Azem Bejta (1889-1924), commonly known as Azem Galica, was a Albanian nationalist and rebel who fought for the unification of Kosovo with Albania.
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Bejta was born in the village of Galica (medieval Kalica) in the Drenica region of central Kosovo. He was the son of Bejta Galica, a patriot who died fighting against the Ottoman Empire and for Albania's separation from the Serbian state. Azem followed his father, and first fought against the Serbs between 1912-1914.
The same year, 1912, Serbia gained Kosovo in the course of the First Balkan War, and Azem Galica was among the few Albanians who fought against the Serbs.
During the First World War, when the Serbs were defeated by the Bulgarians and Austro-Hungarians in 1915, Kosovo was divided between Bulgaria and Austro-Hungary. Azem Galica accepted this occupation, and he became an outlaw fighting again the soldiers and police of Kingdom of Yugoslavia after First World War. [1]
After Austro-Hungary's withdrawal, however, Serbia regained Kosovo. Azem Galica and his ceta (centurians, military formation) pursued their mission - to liberate Kosovo and unite it with Albania. Their continuous battles with police of Kingdom of Yugoslavia. Along his side was his wife Qerime Radisheva, or Shota Galica. He even succeeded in creating a "free-zone" in west part of Kosovo, a zone which was called "Arberia e Vogel" (little Arberia). The police, however, had no intention on letting this zone survive, and thus with superior arms and more soldiers and police, they engaged Azem Galica's soldiers. They succeeded in wounding Azem who later died from his wounds. His last wish was for his body not to be found by the Serbs, and thus he was buried in a deep cave. He died in July 1924.[1]