Elbasan
Elbasan
Elbasan is a city in central Albania. It is located on the Shkumbin River in the District of Elbasan and the County of Elbasan, at...
, and Shkodër
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
. In more recent times, the numbers of the minority have dwindled. According to an estimate in 2005 more than 80% have migrated to Greece. However, in more recent years the majority of emigrants holding Albanian citizenship in general dropped and many of them eventually returned from Greece to Albania. As a result in regions such as Himara, part of the ethnic Greek communities that initially moved to Greece have returned.
Recognized Greek 'minority zone'
During the communist regime (1945–1991), Enver HoxhaEnver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
, in order to establish control over the areas populated by the Greek minority, declared the so-called “minority zones” , consisting of 99 villages in the southern districts of Gjirokastër, Sarandë and Delvina.
Tirana's official minority policy defines the Greek origin of Albanian citizens according to the language, religion, birth and ancestors originating from the areas of the so-called “minority zones”. The Albanian law on minorities acknowledges the rights of the Greek minority only to those people who live in the areas which are recognized as minority zones. The last census that included ethnicity, from 1989, included only the numbers of the Greek minority in the minority zones. Ethnic Greeks living outside those areas were not counted as such. This has had a practical effect in the area of education: With the exception of the officially-recognized Greek minority zones, where teaching was held in both the Greek and Albanian languages, in all other areas of Albania lessons were taught only in the Albanian language.
Other Greek communities in Albania
However, the official Albanian definition about minorities did not recognize as members of a minority ethnic Greeks who live in mixed villages and towns inhabited by both Greek and Albanian speaking populations, even in areas where ethnic Greeks form a majority (e.g. Himara). Consequently, the Greek communities in HimarëHimarë
Himarë is a bilingual region and municipality along the Albanian Riviera in southern Albania and part of the District of Vlorë. Apart from the town of Himarë, the region consists of 7 other villages: Dhërmi, Pilur, Kudhës, Qeparo, Vuno, Iljas, and Palasë....
, Korce
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
and Berat
Berat County
The County of Berat is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Berat, Kuçovë, and Skrapar; its capital is Berat.The main cities are Berat city proper,Kucove,Polican,Ura Vajgurore, Corovode and Bogove. Berat is a UNESCO World Heritage Site covering an area of and a buffer...
did not have access to any minority rights.
Contrary to the official Albanian definition, that generally provides a limited definition of the ethnic Greeks living in Albania, Greek migration policy defines the Greek origin on the basis of language, religion, birth and ancestors from the region called Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus
Northern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
. In that way, according to the Greek State Council, the Greek ethnic origin can be granted on the basis of cultural ancestry (sharing “common historical memories” and/or links with “historic homelands and culture”), Greek descent (Greek Albanians have to prove that the birth place of their parents or grandparents is in Northern Epirus), language, and religion.
Albanian sources often use the pejorative term 'filogrek' (pro-Greek) in relation to ethnic Greeks, usually in a context disputing their Greek ancestry.
Aromanians
A substantial number of Vlachs (AromaniansAromanians
Aromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
) in the region have historically self-identified as Greeks. They are mostly concentrated in the southern part of the country in the districts of Sarandë
Sarandë District
The District of Sarandë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, found in southern Albania, in the County of Vlorë.The area of the district is 749 square kilometers. The population of the district was 48,474 . According to the census of January 1993, it was 53,700.The centre of the district...
, Vlorë
Vlorë District
The District of Vlorë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 151,314 . The district has a land area of 1,609 km². It is in the south-west of the country, and its capital is Vlorë. Its population includes a Greek minority...
, Fier
Fier District
The District of Fier is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Fier County. It has a population of 199,442 , and an area of 785 km². It is in the south-west of the country, and its capital is Fier...
, Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër District
The District of Gjirokastër is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. It has a population of 56,720 containing a large Greek minority, and an area of 1,137 km². It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Gjirokastër...
, Përmet
Përmet District
The District of Përmet is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Gjirokastër County. Its population of 22,029 includes Aromanian minorities. The district has an area of 930 km². It is in the south-east of the country, and its capital is Përmet...
, Tepelenë
Tepelenë District
The District of Tepelenë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Gjirokastër County. It has a population of 23,800 , and an area of 817 km². It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Tepelenë...
, Devoll
Devoll District
The District of Devoll is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Korçë County and derives its name from the Devoll river flowing through the valley. It has a population of 33,785, and an area of 429 km². It is in the southeastern corner of the country, and its capital is Bilisht...
and Korçë
Korçë District
The District of Korçë , is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. According estimates, as of January 1, 2010, 138,898 people lived in the Korce District...
. Vickers suggests that a certain number of them have claimed to be Greek in exchange for benefits such as Greek pensions, Greek Passport
Greek passport
Greek passports are issued exclusively to Greek citizens for the purpose of international travel. Greek citizens can use their ID card instead for travel within the European Union and a number of other European countries. Biometric passports have been issued since 26 August 2006, with old-style...
s and visas.
Diaspora
Greece
At the end of the second World WarWorld War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
approximately 35,000 Northern Epirotes found refuge in Greece.
Since the collapse of the communist regime in Albania in 1990, an estimated 200,000 ethnic Greeks from Albania are believed to live and work (some of them on a seasonal basis) in Greece as immigrants. They are considered 'omogeneis' (co-ethnics) by the Greek Ministry of the Interior and have received special residency permits available only to members of the Greek minority from Albania.
North America
A number of Northern Epirotes have migrated since the late 19th century to the Americas, and are generally integrated in the local Greek-American communities. The Pan-Epirotic Union of America, an organization which consists of 26 branches in various cities, according to its estimates counted nearly 30,000 Northern Epirotes in North America in 1919. Notably, in the same year around 1,700 members of the Greek Northern Epirote diaspora from Korce (Korytsa) and Kolonje (Kolonia) petitioned the on-going Paris Peace ConferenceParis Peace Conference, 1919
The Paris Peace Conference was the meeting of the Allied victors following the end of World War I to set the peace terms for the defeated Central Powers following the armistices of 1918. It took place in Paris in 1919 and involved diplomats from more than 32 countries and nationalities...
for the unification of the region with Greece.
According to post-war sources, Northern Epirotes in America numbered over 15,000 families in 1965.
Australia
Northern Epirotes also emigrated in Australia, where they are active in raising political issues related to their motherland and the rights of the Greek populations still living there.Language
Northern Epirotes speak a southern Greek dialect. In addition to Albanian loanwords, it retains some archaic forms and words that are no longer used in Standard Modern Greek, as well as in the Greek dialects of southern EpirusEpirus (region)
Epirus is a geographical and historical region in southeastern Europe, shared between Greece and Albania. It lies between the Pindus Mountains and the Ionian Sea, stretching from the Bay of Vlorë in the north to the Ambracian Gulf in the south...
. Despite the relatively small distances between the various town and villages, there exists some dialectal variation, most noticeably in accent. Though Northern Epirote is a southern dialect, it is located far north of the reduced unstressed vowel system isogloss with the archaic disyllabic -ea. Thus, the provenance of the dialect ultimately remains obscure, and more research in this direction is needed.
The local Greek dialects (especially the Chimariotic
Himariote Greek dialect
The Himariote Greek dialect is a dialect of the Greek language that is mainly spoken by ethnic Greeks in the Himarë region of Albania. Despite the small distances between the towns in the region, there exists some dialectal variation, most prominently in accent.-Classification:Despite the fact...
and the Argyrokastritic) are a more conservative and a purer Greek idiom (similarly to that spoken in the Mani peninsula
Mani Peninsula
The Mani Peninsula , also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a geographical and cultural region in Greece. Mani is the central peninsula of the three which extend southwards from the Peloponnese in southern Greece. To the east is the Laconian Gulf, to the west the Messenian Gulf...
in Greece, and the Griko language
Griko language
Griko, sometimes spelled Grico, is a form of the Greek language which is spoken by the Griko people in southern Italy. The Greeks consider it as a Modern Greek dialect and often call it Katoitaliotika or Grekanika...
of Apulia
Apulia
Apulia is a region in Southern Italy bordering the Adriatic Sea in the east, the Ionian Sea to the southeast, and the Strait of Òtranto and Gulf of Taranto in the south. Its most southern portion, known as Salento peninsula, forms a high heel on the "boot" of Italy. The region comprises , and...
in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
), because they were spoken by populations living under virtual autonomy during Ottoman rule due to the rugged nature of the region. Thus, separated from other Greek dialects, the Northern Epirote Greek dialect underwent slower evolution, preserving a more archaic and faithful picture of the medieval Greek vernacular. The isolation of Albania during the years of communist rule, which separated the Greeks living in Albania from other Greek communities, also contributed to the slower evolution and differentiation of the local Greek dialects.
Religion
Byzantine architecture
Byzantine architecture is the architecture of the Byzantine Empire. The empire gradually emerged as a distinct artistic and cultural entity from what is today referred to as the Roman Empire after AD 330, when the Roman Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire east from Rome to...
such as the churches in Kosine, Mborje and Apollonia. Later, between 1500–1800, impressive ecclesiastical art flourished across Northern Epirus. In Moscopole
Moscopole
Moscopole was a cultural and commercial center of the Aromanians, and now a small municipality in Korçë District, modern southeastern Albania. At its peak, in the mid 18th century, it hosted the first printing press in the Balkans outside Istanbul, educational institutions and numerous churches...
there were over 23 churches during the city's period of prosperity in the mid 18th century. Post-Byzantine architectural style is prevalent in the region, e.g. in Vithkuq
Vithkuq
Vithkuq is a municipality in the Korçë District, Korçë County, southeastern Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Vithkuq, Leshnje, Gjanc, Lubonjë, Rehovë, Roshanj, Trebickë, Grabockë, Treskë, Stratobërdh, Panarit, Shtyllë and Cemericë....
, Labove, Mesopotam
Mesopotam
Mesopotam is a municipality in the Delvinë District, Vlorë County, southern Albania.. The municipality consists of the villages Mesopotam, Kardhikaq, Pecë, Muzinë, Dhrovjan, Krongj, Bistricë, Velahovë, Livinë, Brajlat, Sirakat, Kostar, Fitore, Krane and Ardhasovë. Mesopotam in Greek means "between...
, Dropull
Dropull
Dropull is a predominantly Greek-inhabited region in Gjirokastër District, in southern Albania. The region stretches from south of the city of Gjirokastër to the Greek-Albanian border, along the Drinos river. The region's villages are part of the Greek "minority zone" recognized by the Albanian...
.
Music
Epirote folk music has several unique features not found in the rest of the Greek world. Singers from the PogonPogon
Pogoń or Pahonia , meaning The Chase, also Vytis in Lithuanian language, represents a Knight-in-pursuit coat of arms of the Grand Duchy of Lithuania and of several of its noble families:* Pogoń Litewska Coat of Arms, the original variant...
region (as well as in the Greek part of Upper Pogoni
Ano Pogoni
Ano Pogoni is a former municipality in the Ioannina peripheral unit, Epirus, Greece. Since the 2011 local government reform it is part of the municipality Pogoni, of which it is a municipal unit. Population 1,663...
) perform a style of polyphony -typically shared with the Albanian and Vlach music of Epirus- that is characterized by a pentatonic structure. Another type of polyphonic singing in the region seems to have features in common with the lament songs sung in some parts of Greece. The female lament singing of Northern Epirus is similar in nature and performance with that of the Mani peninsula
Mani Peninsula
The Mani Peninsula , also long known as Maina or Maïna, is a geographical and cultural region in Greece. Mani is the central peninsula of the three which extend southwards from the Peloponnese in southern Greece. To the east is the Laconian Gulf, to the west the Messenian Gulf...
in Greece.
Ottoman era
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
region, but contrary to that situation, Epirus was not negatively affected. Along with the tolerance of the Turkish rulers and the desires of wealthy Epirote emigrants in the diaspora, many schools were established.
The spiritual and ethnic contribution of the monastery schools in Epirus such as Katsimani (near Butrint), Drianou (in Droviani), Kamenas (in Delvina) and St. Athanasios in Policani (13th-17th century) was significant. The first Greek-language school in Delvine was founded in 1537, when the town was still under Venetian control, while in Gjirokastër a Greek school was founded in 1633. The most important impetus for the creation of schools and the development of Greek education was given by the Orthodox missionary Cosmas of Aetolia together with the Aromanian
Aromanians
Aromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
Nektarios Terpos
Nektarios Terpos
Nektarios Terpos was a scholar and Greek-Orthodox missionary of Vlach origin. He came from a wealthy family and spend his childhood in Moscopole. As a missionary he travelled in Epirus, covering vast areas from Arta to Berat. in a period of increasing islamization...
from Moscopole
Moscopole
Moscopole was a cultural and commercial center of the Aromanians, and now a small municipality in Korçë District, modern southeastern Albania. At its peak, in the mid 18th century, it hosted the first printing press in the Balkans outside Istanbul, educational institutions and numerous churches...
. Cosmas the Aetolian founded the Acroceraunian school
Acroceraunian School
The Acroceraunian School is a Greek elementary school in the town of Himara, southern Albania. It was founded in 1779 by Cosmas the Aetolian and throughout its history has been associated with the Greek culture of the area...
, harkening back to the region's name in classical antiquity, in the town of Himara in 1770.
In Moscopole, an educational institution known as the ""New Academy"
New Academy (Moscopole)
The New Academy or Greek Academy was a renowned educational institution, operating from 1743 to 1769 in Moscopole, an 18th century cultural and commercial metropolis of the Aromanians and leading center of Greek culture in what is now southeastern Albania...
and an extensive library were established during the 18th century. A local Epirote monk founded in 1731 the first printing-press in the Balkans (second only to that of Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
). However, after the destruction of Moscopole (1769), the center of Greek education in the region moved to nearby Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
.
In the late 19th century, the wealthy banker Christakis Zografos
Christakis Zografos
Christakis Zografos - 1896, Paris, France) was a Greek banker holding Ottoman citizenship, benefactor and one of the distinguished personalities of the Greek community of Constantinople .-Early years-Career:...
founded the Zographeion College
Zographeion College
Zographeion College was a Greek educational institution that operated from 1873 to 1891 in the village of Qestorat, Ottoman Empire, in modern southern Albania. It was named after its sponsor Christakis Zografos...
in his hometown of Qestorat
Qestorat
Qestorat is a community of Lunxhëri municipality in the district of Gjirokastër, southern Albania.From 1874 to 1891 the village was home to the Zographeion College, educational facilities that included primary and secondary male, female schools and a teacher's academy and operated with the personal...
, in the region of Lunxhëri
Lunxhëri
Lunxhëri is a municipality in the district of Gjirokastër, Gjirokastër County, Albania. The municipality consists of the villages Qestorat, Dhoksat, Këllëz, Mingul, Nokovë, Erind, Gjat, Kakoz, Karjan and Valare....
. Many of the educated men that supported Greek culture and education in the region, then the culture of the Orthodox Patriarchate, were Vlachs
Vlachs
Vlach is a blanket term covering several modern Latin peoples descending from the Latinised population in Central, Eastern and Southeastern Europe. English variations on the name include: Walla, Wlachs, Wallachs, Vlahs, Olahs or Ulahs...
by origin. In 1905, Greek education was flourishing in the region, as the entire Orthodox population, including Orthodox Albanians, was educated in Greek schools.
| Sandjak | District | No. of Greek schools |
Pupils |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monastir | Korce | 41 | 3,452 |
| Kolonje | 11 | 390 | |
| Leskovik | 34 | 1,189 | |
| Gjirokastër | Gjirokastër | 50 | 1,916 |
| Delvine | 24 | 1,063 | |
| Permet | 35 | 1,189 | |
| Tepelene | 18 | 589 | |
| Himare | 3 | 507 | |
| Pogon | 42 | 2,061 | |
| Berat | Berat | 15 | 623 |
| Skrapar | 1 | 18 | |
| Lushnjë | 28 | 597 | |
| Vlore | 10 | 435 | |
| Durrës | Durrës | 3 | 205 |
| Total | 315 | 14,234 |
However, in the northernmost districts of Berat and Durrës, the above numbers do not reflect the ethnological distribution, because a large number of students were Orthodox Albanians.
Albanian state (1912-1991)
When AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
was created in 1912, the educational rights of the Greek communities in Albanian territory were granted by the Protocol of Corfu
Protocol of Corfu
The Protocol of Corfu , signed on May 17, 1914, was an agreement between representatives of the Albanian Government and the Provisional Government of Northern Epirus, which officially recognized the area of Northern Epirus as an autonomous region within the Albanian state...
(1914) and with the statement of Albania's representatives in the League of Nations
League of Nations
The League of Nations was an intergovernmental organization founded as a result of the Paris Peace Conference that ended the First World War. It was the first permanent international organization whose principal mission was to maintain world peace...
(1921). However, under a policy of assimilation, the Greek schools (there were over 360 until 1913) were gradually forced to close and Greek education was virtually eliminated by 1934. Following the intervention by the League of Nations, a limited number of schools, only those inside the "official minority zones", were reopened.
During the years of the communist regime, Greek education was also limited to the so-called "minority zone", in parts of the districts of Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër District
The District of Gjirokastër is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania. It has a population of 56,720 containing a large Greek minority, and an area of 1,137 km². It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Gjirokastër...
, Delvina
Delvinë District
The District of Delvinë or District of Delvina is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, part of Vlorë County. Its population of 11,985 includes a substantial Greek community. The district has an area of 348 km² . It is in the south of the country, and its capital is Delvinë...
and Sarande
Sarandë District
The District of Sarandë is one of the thirty-six districts of Albania, found in southern Albania, in the County of Vlorë.The area of the district is 749 square kilometers. The population of the district was 48,474 . According to the census of January 1993, it was 53,700.The centre of the district...
, and even then pupils were taught only Albanian history and culture at the primary level. If a few Albanian families moved into a town or village, the minority's right to be educated in Greek and publish in Greek newspapers was revoked.
Post cold war period (1991-present)
One of the major issues between the Albanian government and the Greek minority in Albania is that of education and the need for more Greek-language schools, due to overcrowded classrooms and unfulfilled demand. In addition, the Greek minority remands that Greek language education be made available outside the "official minority zones". In 2006, the establishment of a Greek-language university in Gjirokastër was agreed upon after discussions between the Albanian and Greek government. Also in 2006, after years of unanswered demands by the local community, a private Greek-language school opened in the town of Himarë, at the precise location where the Orthodox missionary Cosmas the Aetolian founded the Acroceraunian School. The school currently has five teachers and 115 pupils.Benefaction
A number of people from the prosperous Northern Epirote diaspora of the 18th-19th centuries made significant contributions not only to their homeland, but also to the Greek state and to the Greek world under Ottoman Turkish domination. They donated fortunes for the construction of educational, cultural and social institutions. The Sinas family supported the expansion of the University of Athens and sponsored the foundation of the National Observatory. Ioannis PangasIoannis Pangas
Ioannis Pangas or Bangas , was a Greek benefactor and merchant from Ottoman Korce, in modern Albania. His father Georgios Pangas was also a notable merchant and philanthropist....
from Korcë gave all of his wealth for educational purposes in Greece. The Zappas brothers, Evangelos and Konstantinos
Konstantinos Zappas
Konstantinos Zappas was a Greek entrepreneur and national benefactor. Together with his cousin Evangelis Zappas he played an essential role in the revival of the Olympic Games....
, endowed Athens with an ancient Greek-style marble stadium (the Kallimarmaro) that has hosted Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in 1870, 1875, 1896, 1906 and 2004, and the Zappeion
Zappeion
The Zappeion is a building in the National Gardens of Athens in the heart of Athens, Greece. It is generally used for meetings and ceremonies, both official and private.-Constructing the Zappeion:...
exhibition center. The Zappas brothers also founded a number of hospitals and schools in Athens and Constantinople. Christakis Zografos in the Ottoman capital offered vast amounts of money for the establishments of two Greek schools (one for boys, known as Zographeion Lyceum, as well as one for girls), and a hospital.
Albania
Sarandë
Sarandë or Saranda is the capital of the District of Sarandë, Albania, and is one of the most important tourist attractions of the Albanian Riviera. It is situated on an open sea gulf of the Ionian Sea in the Mediterranean 2 nautical miles from the Greek island of Corfu. The city of Saranda has a...
, Delvinë
Delvinë
Delvinë is a small town in Vlorë County in southern Albania, 16 km northeast of Saranda. Delvinë is the seat of the Delvinë District. Delvinë has lost over a third of its citizens since 1990, having a population of 4,200 .The city is built on a mountain slope...
, Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
and Tirana
Tirana
Tirana is the capital and the largest city of Albania. Modern Tirana was founded as an Ottoman town in 1614 by Sulejman Bargjini, a local ruler from Mullet, although the area has been continuously inhabited since antiquity. Tirana became Albania's capital city in 1920 and has a population of over...
, and sub-sections in Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
, Vlorë
Vlorë
Vlorë is one of the biggest towns and the second largest port city of Albania, after Durrës, with a population of about 94,000 . It is the city where the Albanian Declaration of Independence was proclaimed on November 28, 1912...
and Përmet
Përmet
Përmet is a town in Albania, capital of Përmet District. The population is 7,717. It is flanked by the Vjosë river, which runs along the Trebeshinë-Dhëmbel-Nemërçkë mountain chain, between Trebeshinë and Dhëmbel mountains, and through the Këlcyra gorge....
. Its leading forum is the General Council consisting of 45 members, which is elected by the General Conference held every two years.
The Chair of Omonoia called for the autonomy of Northern Epirus in 1991, on the basis that the rights of the minority under the Albanian constitution were highly precarious. This proposal was rejected and thereby spurred the organization's radical wing to "call for Union with Greece".
Omonoia was banned from the parliamentary elections of March 1991 on the grounds that it violated an Albanian law forbidding the "formation of parties on a religious, ethnic and regional basis". This situation was contested during the following elections on behalf of Omonoia by the Unity for Human Rights Party
Unity for Human Rights Party
The Unity for Human Rights Party is a centrist, liberal-inclined party in Albania. Founded in 1992, it represents Albania's minorities and is mainly related to the Greek minority as it is the political continuation of the Democratic Union of the Greek Minority .-Election results:The party usually...
- a party which represents the Greek minority in the Albanian parliament. Omonoia still exists as an umbrella social and political organization, and represents approximately 100,000 to 150,000 ethnic Greeks.
Omonoia has been the center of more than one political controversy in Albania. A major political controversy erupted in 1994 when five ethnic Greek members of Omonoia were arrested, investigated, and tried for treason. Their arrest was substantially marred by procedural shortcomings in the search of their homes and offices, their detention, and their trial. None of the arrestees had access to legal counsel during their initial detention. Four of the five ethnic Greek members of Omonoia stated that, during their detention, authorities subjected them to physical and psychological pressure, including beatings, sleep deprivation, and threats of torture. The Albanian Government rejected these claims. The five ethnic Greeks also complained of lack of access to their families during the first 3 months of their 4-month investigation. During their trial, a demonstration by a group of about 100 Greek lawyers, journalists, and ethnic Greek citizens of Albania took place outside the courthouse. The Albanian Police
Albanian Police
The Albanian State Police is the national police and law enforcement agency which operates throughout the Republic of Albania. The falling down of the Communist system and the setting up of the political pluralism after the year 1991 brought important changes in the structure of the Albanian Police...
violently broke up the protest and detained about 20 lawyers and journalists. The members of Omonoia were eventually sentenced to 6 to 8 year prison terms, which were subsequently reduced on appeal.
North America
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, in 1942, by Greek immigrants from Epirus (both from the Greek and Albanian part). One of the organization's main goals has been the protection of the human rights of the Greek minority in Albania and to call on the Albanian Government to enhance its full acceptance within the community of responsible nations by restoring to the Greek minority its educational, religious, political, linguistic and cultural rights due them under bilateral and international agreements signed by by Albania's representatives since the country was created in 1913, including the right to declare their ethnic and religious affiliation in a census monitored by international observers.
The organization played and still plays essential part in promoting the Northern Epirote issue. It is claimed that the Albanian-American relations worsened in 1946 due to successful lobbying by the Panepirotic Federation in promoting the Northern Epirote issue among American political circles. Albanian leader Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
, opposing the restoration of an autonomous Northern Epirus
Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus
The Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded on February 28, 1914, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, by the Greeks living in southern Albania ....
, decided not to pursue diplomatic relations with the United States.
Australia
The Panepirotic Federation of AustraliaPanepirotic Federation of Australia
The Panepirotic Federation of Australia was founded in 1982 as a Federation of various organisations representing migrants who originated from the region of Epirus, throughout Australia...
was founded in 1982 as a Federation of various organizations representing migrants who originated from the region of Epirus throughout Australia. It is known for its dedication to the maintenance and development of Epirotic culture in Australia, its passionate championing of the rights of the Greek minority of Northern Epirus, and plays a prominent role in the life of the Greek community in Australia. It has donated over one million dollars to works of a charitable and philanthropic nature for the Greeks of Northern Epirus. It is also affiliated with the World Council of Epirotes Abroad and the World Council of Hellenes Abroad.
The Panepirotic Federation of Australia's former president, Mr Petros Petranis has notably completed a study of Epirotic migration to Australia, which is titled "Epirots in Australia" (Greek: Οι Ηπειρώτες στην Αυστραλία), published by the National Centre for Hellenic Studies, LaTrobe University, in 2004.
Academics
- Charles MoskosCharles MoskosCharles C. Moskos was a sociologist of the United States Military and a professor at Northwestern University...
(1934–2008), sociologist and professor. - Dimitris NanopoulosDimitri NanopoulosDimitri Nanopoulos is a Greek physicist. He is one of the most regularly cited researchers in the world, cited more than 35,800 times over across a number of separate branches of science....
(1948- ), world renowned physicistPhysicsPhysics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
, of a Northern EpirotianNorthern EpirusNorthern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
descent. - Vasileios IoannidisVasileios IoannidisVasileios Ioannidis was a Greek theologian and professor. His research was focused on the analysis and the understanding of the New Testament...
(1869–1963), theologian. - Tasos Vidouris (1888–1967), professor and poet.
Literature & Art
- Stavrianos VistiarisStavrianos VistiarisStavrianos Vistiaris , was a Greek poet born in the village of Malcani, in modern Sarande District, a region of Albania that Greeks refer to as Northern Epirus....
, 16th century poet. - Kosmas ThesprotosKosmas ThesprotosKosmas Thesprotos or Kosmas o Thesprotos was a Greek scholar and theologian.- Life :Kosmas was born in the village of Jergucat, Dropull region in modern southern Albania, then Ottoman Empire. In 1805 he became a priest...
(1780–1852) - Konstantinos SkenderisKonstantinos SkenderisKonstantinos Skenderis was a Greek journalist and author. He was born in Korça, modern southeast Albania, when the city was under Ottoman rule. From 1910 he published the newspaper named O Pelasgos...
, journalist, author and member of the Greek Parliament (1915–1917) for the Korytsa Prefecture. - Theophrastos GeorgiadisTheophrastos GeorgiadisTheophrastos Georgiadis was a Greek author and teacher. His work about the once prosperous urban center of Moscopole, today a small mountain village in southern Albania, is considered of great value since it concerns the period before the town's destruction in 1916.-Life:Georgiadis was born in...
(1885–1973), author. - Katina PapaKatina PapaKatina Papa was a Greek author. She became well known for her poetry and novels.She was born in the village of Janicat in the Ottoman Empire, now modern southern Albania...
(1903–1959), author. - Michael VasileiouMichael VasileiouMichael Vasileiou was a 19th century Greek merchant and benefactor. He was born in Ottoman occupied Gjirokastër, in modern Albania.He was the brother of Alexandros Vasileiou, merchant, scholar and student of Adamantios Korais, a major figure of the Greek Enlightenment movement...
, entrepreneur and scholar. - Theodosios Gousis, painter.
- Konstantinos Kalymnios, poet.
- Takis TsiakosTakis TsiakosTakis Tsiakos was a Greek poet, representative of the poetic style of Kostis Palamas.Tsiakos was born in Gjirokastër, modern southern Albania. In 1930 he moved to Ioannina, Greece, where he made his literary appearance writing lyrics in columns of local newspapers as well as in widely known Greek...
(1909–1997), poet.
Military/Resistance
- Konstantinos LagoumitzisKonstantinos LagoumitzisKonstantinos Lagoumitzis was a Greek revolutionary during the War of Greek Independence , famous for his ability to dig underground tunnels during sieges....
(1781–1827), revolutionary. - Kyriakoulis ArgyrokastritisKyriakoulis ArgyrokastritisKyriakoulis Argyrokastritis also known as Kyriakoulis Polychronis was a Greek resistance leader of the Greek War of Independence.He was born in Gjirokastër , modern Albania, when the town was under Ottoman rule...
(-1828), revolutionary. - Michail SpyromiliosMichail SpyromiliosSpyromilios or Spyros Milios, was a Greek revolutionary, general and politician.-Early life:He was born in Himara, Northern Epirus, in modern southern Albania, then part of the Ottoman Empire. In 1810 he went to Naples in Italy, where he remained until 1819, studying military theory and learning...
(1800–1880), army General, military advisor and politician. - Zachos MiliosZachos MiliosZachos Milios was a Greek revolutionary of the Greek War of Independence and officer of the Greek army. He was the brother of the distinguished general and politician Spyros Milios.-Greek War of Independence:...
(1805–1860) army officer. - Ioannis PoutetsisIoannis PoutetsisIoannis Poutetsis was a Greek revolutionary leader from the region of Epirus, in the early 20th century.Poutetsis was born in the village of Stegopuli , near Gjirokastër...
(-1912) revolutionary. - Spyros SpyromiliosSpyros SpyromiliosSpyros Spyromilios was a Greek Gendarmerie officer who took part in the Greek struggle for Macedonia and the Balkan Wars. He was born in Himara, Ottoman Empire, modern southern Albania, or known as Northern Epirus among Greeks...
(1864–1930) Gendarmerie officerGreek GendarmerieThe Hellenic Gendarmerie was the national gendarmerie and military police force of Greece.-19th Century:The Greek Gendarmerie was established after the enthronement of King Otto in 1833 as the Royal Gendarmerie and modeled after the French Gendarmerie. It was at that time formally part of the...
. - Dimitrios DoulisDimitrios DoulisDimitrios Doulis , was a Greek military officer, from Nivica in modern southern Albania .His father was Kitsios Doulis, hero of the Greek War of Independence...
(1865–1928), army officer, minister of military affairs of the Autonomous Rep. of Northern Epirus. - Pavlos MelasPavlos MelasPavlos Melas was an officer of the Hellenic Army, and he was among the first who organized and participated in the Greek Struggle for Macedonia....
(1870–1904), army officer. - Nikolaos DailakisNikolaos DailakisNikolaos or Lakis Dailakis was a Greek revolutionary of the Macedonian Struggle.Dailakis was born in the village of Vërnicë, Devoll District, modern southern Albania . He participated in various operations of Greek guerillas groups under the revolutionarry leader Konstantinos Christou or Captain...
( -1941) revolutionary of the Macedonian StruggleMacedonian StruggleThe Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region of Ottoman Macedonia between 1904 and 1908...
. - Vasilios SahinisVasilios SahinisVasilios Sachinis , was the leader of the Northern Epirote Liberation Front .Sachinis was born at the villages of Dhovjan in Dropull area and became a prosperous businessman in Gjirokastër...
(1897–1943), leader of the Northern Epirote resistanceNorthern Epirus Liberation FrontThe Northern Epirus Liberation Front also called Northern Epirote Liberation Organization , was an ethnic Greek resistance group that operated in areas of southern Albania during the Italian and German occupation of Albania...
(1942–1943).
Philanthropy
- Alexandros VasileiouAlexandros VasileiouAlexandros Vasileiou was a Greek merchant and scholar. He was born in Ottoman occupied Gjirokastër, in modern Albania.He was one of many Greek merchants in the 18th-19th centuries that were involved in the fields of education and literature. A. Vasileiou played an essential role in the Greek...
(1760–1818) - Apostolos Arsakis (1792–1874)
- Evangelis ZappasEvangelos ZappasEvangelis or Evangelos Zappas was a Greek-Romanian businessman and philanthropist. He is recognized today as a founder of the Olympic Games, who sponsored the Olympic Games of 1859, 1870, and 1875, and preceded the Olympic Games that came under the auspices of the International Olympic Committee...
(1800–1865) - Konstantinos ZappasKonstantinos ZappasKonstantinos Zappas was a Greek entrepreneur and national benefactor. Together with his cousin Evangelis Zappas he played an essential role in the revival of the Olympic Games....
(1814–1892) - Ioannis PangasIoannis PangasIoannis Pangas or Bangas , was a Greek benefactor and merchant from Ottoman Korce, in modern Albania. His father Georgios Pangas was also a notable merchant and philanthropist....
(1814–1895) - Georgios SinasGeorgios SinasGeorgios Sinas was a Greek entrepreneur, banker and national benefactor. He was the founder of the Athens National Observatory.- Biography :Georgios Sinas was born in Niš in 1783 of Greek or possibly Vlach origin, to Northern Epirotian parents. At an early age Sinas lost his mother and was grown...
(1783–1856) - Simon SinasSimon Sinas- Biography :Simon Sinas was born in 1810 in Vienna. He was of Greek origin, while his family originated from Moscopole. He served as Greek Consul in Vienna, and later as Minister to Austria, the Kingdom of Bavaria, and Germany. The son of Georgios Sinas, also a benefactor and diplomat, Sinas...
(1810–1876) - Christakis ZografosChristakis ZografosChristakis Zografos - 1896, Paris, France) was a Greek banker holding Ottoman citizenship, benefactor and one of the distinguished personalities of the Greek community of Constantinople .-Early years-Career:...
(1820–1896)
Politics
- Thanasis VagiasThanasis VagiasThanasis Vagias was a Greek counselor and confidant of Ali Pasha, a Muslim Albanian ruler of Ottoman Epirus. Vagias was born in Lekël, Tepelenë. His name had become notorious because, under Ali's service, he led an attack against the village of Kardhiq, near Gjirokaster, modern southern Albania....
(1765–1834) counselor of Ali PashaAli PashaAli Pasha of Tepelena or of Yannina, surnamed Aslan, "the Lion", or the "Lion of Yannina", Ali Pashë Tepelena was an Ottoman Albanian ruler of the western part of Rumelia, the Ottoman Empire's European territory which was also called Pashalik of Yanina. His court was in Ioannina... - Kyriakos KyritsisKyriakos KyritsisKyriakos Kyritsis was a Greek lawyer and politician from the village of Stegopoli , in modern southern Albania . He supported financially the local Greek revolt of 1878 against Ottoman rule...
lawyer and member of the Greek Parliament (1915–1917) for the Argyrokastron Prefecture. - Petros ZappasPetros ZappasPetros Zappas , was a Greek entrepreneur and politician, and a member of the Zappas family of national benefactors from Labovë in the Ottoman Empire and was briefly part of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus...
, member of the Greek Parliament (1915–1917) for the Argyrokastron Prefecture. - Georgios Christakis-ZografosGeorgios Christakis-ZografosGeorgios Christakis-Zografos was a Greek politician, minister of foreign affairs and president of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus .-Studies & early career:...
(1863–1920), diplomat, president of the Provisional Government of Northern Epirus (1914). - Spiro Koleka (1908–2001), long-serving member of the Politburo of the Party of Labour of AlbaniaPolitburo of the Party of Labour of AlbaniaThe Politburo was the leading organ of the Party of Labour of Albania. The following is the composition of the Politburo that would be formed after every Congress of the Party. The politburo for the 1941-1948 period is not included....
, one of the few members of the Greek minori serving in the Socialist People's Republic of Albania political system. - George TenetGeorge TenetGeorge John Tenet was the Director of Central Intelligence for the United States Central Intelligence Agency, and is Distinguished Professor in the Practice of Diplomacy at Georgetown University....
, former Director of CIA, of Himariot origin. - Vasil Bollano (Vasileios Bollanos) present chairman of Omonoia.
- Spiro KseraSpiro KseraSpiro Ksera is an Albanian politician of Greek ethnicity. He is the current 'Minister of Labor, Social Affairs & Equal Opportunities' of Albania...
(Spyros Xeras), former Perfekt of Gjirokastër CountyGjirokastër CountyGjirokastër County is one of the 12 counties of Albania. It consists of the districts Gjirokastër, Përmet, and Tepelenë and its capital is Gjirokastër. Its population includes a substantial Greek minority. To the southeast, Gjirokastër shares a border with Greece...
and member of the Albanian cabinet.
Religion
- SophianosSophianosBishop Sophianos of Dryinoupolis was a religious figure and orthodox missionary in Ottoman Epirus.At the time he became bishop of Dryinoupolis the religious composition of the region was changing due to massive conversions to Islam...
(-1711), bishop of Dryinoupolis and scholar. - Nektarios TerposNektarios TerposNektarios Terpos was a scholar and Greek-Orthodox missionary of Vlach origin. He came from a wealthy family and spend his childhood in Moscopole. As a missionary he travelled in Epirus, covering vast areas from Arta to Berat. in a period of increasing islamization...
, AromanianAromaniansAromanians are a Latin people native throughout the southern Balkans, especially in northern Greece, Albania, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, and as an emigrant community in Serbia and Romania . An older term is Macedo-Romanians...
(end 17th-18th century) priest and author. - Gavriel Konstantinidis, 18th century, monk, founder of the printing-house in Moscopole (1731).
- Vasileios of DryinoupolisVasileios of DryinoupolisBishop Vasileios of Dryinoupolis was one of the most important religious figures of the Greek Orthodox church in Northern Epirus of his time and member of the provisional Government of Northern Epirus ....
(1858–1936), bishop and member of the provisional government of Northern Epirus (1914). - Ioakeim MartianosIoakeim MartianosIoakeim Martianos , was a Greek Orthodox bishop and author.Martianos was born in Moscopole, modern southern Albania, and later graduated at the Halki seminary in Istambul...
(1875–1955), bishop and author. - Panteleimon KotokosPanteleimon KotokosPanteleimon Kotokos was the Greek Orthodox bishop of Gjirokastër and a member of the exiled Northern Epirus lobby after the end of World War II....
(1890–1969), bishop of Gjirokastër (1937–1941).
Sports
- Pyrros DimasPyrros DimasTotalTotalPyrros Dimas , born on 13 October 1971) is a retired Greek weightlifter, considered as one of the greatest of all time, having been three times Olympic champion and three times World Champion.- Background :...
, three times gold and one bronze medalist in the Olympic gamesOlympic GamesThe Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
, in weight-lifting. - Panajot PanoPanajot PanoPanajot Pano was an Albanian football player. He started his career as a goalkeeper in the SK Tirana youth academy, but he became the most prolific centre-forward of their arch-rivals, Partizani Tirana...
(1939–2010), famous football player in the Albanian Superliga. - Sotiris NinisSotiris NinisSotiris Ninis is a Greek footballer currently playing for Panathinaikos. Ninis is of Greek descent, and a member of the Greek national team. He was born in Albania to Greek parents...
, football player. - Andreas TatosAndreas TatosAndreas Tatos is a footballer who hails from the Greek minority of Northern Epirus in South Albania. He currently plays for Atromitos F.C. on loan from Olympiacos. At a very young age after the fall of communism Andreas was able to return to his native country of Greece with his father Miltiadis...
, football player. - Leonidas Sabanis, weight-lifter.
See also
- Northern EpirusNorthern EpirusNorthern Epirus is a term used to refer to those parts of the historical region of Epirus, in the western Balkans, that are part of the modern Albania. The term is used mostly by Greeks and is associated with the existence of a substantial ethnic Greek population in the region...
- Autonomous Republic of Northern EpirusAutonomous Republic of Northern EpirusThe Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus was a short-lived, self-governing entity founded on February 28, 1914, in the aftermath of the Balkan Wars, by the Greeks living in southern Albania ....
- Protocol of CorfuProtocol of CorfuThe Protocol of Corfu , signed on May 17, 1914, was an agreement between representatives of the Albanian Government and the Provisional Government of Northern Epirus, which officially recognized the area of Northern Epirus as an autonomous region within the Albanian state...
- GreeksGreeksThe Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
- Demographics of AlbaniaDemographics of AlbaniaThis article is about the demographic features of the population of Albania, including population density, ethnicity, education level, health of the populace, economic status, religious affiliations and other aspects of the population.-Ethnic groups:...
- Death of Aristotelis GoumasDeath of Aristotelis GoumasThe death of Aristotelis Goumas took place on August 12, 2010, in Himara, Albania, when the motorcycle of 37-year-old ethnic Greek shopkeeper Aristotelis Goumas was hit by a car driven by three Albanian men from Vlore...