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Year 1921: Proclamation of the Republic of Mirdita, with the help of Serbia

Year 1921: Proclamation of the Republic of Mirdita, with the help of Serbia
The first Albanian parliament, in 1921. Names according to rows: 1 - Llambi Goxhomani, Bahri Omari, Ali Koprenca, Milto Tutulani; 2 - Luigj Gurakuqi, Father Gjergj Fishta, Shefqet Vërlaci, Osman Haxhia, Ahmet Zogolli, Eshref Frashëri...; 3 - Shefqet Daiu, Ali Këlcyra, Kolë Thaçi, Halit Rroji, Banush Hamdi Bega, Qemal Vrioni, Ahmet Hastopalli, Dom Ndre Mjeda, Maliq Bushati, Pandeli Cale, Anton Beça; 4 - Spiro Koleka, Shuk Gurakuqi, Masar Kelliçi, Rexhep Mitrovica, Spiro Papa, Agatokli Xhitoni, Leonidha Frashëri, Syrja Pojani, Stavri Vinjau, Patuk Saraçi, Taqi Buda, Ibrahim Xhindi...; 5 - Leonidha Koja, Koço Tasi, Mustafa Kruja, Qazim Kokoshi, Loni Kristo, Bajram Fejziu, Mustafa Maksuti, Qemal Mullaj, Sejfi Vllamasi, Bektash Cakrani.

What are the events that marked Albanians and the world in 1921?

Communism begins to spread around the world. In 1921, the Communist Party of Italy, Czechoslovakia, Portugal, Spain, China is formed... The Red Army invades Georgia, while the military coup led by Reza Khan and Zia'eddin Tatabaee takes place, which in 1925 will bring the end of Qajar dynasty in Iran.

The destruction during the fighting for Irish independence

In Ireland, the war for independence continues, with attacks on British forces. The fighting ends on December 6, when the Anglo-Irish Treaty recognizes the Irish Free State which included 26 of the 32 Irish counties.


On March 12, Independence March is adopted as the official anthem of Turkey. The author of the anthem is Mehmet Akif Ersoj, an Albanian originally from Shushica and Istog in Kosovo. Among the verses that are sung in the hymn are the following:

Don't be afraid! The red flag flying in this sky does not go out
Without extinguishing the last chimney that smokes over my homeland
He is the star of my people, he will shine
He is mine, mine, only to my people
To become a sacrifice! Don't be sad my cute moon!
Smile my hero people, what is this strength and this greatness!
That the blood that was shed for you is not forgiven
Independence is the right of my people who believe in God.

View from the funeral ceremony of Mehmet Akifi, on December 26, 1936 in Istanbul

The National Council of Albania, which emerges from the elections of March 5, 1921, begins its work on April 21, 1921 (later it will be called Parliament). Pandeli Evangjeli was elected chairman of the National Council, while in 1922, Eshref Frashëri. At that time, two political groups were distinguished: the People's Party headed by Fan Noli and the Progressive Party headed by Hoxhë Kadri Prishtina.

Brand John

While everyone thought that Albania was avoiding internal problems, another appeared: the so-called Republic of Mirdita. Baron Nopça (Franz Nopcsa von Felso-Szilvas) had also warned that such a thing would happen. In the work "Travels in the Balkans: the memories of Baron Franc Nopça", there is talk about the Congress of Albanians in Trieste, held from February 27 to March 6, 1913, under the organization of Faik Konica and Sotir Kole, with the support of the Austro-Empire Hungarian. Nopça was also present at that congress. According to him, during the time when the London Conference was still being held, Prince Wied ascended the throne of Albania. At this time, Prenk Bibë Doda, who traveled between Vienna and Rome, also came to the fore. "I had been clear for a long time about his pro-Serb and pro-Malaysian attitude, by which he sought recognition as the prince of Mirdita. Since the beginning of the Balkan war, he joined Montenegro and later, together with Marka Gjon, during the advance of the Serbian troops against Lezha, the way was opened for their troops. After these things I was not surprised when he announced to me, treating me as his personal friend, during a celebratory dinner at Hotel Zaher [Hotel Sacher], that he intended to return to Mirdita not from Durrës, but from Belgrade. His faith went so far that he asked me to intervene next to Berhtold in this matter".

The Republic of Mirdita was proclaimed in Prizren, i.e. in Kosovo, then ruled by the Serbs, on July 17, 1921. This republic was in the interest of Serbia because it would hold the Albanian state hostage and create religious divisions. The President of the Republic of Mirdita was Marka Gjoni.

Fortunately, it was Great Britain that recognized the Albanian government in November 1921, while Prime Minister Lloyd George forced Belgrade to stop supporting Marka Gjoni. Ahmet Zogu was then sent to the region of Mirdita with a contingent of Albanian troops and irregular forces, who defeated the separatist movement and which on November 20, 1921 put an end to this republic. Marka Gjoni fled to Yugoslavia. On this occasion, the previous agreements from the Ottoman period, which gave Mirdita autonomy through indirect rule, were abrogated.

Postage stamp of the "Republic of Mirdita"

In 1921 were born: the Japanese Nobelist Yoichiro Nambu, the actors Carol Channing, Dirk Bogart and Charles Bronson, the German philosopher Hans Albert, the well-known pulmonologist from Kosovo, Ali Sokoli, the director Lec Shllaku, as well as Nexhmije Hoxha, the wife of the Albanian communist dictator, Enver Hoxha. In 1921, the famous politician Jean-Bedel Bokassa, who proclaimed himself emperor of the Central African Republic, was born, as well as the human rights activist Andrei Sakharov. Adem Demaçi (in 1991) and Ibrahim Rugova (in 1998) also won the Sakharov Prize, which is shared by the European Parliament.

In 1921, two anti-Albanian kings died - Nicholas I of Montenegro and Peter I of Serbia. The famous Italian tenor, Enrico Caruso, also died.

In 1921, the winner of the Nobel Prize in Physics was Albert Einstein. After this award, Einstein became synonymous with genius. /Telegraph/

The absent-minded professor, with hair like a plume and bad clothes (who often forgets to wear socks), was mythologized in his lifetime: the iconic look that gives this genius brain the status of a pop icon.