Prek Cali

Prek Cali
Birth name Prek Pjetri (Cali) Hasanaj
Nickname(s) Flagstaff
Born (1872-07-29)29 July 1872[1]
Vermosh, Kelmend, Ottoman Empire now Albania
Died 25 March 1945(1945-03-25) (aged 72)
Shkodër, People's Socialist Republic of Albania
Years of service 1908–1945
Rank Commander
Commands held Kelmend
Battles/wars Albanian Revolt of 1908
Albanian Revolt of 1911
Albania during the Balkan Wars[2]
Uprising in Montenegro
Awards Martyr of Democracy[3]
Honor of Nation Order (Albania)(after 2010)

Prek Cali or Prenk Cali was a bayraktar of the Kelmendi Catholic clan in the northern Albanian region near Vermosh,[4] protector of Albanian border and anti-communist. Born in Vermosh, he fought in the Battle of Deçiq against the Ottoman Empire, and later against the Kingdom of Serbia, and finally against the communist forces under Enver Hoxha. Hoxha had him lured and killed him on Palm Sunday.[5][6]

Conflict with Zog's government

After the fall of Fan S. Noli's cabinet (1928), Cali came in conflict with King Ahmet Zogu while trying to establish autonomy for the Kelmendi tribe within the state.[2]

World War II

Plav and Gusinje

At the beginning of World War II, Prek Cali had between 200[7] and 1,200[8] armed men around Vermosh under his command. His forces took control over Plav and Gusinje in 1941, before Italian forces occupied it.[9]

Cali participated in the Italian counter-offensive in August 1941, during the Uprising in Montenegro. Italian General Alessandro Pirzio Biroli reported that Albanian forces from Vermosh commanded by Cali supported Division Venezia that advanced from Podgorica to insurgent-controlled Kolašin and Andrijevica and re-occupied them despite fierce resistance.[10]

Communist propaganda

For a long time, communists wrote false facts[11] about Prek Cali, which were supported by Yugoslav communists[12] who supported Enver Hoxha; many authors wrote about him based on Albanian communist propaganda, which saw him as a traitor.[13] Enver Hoxha removed Cali from history[14] but after the fall of communism he was reinvented as a National Hero.[1][15] After Cali's death communists claimed that he opposed Muslim Albanians, though he fought alongside Hamëz Kuçi and Hamid Gjylbegu (who were Muslims) in the battle of Koplik in 1920 against Yugoslavia, and had good relations with Bajram Curri.[16] Mehdi Frashëri, the Prime Minister of the Albanian quisling government under Nazi Germany, after Cali's death, Albanian and Yugoslavian communists disseminated stories about Prek Cali being a fascist, enemy of Albania, and secret supporter of Chetniks.[1] Such accounts were untrue because Prek Cali and his whole family fought together with Kelmendi tribe against 800 Serbian partisans, and in August 1912 protected the northern borders of Albania.[17] After fall of communism, Dr. Luigj Martini wrote the biography of Prek Cali according to witnesses' accounts, claiming to be written on real facts, alleging that the cooperation with Chetniks was propaganda[18] thrilled by Albanian-Yugoslavian communist alliance.[12][19] Mehmet Shehu invited Cali to join the communists, and promised to announce him as the great hero, but Cali refused as they were allied with Yugoslavia.[20]

Communist theory

Communists used many false facts about Prek Cali, which were supported by Yugoslavian communists in order to support Enver Hoxha, many author wrote about his history which were based on Albanian communist propaganda, during Communism in Albania, Hoxha proclaimed him traitor of people.[21] After fall of communism in Albania, communist theory was abolished.[1]

According to Yugoslavian literature based on instructions of Draža Mihailović, Chetnik officer Rudolf Perhinek established the communication with leader of Albanian Catholics of northern Albania.[22] Prek Cali invited Chetnik officer Marko Vučeljić to have a meeting in Vermosh.[23]

According to Perhinek, Prek Cali was politically opposed to the Muslims from Kosovo and he openly admitted that he used Cali to inspire conflicts between Catholics and Muslims in northern Albania,[24] that was untrue because Cali had good relations with Albanian Muslims and he is known for his contribute of building a mosque,[1] he fought alongside Hamëz Kuçi, Hamid Gjylbegu (which were Muslim Albanians) in battle of Koplik in 1920 against Yugoslavia, also he had good relations with Bajram Curri.[16]

Marko accepted Cali's invitation and sent his brother Tomo to meet with him above Vermosh.[23][25] Despite communist propaganda all facts prove that Prëk Cali had never friendly contacts with Serbian Chetniks or Fascist.[1]

Chetnik captain Marko Vučeljić established Chetnik military base in Vermosh.[26]

Prek Cali was blood brother of Chetnik commander Pavle Đurišić.[27][28]

Pavle Đurišić was transferred to Plav in 1939, after Italian occupation of Albania, and was given a task to establish and maintain intelligence network to be used in case of Axis attack on Yugoslavia. This network was not much helpful during Axis invasion of Yugoslavia but was successfully used for struggle against communists in Montenegro and Albania.[29] Pavle Đurišić successfully agreed Prek Cali's support and bases for Chetniks on the territory of northern Albania, Plav and Gusinje.[30] Draža Mihailović paid money to Prek Cali for his services and also delivered him some arms.[31] In April 1944 Chetnik commanders reported to Mihailović that Prek Cali distinguished himself by supporting Chetniks, not only through providing Chetniks with accommodation in Vermosh but also through participation with a number of his men on Chetnik side in the campaign Chetniks undertook towards Andrijevica, sometimes with Vulnetari from Plav and Gusinje.[32]

At the end of 1944 Prek Cali was a member of delegation sent by Đurišić to agree with Albanian government the safe retreat of Chetniks to Greece through Albania.[26] According to one Chetniks' account, at the meeting with members of the Albanian government, Albanian prince appointed Cali as member of Albanian delegation responsible to define technical details of the agreement after Đurišić first informs Mihailović about it. Chetniks laughed at this and stated that prince took away Prek Cali from Chetnik delegation, which is a guarantee that everything will be arranged properly.[33]

Death and aftermath

By the end of the Second World War, the main military and political force of the country (the communist partisans) concentrated to the north of Albania to destroy the anti-communist forces and to eliminate their rivals. They met an open resistance in Nikaj-Mërtur (adjacent region in Tropojë District), Dukagjin and Kelmend, which chieftains were openly anti-Communists. On 15 January 1945, a battle between partisans of the first Brigade (supported later by 23rd and 24th Brigade plus Yugoslav partisan forces) and anti-communist forces was fought at Tamara Bridge. Partisan forces lost 52 partisans; consequently, their communist terror was unmatched. About 150 Kelmendi people were killed, burnt alive, had their eyeballs out, were buried in holes or cruelly tortured. Their leader Prek Cali was surrounded in a cave in Vukël for a week; after that he surrendered. He was executed by a very classifyed secret order of Dushan Mugosha,a high rank officer of UDB(Serbian secret Services,under YUG)

After fall of communism in Albania, Prëk Cali was decorated and honored with the Medal "Martyr of Democracy" in 1993 by President of Albania Sali Berisha. Seven years later, in 2010, actual President of Albania Bujar Nishani honored him with Order "Honor of Nation".[34] In 2000 the monument of Prek Cali was set put in Shkodër.[35]

In literature and arts

Mihailo Lalić mentioned Cali in his novel "Pramen Tame"[36] and short story "Posljednje brdo".[37] There are patriotic songs dedicated to Cali.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Luigj Martini (2005). Prek Cali, Kelmendi dhe kelmendasit (in Albanian). Camaj-Pipaj. p. 66. ISBN 9789994334070.
  2. 1 2 Zef Pllumi (2008). Live to Tell: A True Story of Religious Persecution in Communist Albania. 1, 1944-1951. IUniverse, Inc. p. 12. ISBN 978-0595452989. ..and who had led Kelmendi people against the Montenegrins...
    He also led them in opposing King Zog, insisting that Kelmendi remain Kelmendi, without having to submit to anybody
  3. ↑ Klajd Kapinova (8 July 2005), Historitë e pavdekshme të Bacës së Kelmendit Prekë Pjetër Cali (1872 - 1945) (in Albanian), Trepca.net, retrieved 23 January 2014, ...Martiri i Demokracisë: Prek Pjetri (Cali) Hasanaj...[Martyr of Democracy - Prek Pjeter (Cali) Hasanaj]
  4. ↑ Neuwirth, Hubert (2008). Widerstand und Kollaboration in Albanien 1939-1944. Harrassowitz Verlag. p. 216. ISBN 978-3-447-05783-7. ... Prenk Cali, dem Bajraktar von Vermosh...(Prenk Cali, the Bayraktar of Vermosh)
  5. ↑ Markus W. E. Peters (31 October 2003), Geschichte der Katholischen Kirche in Albanien 1919-1993, Harrassowitz Verlag, p. 144, ISBN 978-3447047845, Und am 25 März, so der Päpstliche Gesandte, werden auf dem katholischen Friedhof der katholische Menschenrechtler Prek Cali und der Pfarrer Dom Ndre Zadeja zusammen mit drei muslimischen Intellektuellen der Stadt erschossen.(According to the envoys of the Pope, on March 25th the catholic human rights activist Prek Cali and the priest Dom Ndre Zadeja were shot on the catholic graveyard together with 3 of the town's Muslim intellectuals)
  6. ↑ Ndue Bacaj (Gazeta "Malësia") (March 2001), Prek Cali thërret: Rrnoftë Shqipnia, poshtë komunizmi (in Albanian), Shkoder.net, retrieved 25 December 2013, ...Megjithatë luftimet sollën viktima të konsiderueshme, rreth 52 partizanë dhanë jetën, që edhe sot nuk dihet pse, pasi Kelmendi ishte i çliruar [Anyway, the skirmish caused considerable victims, circa 52 partisans gave their lives, even today no one knows why because Kelmend was already liberated]
    Pas një jave rezistencë, në shpellën, që sot quhet e Prek Calit në Vukël, duke llogaritur edhe premtimet e tradhëtinë e komunistëve, Preka u dorëzua [After one week of resistance at the cave that today is named after him, considering even the promises and treason of the communists, Prek Cali surrendered]
    ...Në shkurt e mars të vitit 1945, Kelmendi numëronte 150 burra të pushkatuar...[During February and March 1945 Kelmend region counter 150 men as executed]
    ...fjalët e fundit para pushkatimit të Prekës, që ndonëse 75 vjeç, komunistët ia prenë jetën...[The last words of Prek before being executed, which life the communist took even though he was 75 years old]
  7. ↑ Borozan, Đorđe (1995). Velika Albanija: poreklo - ideje - praksa. Vojnoizdavački insitut Vojske. p. 503.
  8. ↑ Zbornik dokumenata i podataka o narodnooslobodilačkom ratu naroda Jugoslavija. Belgrade, Serbia: Vojnoistorijski institut. p. 203. ...са Пренк Цалем налази се око Врмоше око 1.200 бораца
  9. ↑ Kostić, Dušan (1954). Krajevi i ljudi. Narodna knjiga. p. 27.
  10. ↑ Gobeti, Erik. "CRNA GORA U OČIMA PIRCIJA BIROLIJA AVGUSTA 1941." (PDF). Matica (in Serbian) (Matica Crnogorska) (Winter 2011): 445. Retrieved 15 March 2014.
  11. ↑ Pepa, Pjetër (2003). The criminal file of Albania's communist dictator. Uegen. However it was not a matter of simple ordinary men of the street, as Llesh and Preng, but of men of such stature ... group, accused of conspiracy against Enver Hoxha in favor of Tito. and patriots, such as Llesh Marashi and Preng Cali, who 196
  12. 1 2 Luigj Martini (2005). Prek Cali, Kelmendi dhe kelmendasit (in Albanian). Camaj-Pipaj. p. 68. ISBN 9789994334070.
  13. ↑ Sherer, Stan (1997). Long life to your children!: a portrait of High Albania. Massachusetts: University of Massachusetts Press. he so-called traitors were people like Preng Cali, who defended the Albanian borders, Dom Ndre Zadeja, a poet, and Ndoc Jakova, the head of the Roman Catholic faith in this country. He was killed when he was twenty five.
  14. ↑ Blumi, Isa (2011). Reinstating the Ottomans: Alternative Balkan Modernities, 1800-1912. Palgrave Macmillan. p. https://www.flickr.com/photos/115369317@N06/13647064463/. ISBN 0230119085.
  15. ↑ PO, PSE O PREKË CALI, PËRBUZE "LAVDINË" SLLAVOKOMUNISTE ?
  16. 1 2 Shehu, Eugen (30 September 2013). "Si lindi Miqësia e legjendarit Prek Cali me Gjergj Fishtën, heroin e poemave të tij, respekti për Bajram Currin dhe pabesia e Mehmet Shehut që e çoi atë drejt vdekjes". Gazeta-Nacional.com (in Albanian). Një tjetër betejë ku do të shkëlqej heroizmi dhe mendimi ushtarak intuitiv i Prekë Calit, është pdyshim edhe beteja e Koplikut e vitit 1920. Gjetkë e kam përmendur këtë betejë, e cila për nga dimensioni atdhetar mbetet shembull i shkëlqyer i bashkëpunimit midis burrave. Prekë Cali së bashku me Hamëz Kuçin, Hamid Gjylbegun, Dodë Nikollën etj, kanë luftuar për ditë e netë të tëra në frontin më të vështirë duke u përleshur me forcat pushtuese jugosllave.
  17. ↑ Mehdi Frasheri, Kujtime – vitet 1913-1933, p. 185.
  18. ↑ Documentary about Kelmend and people of Kelmendi
  19. ↑ Isa Blumi, Reinstating the Ottomans: Alternative Balkan Modernities, 1800-1912, p. 16
  20. ↑ Butka, Uran (1995). Ringjallje (Reborn) (in Albanian). Phoenix. (ALB: " Kur na çuen ke shtabi i batalionit, në Rrapsh të Hotit, Mehmet Shehu, u ndodh ballë për ballë me Prek Calin: - E, Prekë Cali, - i tha Mehmeti, - të pat ardhur dita ta mbyllesh historinë tënde me shkronja ari, po të bëheshe me ne! Pse bëre kështu? - Zotni, - iu përgjigj Prekë Cali, - faji bie mbi ju, se ju u batë aleat me anmikun shekullor tonin, me Serbin.”) (EN: When they took us to the battalion headquarters in Rapsha of Hoti, Mehmet Shehu saw Prek Cali and said to him: "Your history would be written in gold, if you were in our side. Why did you do this? ", Prek Cali replied: "The blame falls on you because you choose to ally with our sworn enemy, Serbia"
  21. ↑ Heronj te heshtur, Volume 8 (in Albanian). Retrieved 10 April 2014.
  22. ↑ Marović, Miodrag (1 January 1995). Balkanski Džoker: Albanija i Albanci : istorijska hronika nastajanja i razvoja albanskog pitanja. Kulturni centar. p. 339.
  23. 1 2 Narod andrijevičkog sreza 1978, p. 357.
  24. ↑ Marović, Miodrag (1 January 1995). Balkanski Džoker: Albanija i Albanci : istorijska hronika nastajanja i razvoja albanskog pitanja. Kulturni centar. p. 339. ... otvoreno stupio u političku borbu protiv muslimana Kosovara....Perhinek ne skriva da Prenka koristi u rasplamsavanju sukoba između katolika i muslimana u sjevernoj Albaniji...
  25. ↑ Lekić, Radovan (1961). Andrijevički srez, 1941-1944: prilog istoriji NOB Crne Gore. Obod. p. 335. ... капе- тана Марка Вучељића на нени пријател>ски разговор. Марко није отишао, већ је послао свога брата резервног потпоручника Вучељића Тома, који се састао са Пренком изнад села Врмоше. Разговор између Пренк Цаља
  26. 1 2 Redžić, Vučeta (2002). Građanski rat u Crnoj Gori: Dešavanja od sredine 1942. godine do sredine 1945. godine. Stupovi. p. 313. Тих дана капетан Марко Вучељић је формирао четничку базу у Врмоши (Албанија) са ослоном на Куче. Тада се у долини реке Црње (подно Комова) окупила јача четничка група. Водио ју је Милан Мартиновић.
  27. ↑ Ашанин, Чедомир И (2006). На крсту српства. Студио "Огњен". p. 95. Дошао је н>ихов вој- вода Принц Цал>е, то је био побратим Павла Ъуришића
  28. ↑ Jokić, Branko. "Fragment from manuscript "(Un)recognized patriot"". Selo-velika. Retrieved 17 January 2014. Чак је смијенила злогласног Пренк Цаљу, касније и побратима војвјводе Павла Ђуришића, са којим се, према партизанским документма, током рата више пута састајао...
  29. ↑ Pajović 1987, p. 12.
  30. ↑ Bojović, Jovan R.; Titogradu, Istorijski institut SR Crne Gore u (1985). Prelomni događaji narodnooslobodilaćkog rata u Crnoj Gori 1943. godine: zbornik radova sa naućnog skupa održanog 19. i 20. XII 1983. Istorijski institut SRCG. p. 224. Једини стварни успјех четника Павла Ђуришића да на просторима Плава, Гусиња и сјеверне Албаније створе своја упоришта и обезбиједе сарадњу у борби против народноослободилачког покрета остварен је у договорима са барјактаром племена Клименти Пренк Цаљем, који је био у директној служби италијанског окупатора, са чином фашистичког мајора.
  31. ↑ Milovanović & Kljaković 1985, p. 25Mihailović je usluge Prenka Galje novčano nagrađivao, a doturao mu je i nešto oružja.
  32. ↑ Đaković, Spasoje (1986). Sukobi na Kosovu. Narodna knjiga. pp. 142, 144. Држиш ли везу са Пренк Цалом (барјактар из Северне Албаније са седиштем у Врмоши и често је са вулнетарима са територије Плава и Гусиња нападао на партизане Црне Горе - Андријевицу и Беране...Војвода Пренк Цале је редак пример, који не само да помаже наш покрет пријатељским примањем нашег људства, него је са извесним бро- јем својих војника учествовао у нашој борби ка Андријевици.
  33. ↑ Glasnik Srpskog istorijsko-kulturnog društva "Njegoš". Njegoš. 1959. p. 57. Кад смо чули име Пренк Цаље, ми смо се са задовољством насмејали и Вуксановић је одмах до- дао: "Ви нам га узесте, то нам је најбоља гаранција, да ће све поћи добрим путем".
  34. ↑ Frank Shkreli, Kelmendi, Nderi i Kombit [Kelmendi, Honor of the Nation] (in Albanian), Kosova.com, retrieved 23 January 2014, Presidenti Nishani ia dorëzoi Këlmendit – fisit të luftëtarit legjendar Prek Cali - dekoratën Nderi i Kombit" gjatë aktivitetit artistik dhe kulturor (President Nishani handed over the decoration Honor of the Nation to the Kelemendi - tribe of legendary fighter Prek Cali)
  35. ↑ Gjovalin Bzheta. Monumenti i Prek Calit Shkoder 2000-Fjala e Gjovalin Bzheta [The monument of Prek Cali in Shkoder, 2000 - Gjovalin Bzheta's speech] (YouTube) (in Albanian).
  36. ↑ Lalić, Mihailo (1979). Pramen tame: roman. Nolit. p. 44. Lijevom stranom, Zeletinom, vodi Prenk Caljo klimenačke palikuće iz Vrmoše da se osvete što su dugih dvadeset godina bili prinuđeni da žive bez pljačke.
  37. ↑ Lalić, Mihailo (1967). Posljednje brdo: Pripovetke. Nolit. p. 211. ... води Пренк Цал>о католике од Врмоше и Вусан>це да се нашьач^у и прославе; да иза н>их не заостане

Sources

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