From Costa Papa Tomorri
The third part
Memorie.al/ publishes the book “Greek Barbarians in South Albania” – in the years 1913 – 14, written by Kosta Papa Tomorri, who was an Albanian Orthodox priest, originally from Leusa e Përmet. As a witness of the Greek massacres during the First Balkan War, he wrote a book, or rather a volume, dedicating it to Mehmet bey Konica and it was published in 1917. Priest Kosta Papa Tomorri, was a witness of the time of the Greek attacks and barbarism of 1913-1914, who experienced the tragic events on the defenseless Albanian population in the South of the country, which he then described in that book. His evidence is shocking, also due to the fact that he was an accurate observer of those events and in his chronicles, illuminates many incidents and events that shed light on the barbarism of the Greek invaders. That book is a unique specimen, perhaps the only one, devoted to those events, from an eyewitness. Kosta Papa Tomorri’s book describes horrifying events, and testifies in detail, the tragic history of the inhabitants of those parts, where the author served in those years. The book is an accusation made by a priest and browsing its pages, we see that, among other things, he says: “Albanians! You, our sons, generation after generation, when you speak the word Greek, don’t forget the slaughter, burning and dishonor”! This order is given by the priest, Kosta Papa Tomorri.
You Albanians, you and your brother killed me, and I scattered a few of them. V.P
GREEK BARBARIANS IN ALBANIA
From
COSTA P. TOMORI LEUSA
JOURNAL PRESS
FRAMINGHAM, MASS
1917
IT COSTS 35C
MEHMET BE KONITZA TO THE DELEGATES OF THE ALBANIANS OF AMERICA WHO ARE TRYING TO SAVE ALBANIA FROM TOMORROW’S TROUBLE LIKE THOSE IN THIS BOOK
I DEDICATE THIS WORK TO ONE OF HIS SOLDIER
A flash, then night,
O beautiful Butterfly.
Continues from last issue
On the Monday after Veqil’s order, all the insurgents gathered in the Metropolis. The police register all of them one after the other in the protocol, as soon as I finish the registration, Veqili toasts to the middle of the insurgents and tells them; the call of the homeland (I mitir Ellas), was called and you didn’t delay in calling it, you grabbed your weapons and gathered around the flag.
I am telling you not to despair that we are not alone, we have our mother Elladha on our right arm, I want you to be brave and not afraid, and to defend your homeland from every disaster that may come to you, from now on, have faith in your officers, who will come to us today.
After these words he says: “Now get ready to go out of the city, wait for the volunteers, we must honor them because they are becoming a sacrifice for our country”. They all lined up and went out into the streets and sang songs in Greek; as a couple outside the city, they spent a lot of money until the volunteers came.
After an hour, the volunteers arrived. When they got close, they all straightened up in turn, following Veqil’s order, and began to sing Elladha’s march. When they finished the march, Mihallaq Kriqe called out (Zito ta palikaria t u paneliniu), then Veqili took the floor and welcomed you. After Veqilit’s speech, Kocifaqi, the Greek officer who came with the volunteers, spoke, who said not to be afraid, because we will not let them suffer anywhere, we will shed the last drop of blood and we will not let them die anywhere fall into the hands of the barbarians! Applause the budget, with the words; long live our King Constantine.
You were happy, animals, that your brothers came to help you, because they destroyed your houses, they dishonored your women, they slaughtered your child, they made you all the evil that is in the world. Believe that now you will regret it, but it is too late!
Here I will tell you who these volunteers were. The Greek officer, Jani Koçifaqi from Narta, Psaroj, a backhand from the other villages of Greece. The officers, dressed in Government robes, had only removed the crown from the cap, the soldiers’ robes were all government robes, and they had tied a black scarf on their heads. They all lined up and left for Mitropoli. The police took care of the place, so that the volunteers could rest, they divided them all in the houses, from 4 out of 5 they separated and ate. That day, a telegram arrives from Dhespot Konica, saying that you are waiting for 1,500 souls. They came to Gjinokastra and were divided like this.
500 quintals of Shpirt, Gjiritllinj, went to Leskovic under the leadership of captain Fiorgagaq, all from Gjiriti, 500 came to Përmet, the head of a Catilian priest from Suli, called Papa Jani and two other captains, called Kollovo from Eotira and Jorgallaqi from Filipiadha, 900 Spirits also went to Gjinokastër, under the leadership of the Greek officer, Mr. Papula, born in Himare. In Përtmet, many other captains came to us, a captain named Kosta Bëcori, for this captain the Greek governess gave 15,000 francs to the one who pierced his head; Capedan Niko from Suli, Capedan Aristidhi from Ioannina, we gathered in Albania, all the Catiles of Greece, to save the Animals…!
The cannons of the Greek governor had their center in Kilcyre, the head of Pope George, this lord agreed with the autonomous governor, and I inform him that Lipotaktis, with all the cannons, came to us on the third day with a parade with all the cannons. The next day, the officers held a meeting with all the Kapedans, where they discussed where to occupy the Autonomous border, and set these borders.
The district of Përmet took Brezhan, Kosina, Mokriça, Hotova, Lupçka, up to Katiu River, Gjinokastra, Delvina and Tepelena together, they took Kodrë, Picar and they were together in Himarë. Leskovik took Gërmenji, Arrëza, Barmash and joined the insurgents of Përmet, at the bridge of Katiu.
The three cannons of Këlcyra divided them thus, one cannon in Brezhan under the command of Mavrojndhi, one in Lupckë, under the command of Papa Georgiu, and one in Kosina, under the command of Kapedan Tromara.
Kapedans were divided like this!
In Brezhan, Kapedan Chuli from Malëshova. In Kosina 4 captains, captains Papa Jani, Kollovoj, Psaroj and Fjorgjolaqi. In Mokrica; Captain Manoli from Gjiritë, in Hotovë, Captain Niko, in Lupckë, Captain Bubuna from Buhali, Captain Qiro Chobani. In Ogren, captain Zervua, all these katils, occupied the border we mentioned above.
TREASON OF THE GREEK ARMY
In the village of Odrichan, two hours from Permet, the Greek government had left 300 soldiers and two officers to guard the border. After the decision of the London Conference, the Greek government pledged for these towns to be officially handed over to the Albanian Gendarmerie, and I hand over these towns, Korça, Kolonje, and Frashëri, it’s Odriçan’s turn, so I notify the commander of this body to hand them over this village among the Albanians. When the officer received this news, he got up and went to Përmet and informed the Metropolis about the surrender of Odriçan.
When I learned this news, the Metropolitan immediately called the village elders and told you the decision of the Greek government. The elders ask him what to do. Metropolitan Veqil tells you to get up all with children and come here to Permet, because if you stay, you will suffer from the Albanians, as soon as we will let those houses here in Permet.
When they learned this news, the elders were sad, but they could not do otherwise. They went bitterly to the village, where they informed the child about all this. The women of the village, when they learned about it, screamed, that they would leave their homes and deserted houses, if they stayed, they were afraid of the Metropolis, because if they stayed, you would tell them that; leave the Albanians and would alert the Greek army to burn them, unwillingly, they left their homes and goods and came to Përmet, where they divided them among the houses.
When the whole village went down, the Greek officer went and got in touch with Captain Psaronë, who was in Kosina, he told him about the surrender of Odriçan, so he tells him that it is a good opportunity to kill the Albanian Gendarmerie, come and take the well, which I will show you. He took Psaro with 30 gendarmes and led them to the Borocka Pass, just the way the Albanians would go. How do I finish this, the unfaithful officer went to Qafë i Kreshovo, to exchange cards with the Albanian officers. As they were exchanged, the Greek went to Odriçan, took the army and went to Përmet.
The Albanian officer took 17 gendarmes and carelessly left for Odriçan, when they came to the place of the well, the unfaithful Greeks gave you a battery and left them, then they went downstairs, searched their pockets, 50 napoleons were found and taken clothes, shoes; and threw the corpses into the stream and they went back to Kosina.
When the Albanian government learned, this treacherous murder was protested to the Greek governess, the Greek governess replied that; I have nothing to do; the country has revolted against you.
Then the Albanian government sent 50 more gendarmes to Odriçan. When they went to Odriçan, they found the village deserted, only the chickens and cats were left. The Albanian officer, as he saw the deserted village, sealed all the houses, so that the spoils left by the Odričallis would not be disturbed, then they occupied the border in Boročka and Lipostivan.
THE FIRST MASSACRES OF THE GREEKS
Half an hour away from Kosina, where the Autonomous border was, there are two villages; Paçomiti and Kuqari. The passengers were Muslims. These two villages, since they were close to the Autonomous border, the Andars came together and advised them that; if they understood any movement from the Albanians, they should inform the Andars, otherwise they are lost! The savages wanted a reason to destroy these villages. I don’t go there for a long time, but a week, as their barbarians showed.
On February 25, Monday morning, the Andars threw some batteries; they allegedly saw some Albanians entering Pacomi. After the batareves, they all went to these two villages, and gathered all the resources, as much as they were, and pierced them in Kosina and closed them with a katua; the houses were returned to these, the children who were left in the village were slaughtered; then they went around the house to loot. They took the cattle, 1500 sheep and goats, and 100 cows, then they set fire to the houses, burned them, turned them into ashes. When this was over, the cats returned to Kosina.
They drove out the men who had locked them up and pierced them with a stream in the village, where they stabbed them with knives, their noses, ears, legs, hands were cut off, the poor people gave up their souls in such a way that even Nero would be, no one would torture them like this. Their number was 75 people, how they gave their souls, left them in that exposed stream. Ravens and dogs ate their flesh. When they did these slaughters and burnings, the members of the regular Greek army were in Kilcyra and Permet.
The Greek government, when it saw that the insurgents took barbarities, before the regular army fled, and if it still left it, it would look cheeky, that it was the one who did these things, I don’t think I was ordering the army to flee from the villages that they gave to Albania. As soon as the army received the order, they got up, fled from Këlcyra, from Leskovik, from Tepelena, and from Saranda, so the Greek governess left these places in the hands of the savages, the Katilis, that I myself send to us.
After the regular army fled from Këlcyra, the insurgents who were in Brezhan, did not hesitate but jumped from the bridge of Meço Hysos, and left Këlcyra. Like wolves, they attacked the houses and those who had the same fate were slaughtered like captives, women, babies and some men were slaughtered. The gruk’ of Këlcyra hummed, from the cattle and from the screams. After the massacres were over, they looted the houses, took the living things they found, and then set fire to the houses; smoke and flames, how they deserted Këlcyra, attacked these villages that were near Këlcyra, Katundishte, Beduqas, Fratar and Varibop, their work was nothing but fire and iron!
A woman from Fratari, in order to save her life, took the baby she had and took her to the forest, a Greek named Karazha, saw her running away, rushed to arrest her, called her to kill her, but the woman squeezed her legs a little more very much, as if without the savagery that he would unleash, without arresting him, it was easier for him to kill him, pushed with a rifle and wounded the poor woman in the leg, the woman, as soon as she was wounded, fell to the ground with the whole baby, after a few minutes , savagery. The poor woman was crying and clutching the baby in her arms, the Greek tried to snatch the baby from her hands, the woman did not let go and begged the savage who was there to kill us, kill me first, then the baby; I believe in God, I believe in Christ, I could not see the slaughtered baby, but the savage rolled his eyes and pulled out the dagger that was dripping with blood. As soon as the woman saw the knife, she fell in love, the Greek grabbed the baby from her hands, the woman screamed, and she threw the baby on the floor and followed the Greek custom of dishonoring him.
The Albanian, who was at the edge of the grave, when he saw that the Greek wanted to dishonor him, for which the Albanian hates him more than anything else in the world, said to him, “I’d better kill you, don’t do this to me, I’m not here.” I want to live dishonored, I want to die with honor and when I die with honor, I die happy. Poor Albanians, you asked for mercy from the one without mercy. I shame the Greek more ungratefully and wounded…!
How do I finish my wish, the Greek, the woman says, fulfill my wish, now one thing please, give me a bullet to die, I don’t want to live in the world anymore, just please spare the life of this innocent baby. Yes, the Greek gave a knife to the woman and the baby and left them alone. This is how the start of the tragedies ends. The insurgents gathered again among the first borders, the next day the captains of these detachments came to Përmet where they were received with great honor for the bravery they did…! Veqil Dhespoti, I shake your hand and said; you boast that you are truly brave and with your bravery, you honor (tone Elinismon). As for the wrestlers without words, we know this that God (tonelinon) blesses the weapons of the Greeks and thus you will always be wrestlers.
The captains, when they saw that the more they did, the more they would be honored, that night they were released among the Muslims of the city, to shout, screams and cattle were burning from the Muslims’ hearts, they asked for mercy, but from whom? They left it to Baba Xhemal in Teqe, how they liked it, the month and 50 lira, then they left it to Eslam Efendi and the month and 50 lira. Veqil Metropolitan, as a traitor and bloodthirsty, had arranged with the Greek officer, Kocifaq, and they divided what the Andars stole among the Muslims. The Muslims went to Metropolis to cry, but to whom should they cry? When it was the hand itself, from the first of the katils.
The Mitropolia still comforted them and told them not to despair, that we will do all us can to make sure that nothing happens from here on. But in order to rest the evil ones at night, then they were also made during the day. The next day, a man named Petro from Narta, with three other friends, went to the house of Sali Bey, a respectable old man, they robbed him during lunch, and they gave him 10 knives and left him in the attic. of the gate and went. When the police found out about this, they allegedly followed them, but they couldn’t catch them. In short, they made the Muslims not dare to leave the door.
THE HISTORY OF AN ALBANIAN WOMAN
In the village of Ogren, where there was the center of captain Zërvua, there were also Muslim residents. In this village, a Muslim named Ali, had a beautiful maid for about 17 years. Katili Grek, named Zaharaqi, was waiting for the opportunity to destroy this girl. One day he took two of his friends and drove them to hell in the house, in order to finish his desire, when the girl saw the entrance of these guys, she understood their purpose. I don’t know, but the order came out of the door of the house, howling, and when they saw that the maid ran away, they both followed the maid. The whole village cheered outside and watched this scene with folded hands. At the end of the village, there is a high rock, and on top of it lies a small river. Girl therefore reached the top of this rock, and when the Catiles approached you, he spoke to them and said; Stop it, you barbarians, because an Albanian woman dies and is not honored, it is better to die with honor than to die with shame, don’t accuse us of being like your women, who have the shame of being Albanians forever, so long live honor’ Albania, after finishing this speech, he was torn from the top of the rock and fell down.
So the poor maid became a butcher for the honor of Albania. When the barbarians saw that they did not finish their goal, they attacked the houses of the Muslims of the village of Kostrec, which is very close to Ogren, the child when they saw the savages attacked like wolves, they left the houses and went into the forest, the savages ran into the houses and took those spoils that were more expensive and then set them on fire and reduced them to ashes. The children reached and crossed the border of Albania and thus saved their lives.
THE FATE OF OBEDIENT MUSLIMS, UNDER THE AUTONOMOUS GOVERNMENT
Beyond the Autonomous borders, there remained some Muslim villages which could not be separated because they were located in the middle of Christian villages, which are: Mokrica, Zleusha, Goshnishti, Delvina, Tremishti, Pjetrane, Munushtiri, Rapcka and many others. The Autonomous Government promised these villagers to be obedient to this government and they will not suffer anything, apart from these Muslim villages, there are also some Krështera villages that also have Muslim seats, which are as follows: Hotova, Kosova, Badëlonji and Peshtani. These poor Muslims who happened among these villages suffered the worst that are in the world.
In Mokrica there was a Muslim named Muharrem, this fatzi was very rich, he had a thousand head of cattle. On March 2, 1914, Kapedan Psaroj with some of his friends, got up in Mokrica himself, saw how all the cattle in the village were gathered, then they took and shamed whichever woman they liked. He gathered the men of the village one day and laid them on the tree, when they were done, they went to Muharrem’s house, this unlucky had two little girls, who did not show up in the eyes of these savages, and
They were looking for the house at the bottom they found them hidden inside the buffet, they took them by the braids and they drove them outside and they took them to have fun, one for 12 years and the other for 10 years.
Woe to him, I kneel in front of the savages and beg you not to disrespect the servants, because apart from disrespect, they are small. Yes, they answer you; there is no idea why they are small, because we have come to share the seed…! We want to make you Greek, as you were before. Muharrem says to you with a trembling voice, I’m sorry, do you do halal, I’m giving you the 50 lira that I have left, and finally my soul, but I only want you to release the maids. They tell Muharrem, if you give us 100 lira, we can release you. Muharram greets you; I only have these, if you give me your own permit in Përmet, there you will find and I will give you 50 more. Well said, now take the 50 lira you have there and take this soldier and go to Përmet.
Psaroj put aside the cat that was about to start and said take this black dog out of the village, give him a bullet and leave him on the ground for the dogs to eat. Poor Muharrem left with Katila for Përmet. They didn’t leave the village for long, when they saw a river there; the cat gave a mahuzera to Muharrem in Kraruar, gave him a bullet and left it in the vent, then went back to his house.
At home he found Psaro with other friends who were having fun with the poor girls….! The next day they left this village and killed in the nearby village of Tjatr in Zleushë and here those of Mokrica worked, they collected cattle, cows, and animals and left the poor people with dry hands, they divided all this goods they collected among themselves, and sent them to their homes.
When thousands of cattle went to Greece, the local Grecomans, who looked at them from afar and cursed themselves, who became the cause of the destruction of these cattle that desolated the country, but now it is too late, because they put the brakes on the settlers and let them as they wanted. All this was done to Muslims, who kept their hands crossed, waiting for mercy from God.
HEROISM OF A LADY FROM ZLEUSHA
On March 13, two Greeks named Aleko and Karaxha from Narta, went to the village of Zleushë, where there was a lady who had been blessed by God. You had been married for no more than 4 months. One
Night when the young people were around the hearth, a knock was heard at the gate and the master of the house ran to see who it was. He went out and asked who it was, but a voice was heard outside the gate with words; open up and don’t be afraid.
The poor man understood that they were not Albanians that they spoke Albanian as if they were dumb, but he couldn’t do otherwise, he opened the door wide open, the door was open to the Katilites and he welcomed them. As you know a little, I lay you down to eat bread, after the bread they say that we want to sleep, and then I lay down a bed for them to sleep. As he prepared them, he tells you that the mattresses are ready for sleeping; both the kettles were left in the room, and the owner of the house kept standing on your feet until they fell on the mattress. As they were about to undress, Alekua took out a rope from the middle and Karaxhaj ran and grabbed the lady’s husband and Alekua was tying him. After they tied her well, they went to the other room where the woman was, entered the room and took the woman by force and brought her to the room where her husband was tied. There, Aleku threw his hands around her neck and began to kiss her. The woman tried and let him kiss her. Memorie.al
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