Second League of Prizren
Encyclopedia
The Second League of Prizren was an organisation founded by leading Albanian
officials in Kosovo
in 1943 to campaign for the ethnic unification of Albanians in Albania
.
From 1918, Kosovo, previously being part of the Kingdom of Serbia
, was integrated into the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslavia
and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo faced forced evacuation by the Yugoslav government to Albania or Turkey
.
As a result, the Italian
occupation of Albania in 1939 encouraged many leading Albanians to lobby the Italians to incorporate areas with sizeable Albanian populations like Kosovo into Albania and were encouraged by Mussolini
's support of the Greater Albania ideology. However, the Italian surrender on 3 September 1943 stymied these dreams temporarily and attention was turned to the Germans who had occupied Debar
and Western Macedonia
.
Bedri Pejani, a moderate political leader who supported an expanded Albanian state that included all Albanian people, wrote to Reichsfuehrer SS Heinrich Himmler
to request his assistance in establishing a Greater Albania. In return he offered to help raise an Albanian fighting force to work with the German Wehrmacht
to achieve this aim. Himmler agreed to the request and ordered the formation of two ethnic Albanian Waffen SS Divisions and sponsored the foundation of the Albanian nationalist organisation which became the Second League of Prizren.
Named in honour of the original League of Prizren
, founded in 1878 to fight for Albania's independence, the aim of the Second League of Prizren was to ensure the continuation of Greater Albania
. Pejani was appointed President of the League and Albanian Prime Minister Rexhep Mitrovica
as chairman of the central committee.
The Second League of Prizren campaigned unsuccessfully for the transfer of the northern tip of Kosovo to Albania, but raised volunteers to fight against the army and police forces of Yugoslavia
. The Second of Lague of Prizren maintained the Albanian Ljuboten battalion initially formed by the Italian occupation forces. In conjunction with the Waffen SS, the Second League of Prizren also formed the Albanian Skanderbeg SS Division
to maintain the military occupation of the Macedonian and Serbian Orthodox Slavic populations. As a result, 6,491 ethnic Albanians were drafted into the Waffen SS, as well as an additional 300 ethnic Albanians who were serving with the Bosnian
Muslim 13th Waffen Gebirgs Division who were transferred to the Skanderbeg Division.
The Skanderbeg Division was poorly trained and illsuited to warfare and performed poorly. On 30 August 1944, the Skanderbeg Division was forced to retreat from Debar and the League began to lose any influence it had with Germany. The Communist liberation of Albania ensured the end of the League, although Communist officials were methodical in their retribution against League members.
Albanians
Albanians are a nation and ethnic group native to Albania and neighbouring countries. They speak the Albanian language. More than half of all Albanians live in Albania and Kosovo...
officials in Kosovo
Kosovo
Kosovo is a region in southeastern Europe. Part of the Ottoman Empire for more than five centuries, later the Autonomous Province of Kosovo and Metohija within Serbia...
in 1943 to campaign for the ethnic unification of Albanians in Albania
Albania
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...
.
From 1918, Kosovo, previously being part of the Kingdom of Serbia
Kingdom of Serbia
The Kingdom of Serbia was created when Prince Milan Obrenović, ruler of the Principality of Serbia, was crowned King in 1882. The Principality of Serbia was ruled by the Karađorđevic dynasty from 1817 onwards . The Principality, suzerain to the Porte, had expelled all Ottoman troops by 1867, de...
, was integrated into the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Kingdom of Yugoslavia
The Kingdom of Yugoslavia was a state stretching from the Western Balkans to Central Europe which existed during the often-tumultuous interwar era of 1918–1941...
and ethnic Albanians in Kosovo faced forced evacuation by the Yugoslav government to Albania or Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
As a result, the Italian
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...
occupation of Albania in 1939 encouraged many leading Albanians to lobby the Italians to incorporate areas with sizeable Albanian populations like Kosovo into Albania and were encouraged by Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
's support of the Greater Albania ideology. However, the Italian surrender on 3 September 1943 stymied these dreams temporarily and attention was turned to the Germans who had occupied Debar
Debar
Debar is a city in the western part of the Republic of Macedonia, near the border with Albania, on the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality.-Geography:...
and Western Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
.
Bedri Pejani, a moderate political leader who supported an expanded Albanian state that included all Albanian people, wrote to Reichsfuehrer SS Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Himmler
Heinrich Luitpold Himmler was Reichsführer of the SS, a military commander, and a leading member of the Nazi Party. As Chief of the German Police and the Minister of the Interior from 1943, Himmler oversaw all internal and external police and security forces, including the Gestapo...
to request his assistance in establishing a Greater Albania. In return he offered to help raise an Albanian fighting force to work with the German Wehrmacht
Wehrmacht
The Wehrmacht – from , to defend and , the might/power) were the unified armed forces of Nazi Germany from 1935 to 1945. It consisted of the Heer , the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe .-Origin and use of the term:...
to achieve this aim. Himmler agreed to the request and ordered the formation of two ethnic Albanian Waffen SS Divisions and sponsored the foundation of the Albanian nationalist organisation which became the Second League of Prizren.
Named in honour of the original League of Prizren
League of Prizren
The League for the Defense of the Rights of the Albanian Nation commonly known as the League of Prizren was an Albanian political organization founded on 10 June 1878 in Prizren, in the Kosovo province of the Ottoman Empire....
, founded in 1878 to fight for Albania's independence, the aim of the Second League of Prizren was to ensure the continuation of Greater Albania
Greater Albania
Greater Albania or Ethnic Albania is an irredentist concept of lands outside the borders of the Republic of Albania that are considered part of a greater national homeland by most Albanians, based on the present-day or historical presence of Albanian populations in those areas...
. Pejani was appointed President of the League and Albanian Prime Minister Rexhep Mitrovica
Rexhep Mitrovica
Rexhep Mitrovica was an Albanian politician and land owner. He served as Prime Minister of Albania in 1943-1944 and was the longest serving Prime minister for the Balli Kombetar.-Early life:...
as chairman of the central committee.
The Second League of Prizren campaigned unsuccessfully for the transfer of the northern tip of Kosovo to Albania, but raised volunteers to fight against the army and police forces of Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia refers to three political entities that existed successively on the western part of the Balkans during most of the 20th century....
. The Second of Lague of Prizren maintained the Albanian Ljuboten battalion initially formed by the Italian occupation forces. In conjunction with the Waffen SS, the Second League of Prizren also formed the Albanian Skanderbeg SS Division
21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian)
The 21st Division of the SS Skanderbeg was a Mountain division of the SS set up by Heinrich Himmler in March 1944, officially under the title of the 21. Waffen-Gebirgs Division der SS Skanderbeg...
to maintain the military occupation of the Macedonian and Serbian Orthodox Slavic populations. As a result, 6,491 ethnic Albanians were drafted into the Waffen SS, as well as an additional 300 ethnic Albanians who were serving with the Bosnian
Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina , sometimes called Bosnia-Herzegovina or simply Bosnia, is a country in Southern Europe, on the Balkan Peninsula. Bordered by Croatia to the north, west and south, Serbia to the east, and Montenegro to the southeast, Bosnia and Herzegovina is almost landlocked, except for the...
Muslim 13th Waffen Gebirgs Division who were transferred to the Skanderbeg Division.
The Skanderbeg Division was poorly trained and illsuited to warfare and performed poorly. On 30 August 1944, the Skanderbeg Division was forced to retreat from Debar and the League began to lose any influence it had with Germany. The Communist liberation of Albania ensured the end of the League, although Communist officials were methodical in their retribution against League members.
Further reading
- Malcolm, N.Noel MalcolmNoel Robert Malcolm FBA FRSL is a modern English historian, writer, and columnist.-Life:Malcolm was educated at Eton College , read History at Peterhouse, Cambridge, wrote his doctorate dissertation at Trinity College, Cambridge, and was for a time Fellow of Gonville and Caius College,...
(2000) Kosovo: A Short History, New York University Press, New York. ISBN 0814756425