Map of Albania 1867

FROM: FRANCO TAGLIARINI
TIRANA, Professor Ferdinand millions (born in Naples in 1896 and died in 1987 in Rome), was an eminent geographer, lecturer at the University of Naples and Rome, a member of the National Academy of Lincei, the author of numerous books, a great importance for the study of economic geography. He has published in the March number of 1942, the journal of the Italian club tour, "Streets of Italy", an extremely important essay entitled "Albanians and Albania". And think how useful the publication of a summary of the essay, since it is not available neither Italian nor libraries Albanian ones.The author asserts that at the beginning of the essay that "in the Balkans, where many countries and peoples, not always physical shape allows to distinguish between a region of another or of another nationality. Transit from one territory to another nation, inhabited by mixed populations for centuries long shared history, must necessarily more than once, be assigned to this or that political state. With a little more good will, honesty and objective study of facts, it will be possible, however, even in this region of great natural and human, but also complicated to achieve a fair deal and stable ". Thus, millions Ferdinand begins to consider the new Albanian state. First of all - ask, - Is there an Albanian nationality? An authentic Albanian Minister Ernest Koliqi, novelist, poet and minister of Education in Albania from 1939 to 1942 in a guide that nice step guide to Albania, published by Italian Tourist Society in 1940, makes two important statements: "Events different historical, through which passed the Albanian race, have given it a special character, varied and unusual, that make it look like a real mosaic of religious beliefs, different customs, and costumes. " He further adds: "If you ask people around town or on the mountain, north or south 'who are you', you will hear the answer tougher and proud" I am Albanian. '"Koliqi entitled, - says millions: The more stop in Albania, the more we study and learn about this land and this people are so interesting, so good and faithful, the more we see how different are the people in this region. It is admirable that despite the Turkish rule, the national feeling is not extinct in this nation of shepherds and woodcutters, who in the long centuries of foreign rule, have a story that has nothing to do with rebellions and revolts of bold printing bloody. Flame of national feeling has remained alive in this nation so much so, in 1878, after the Berlin Congress, the Central League was established for the protection of Albanian nationality, with the capital Ohrid. League called for the autonomy of the Albanian state in order to protect the country from dismemberment of the territory between Serbia, Montenegro and Greece. "Millions of recalls in his article, that Italy during previous centuries has recognized the Albanian citizenship by providing assistance in his war Skanderbeg truly epic and welcoming Albanian refugees in our country, where they lived freely, keeping their religion, their language and their costumes, have been associated with the house "adoptive" not less than with the speaker. In 1911, when Albanians were in rebellion, was formed in Rome to Albania a Parliamentary Committee, which gathered 60 MPs from all political colors, organized an army that had a common cause, that would collect money and clothing and in favor of the insurgents. It was Italy that together with Austria, he echoed the rights of Albanians in the Ambassadors' Conference held in London next year, when their cause triumphed right.Language, nation, religion"What is before our eyes, - writes millions, while noting that more than anything else they (Albanians) are distinguished by the language they speak. Preservation of language loyalty is great, regardless of the reasons many strengths and fighting against its existence. Preservation of language has prevented 'loss' of people, distinguishing them among other peoples. It is the eagle, another powerful conservative element of nationality, even if the nations, politically considered, have lost their nationality and independence.Linguists are not all agree as to the origin of the autonomy of the Albanian language.According to their most ancient Albanian comes from Illyrian, while others feel that it is continuously tracks other than the Illyrian. Certainly that is a language that has immediate impact outside the midst of these has a great influence from Latin. There are missing words derived from ancient Greek, but most frequently are derived from Greek words medieval. Are apparent, however, the effects of the Turkish Slavs, while the impact is not negligible either from other Balkan languages. Thus ends millions: "The Albanian language, though so modified, retains its strength and works today for national duties."The Albanian people are divided into different religions. Subject to influences of Rome and Byzantium, dominated for more than four centuries of Muslim invaders, this population is distinct in three major religions: Catholic, Orthodox and Muslim. But this trio has not damaged the confidence of the people unity. Most Muslims live in complete tolerance to the Orthodox and Catholics. It is apparent that to understand who is actually the Albanian people, most striking element is the language difference. It is the loyalty of a people for his own language, a people who for many years was dominated by foreigners and is undoubtedly the best document of national character. There will be difficult, I just recognized the Albanian nation, the linguistic element to remove the boundaries that must have Albanian state. Unfortunately, - says the author, - is not easy to understand how people still speak Albanian in the Balkan region. The Ottoman government enjoyed giving estimates of making distinctions, more on faith than on language.Number of populationAn official publication of the English government, which was published in 1922, brought the number of Albanians about a half million to 2 million people. But, by the Albanian population, only half of it, or maybe less, has lived within the borders of the Kingdom of Albania. The other half and that was not negligible lived abroad, in Yugoslavia and Greece.Yugoslav official statistics reduce the number of the Albanian population to 442,000 within its borders. According to official Yugoslav sources, the Albanian minority in their country qenkërka us half the Albanian population of the Kingdom of Albania. In fact, the Albanians were at least double that figure, who gave them, and it was at least three-fourths of the remaining population in the Kingdom of Albania.Maps"In 1919, - writes millions - was published an ethnographic map of the Balkan Peninsula.In Montenegro, Tivat and the border region of old inhabited by the Albanian population that is still compact and surrounded by Lake Skadar. The Albanians, in a compact mass inhabited ponds are higher limit, Ibar and White Drin, where Albanians are driven by Krushevicës mountains, reaching up to the old border between Montenegro and Serbia.Albania - by Kettler, - must have been stretched almost all the Skadar Lake and in Hoti regions, the Alps and in northern districts and Ipekut Albanian Gjakova with Methohinë fertile Krushevicës up in the mountains.In Serbia, beyond its ancient Montenegro, the Albanians have formed a large island, which lies with its branches and around Novi Pazar, in the high basin of the Ibar, and as far south near the Kopanikut Goljakut. They are all ethnic Albanians, who overwhelmingly just beyond these mountains mingle with the Serbs and Bulgarians. Other islands of Serbs stopped, however, continuity of the Albanian population is thus: Ipekut immediately east, north and south of Pristina and Prizren. But even in these areas population is overwhelmingly Albanian, while the whole inhabited Kosovo is unquestionably Albanian, who in the cultivation of lowland soils of this region show their great capacity for work and their outstanding ability to progress . Between Prizren and Vranje, has a population mix with the Bulgarians, who occupy some part of the great river valleys. Mountainous region in the top right of the Vardar River is inhabited by Albanians, who, in fact little further south, have formed several small islands near Krushevit, Bitola and Florina, a town located within the boundaries of the old Greeks. But within the limits of old Greece, Albanians constitute an oasis greater than that of Florina. Millions of claims has taken note of the indications given on Albanians inside and outside the Albanian border, around the areas inhabited by ethnic Albanians outside the borders (1940) Kingdom of Albania.For some statements he has given scholars of language, as Germany's Kettler, which agrees with several other authors as permission Mirkovitch Russian scholar, Slaven Bradaska, Charles H. Kiepert and Sax), all scholars of the second half of '800-es. In light of these authoritative sources, Ferdinand millions examines Albanian claims at the Peace Conference. Albanian claims was key to Turhan Pasha memorial, urging the return Albania, territories incorporated in Montenegro and Serbia, as well as those incorporated in Greece, as a result of the London Conference of 1913-es.Ethnic boundaryBasically asking the ethnographic frontier claimed by Albania, in which Albania is part of Tuz, Hoti, Gruda, Podgorica, Ipeku, the eastern part of Mitrovica, the districts of Pristina, Gnjilane, Ferizaj, the Kacanik ... a part of the County the Uskubit, Kalkandeles circle, Gostivar, Kicevo, Dibra, reaching up to the hill called the Mount 'The Dry, between Lakes Ohrid and Prespa. Starting from this point, the boundary follows the tracks of the year 1913 to the crest of Monte Gramos and continues to the south, to end up close to Preveza. All territories located to the west of this border are ethnic and historical land. ""The limits of these territories mentioned, - Turhan Pasha memorial continues - live about two and a half million Albanians, of whom almost one million live within the limits prescribed in Albania by the London Conference of 1913 and one million half that gave the same conference Montenegro, Serbia, Greece ". Surely after all this "exercise" historic, millions professor reports its findings that: "Of course, the Albanian people has right now to see the individuality eventually built their own ethnic and national".