Aćif Hadžiahmetović
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Aćif Hadžiahmetović ( sr-cyr, Аћиф Хаџиахметовић, sq, Aqif Haxhiahmeti; 1887 – 21 January 1945), known as Aćif Bljuta ( sq, Aqif Bluta, sr-cyr, Аћиф Бљута), was an
Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
politician in the
Sanjak of Novi Pazar The Sanjak of Novi Pazar ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Novopazarski sandžak, Новопазарски санџак; tr, Yeni Pazar sancağı) was an Ottoman sanjak (second-level administrative unit) that was created in 1865. It was reorganized in 1880 and ...
region of the
Kingdom of Yugoslavia The Kingdom of Yugoslavia ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Kraljevina Jugoslavija, Краљевина Југославија; sl, Kraljevina Jugoslavija) was a state in Southeast Europe, Southeast and Central Europe that existed from 1918 unt ...
in the
interwar period In the history of the 20th century, the interwar period lasted from 11 November 1918 to 1 September 1939 (20 years, 9 months, 21 days), the end of the World War I, First World War to the beginning of the World War II, Second World War. The in ...
and during
World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
. In the interwar period he was mayor of
Novi Pazar Novi Pazar ( sr-cyr, Нови Пазар, lit. "New Bazaar"; ) is a city located in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2011 census, the urban area has 66,527 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 100,410 inhabita ...
and a deputy of
Džemijet ''Džemijet'' ( tr, Cemiyet, "Society", sq, Xhemijet; full Turkish name tr, İslam Muhafaza-i Hukuk Cemiyeti, "Islamic Association for the Defense of Justice"/"Society for the Preservation of Muslim Rights") was a political party of the Muslim po ...
following the 1923 elections. After the
Axis invasion of Yugoslavia An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to: Mathematics * Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis *Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinate ...
in April 1941, he was appointed mayor of Novi Pazar under the German military government of the
Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia The Territory of the Military Commander in Serbia (german: Gebiet des Militärbefehlshabers in Serbien; sr, Подручје Војног заповедника у Србији, Područje vojnog zapovednika u Srbiji) was the area of the Kin ...
and in 1943–44 was a deputy of Mitrovica in the
Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: Representation (politics), representing the Election#Suffrage, electorate, making laws, and overseeing ...
. He was also a member of the central committee of the
Second League of Prizren The Second League of Prizren was an organisation founded by Albanian officials in Kosovo in September 1943 to campaign for the ethnic unification of Albanians in Albania. From 1918, Kosovo was integrated into the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslav ...
. Towards the end of the war, he was executed by the Yugoslav Partisans for his collaboration with the
Axis An axis (plural ''axes'') is an imaginary line around which an object rotates or is symmetrical. Axis may also refer to: Mathematics * Axis of rotation: see rotation around a fixed axis *Axis (mathematics), a designator for a Cartesian-coordinate ...
for massive war crimes against
Serbs The Serbs ( sr-Cyr, Срби, Srbi, ) are the most numerous South Slavic ethnic group native to the Balkans in Southeastern Europe, who share a common Serbian ancestry, culture, history and language. The majority of Serbs live in their na ...
and killings of
Albanians The Albanians (; sq, Shqiptarët ) are an ethnic group and nation native to the Balkan Peninsula who share a common Albanian ancestry, culture, history and language. They primarily live in Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Se ...
who were against his rule.


Origin and early life

Aćif Hadžiahmetović was born in 1887 in
Novi Pazar Novi Pazar ( sr-cyr, Нови Пазар, lit. "New Bazaar"; ) is a city located in the Raška District of southwestern Serbia. As of the 2011 census, the urban area has 66,527 inhabitants, while the city administrative area has 100,410 inhabita ...
(at the time part of the
Sanjak of Novi Pazar The Sanjak of Novi Pazar ( sh-Latn-Cyrl, Novopazarski sandžak, Новопазарски санџак; tr, Yeni Pazar sancağı) was an Ottoman sanjak (second-level administrative unit) that was created in 1865. It was reorganized in 1880 and ...
, now
Serbia Serbia (, ; Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), officially the Republic of Serbia (Serbian language, Serbian: , , ), is a landlocked country in Southeast Europe, Southeastern and Central Europe, situated at the crossroads of the Pannonian Bas ...
), to father Emin-aga and mother Jalduza. He was ethnic
Albanian Albanian may refer to: *Pertaining to Albania in Southeast Europe; in particular: **Albanians, an ethnic group native to the Balkans **Albanian language **Albanian culture **Demographics of Albania, includes other ethnic groups within the country ...
, and his family hailed from the area of
Gjakova Gjakova, ) and Đakovica ( sr-Cyrl, Ђаковица, ) is the seventh largest city of Kosovo and seat of Gjakova Municipality and Gjakova District. The city has 40,827 inhabitants, while the municipality has 94,556 inhabitants. Geographicall ...
( sr, Đakovica). The patronymic ''Hadžiahmetović'' was adopted by him to honour his grandfather, Ahmet, who completed ''
hajj The Hajj (; ar, حَجّ '; sometimes also spelled Hadj, Hadji or Haj in English) is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, Saudi Arabia, the holiest city for Muslims. Hajj is a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried ...
''. He kept his paternal surname Bluta, which he especially highlighted since the 1941 occupation, to define himself as Albanian towards the Nazi German rule. He spoke Turkish, Albanian, and Serbian. He completed a lower gymnasium at Novi Pazar, after which he worked for a time as a municipality registrar in
Vučitrn Vushtrri ( sq-definite, Vushtrria) or Vučitrn ( sr-Cyrl, Вучитрн), is a city and municipality located in the Mitrovica District in northern Kosovo. According to the 2011 census, the town of Vushtrri has 26,964 inhabitants, while the muni ...
. He then completed the Military Academy in
Bitola Bitola (; mk, Битола ) is a city in the southwestern part of North Macedonia. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba, Nidže, and Kajmakčalan mountain ranges, north of the Medžitlija-Níki ...
. He moved to Turkey in 1913. As an officer with the rank of captain, he fought in the
Balkan Wars The Balkan Wars refers to a series of two conflicts that took place in the Balkan States in 1912 and 1913. In the First Balkan War, the four Balkan States of Greece, Serbia, Montenegro and Bulgaria declared war upon the Ottoman Empire and defe ...
and received the German
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...
2nd Class for courage. Aćif and his wife Mahije had no children of their own but had adopted two orphans from Đakovica, Qamil and Mejreme.


Biography

A member of
Džemijet ''Džemijet'' ( tr, Cemiyet, "Society", sq, Xhemijet; full Turkish name tr, İslam Muhafaza-i Hukuk Cemiyeti, "Islamic Association for the Defense of Justice"/"Society for the Preservation of Muslim Rights") was a political party of the Muslim po ...
since its foundation in 1919, he was elected mayor of Novi Pazar in 1920. In 1923 he was elected as a representative of the region in the parliament of the
Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes Kingdom commonly refers to: * A monarchy ruled by a king or queen * Kingdom (biology), a category in biological taxonomy Kingdom may also refer to: Arts and media Television * ''Kingdom'' (British TV series), a 2007 British television drama s ...
. A close collaborator of the party's leader
Ferhat Draga Ferhat Bey Draga (1880–1944) was a noted Kosovo Albanian politician during the Balkan Wars and World War I and Axis collaborator during World War II. Biography Ferhat Draga was born in Kosovska Mitrovica, Ottoman Empire. He was the brother of ...
, his speeches in the parliament focused on the agrarian reform, which he often attacked as a policy that targeted only Albanian farmers. After Ferhat Draga's imprisonment and the party's dissolution, many of its members faced attacks. Hadžiahmetović himself survived two assassination attempts.


During World War II

Hadžiahmetović organized ceremonial welcome and an official banquet in Novi Pazar for German occupying forces on 16 April 1941. In April 1941 German Nazi forces appointed Hadžiahmetović as mayor of Novi Pazar. He established a governing committee in Novi Pazar of 11 members, all Albanians, and also established a Muslim gendarmerie which was pro-Albanian and whose members wore Albanian symbols. His administration violently fired previous local government, many of whom were forced to leave the city. His governance saw return of feudal relations in the region, which was agreed with
Milan Aćimović Milan Aćimović ( sr-Cyrl, Милан Аћимовић; 31 May 1898 – 25 May 1945) was a Yugoslav politician and collaborationist with the Axis in Yugoslavia during World War II. Early life Milan Aćimović was born on 31 May 1898 in Pinos ...
, head of Commissioner Government on July 19. He was one of the signatories of the
Resolution of Sarajevo Muslims The Resolution of Sarajevo Muslims or Muslim Resolution of 1941 ( sh, Sarajevska rezolucija/Сарајевска резолуција) was one of the Resolutions of Muslims from Bosnia and Herzegovina (then parts of the Independent State of Croati ...
in 1941. During that year, his forces began to conduct war crimes against local Serb civilians and started killings of Albanians who were opposed of his rule. At the same time, with officers like
Shaban Polluzha Shaban Mustafë Kastrati (1871 – 21 February 1945), known as Shaban Polluzha, was a Kosovo Albanian military leader active in Drenica during World War II. He was a collaborationist, serving in the Royal Albanian gendarmerie and as a commander of ...
under his command, who was responsible for bloody killing of 150 Serbian civilians in
Ibarski Kolašin North Kosovo ( sr, Северно Косово, Severno Kosovo; sq, Kosova Veriore), also known as the Ibar Kolašin ( sr, Ибарски Колашин, Ibarski Kolašin; sq, Koloshini i Ibrit or ''Kollashini i Ibrit''; earlier ''Old Kolašin ...
in September 1941, he organized the defense of the region against attacks by
Chetnik The Chetniks ( sh-Cyrl-Latn, Четници, Četnici, ; sl, Četniki), formally the Chetnik Detachments of the Yugoslav Army, and also the Yugoslav Army in the Homeland and the Ravna Gora Movement, was a Yugoslav royalist and Serbian nationa ...
forces that targeted Albanian and Muslim civilians and by the
Yugoslav Partisans The Yugoslav Partisans,Serbo-Croatian, Macedonian, Slovene: , or the National Liberation Army, sh-Latn-Cyrl, Narodnooslobodilačka vojska (NOV), Народноослободилачка војска (НОВ); mk, Народноослобод ...
who led the antifascist liberation movement. The principal goal of Albanian forces was the creation of a
Greater Albania Greater Albania is an irredentist and nationalist concept that seeks to unify the lands that many Albanians consider to form their national homeland. It is based on claims on the present-day or historical presence of Albanian populations in th ...
that would include Novi Pazar in it. As a consequence, efforts were made to Albanize the Bosniak population of Novi Pazar – one of the policies that created the greatest revolt among the local Bosniak population was the prohibition of wearing the Muslim hat,
fez Fez most often refers to: * Fez (hat), a type of felt hat commonly worn in the Ottoman Empire * Fez, Morocco (or Fes), the second largest city of Morocco Fez or FEZ may also refer to: Media * ''Fez'' (Frank Stella), a 1964 painting by the moder ...
. Hadžiahmetović used persecution of Serbs in his region of control to buy their property for very cheap prices. This was done in the name of an Albanian bank, but also for increasing his personal wealth. During a public speech made when the first Albanian military forces penetrated into Novi Pazar in October 1941, Hadžiahmetović warned the public present that they are "Albanian, and not Bosniak", and stated: "Behind us stand three million Albanians, our Pazar is the centre of Albania, and we will create a Greater Albania.". At another public speech, Hadžiahmetović is recorded to have said that the population which occupies all lands spanning from Raška (a town in southern Serbia) to the southernmost point of Albania is Albanian. It was also during his rule, in 1942, that the entire Jewish population of Novi Pazar – 221 individuals, were imprisoned, sent to the concentration camp
Staro Sajmište Staro Sajmište ( sr-cyr, Старо Сајмиште, Old Fairground) is an urban neighborhood of Belgrade, the capital of Serbia. It is located in Belgrade's municipality of New Belgrade, and it was the site of the World War II Sajmište concen ...
and killed. In 1943 he joined the
Second League of Prizren The Second League of Prizren was an organisation founded by Albanian officials in Kosovo in September 1943 to campaign for the ethnic unification of Albanians in Albania. From 1918, Kosovo was integrated into the newly formed Kingdom of Yugoslav ...
and was elected a member of its central committee. A few months later, after the incorporation of Mitrovica into
Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
he became a representative of the region in the Albanian parliament along with Ferhat Abidi, Hysen Hysnija and Shaban Mustafa. In September of 1943, Albanian collaborationist forces organised an action against remaining Serb population in the Draževa srez. Many Serb villages were burnt down during the action. German police agents noted that Hadžiahmetović is 'hiding extent of the crimes against Serbs, doesn't want to persecute perpetrators and hides them from justice'. He was considered a collaborator with the Axis powers during World War II and was executed in 1945 by the Yugoslav government, after he was found guilty of the murder of nearly 7,000 Serbs.


Legacy

In the late 2000s the Bosniak National Council initiated the process of his historical rehabilitation in Serbia. Among others
Muamer Zukorlić Muamer Zukorlić (; 15 February 1970 – 6 November 2021) was a Serbian politician and Islamic theologian who served as the president and chief Mufti of the Islamic Community in Serbia. An ethnic Bosniak, he served as an MP from 2016 to 2020 a ...
has praised him as a "hero of Bosniak people". The campaign culminated in the inauguration of a memorial dedicated to Hadžiahmetović on August 3, 2012 in Novi Pazar. This event was attended by
Sulejman Ugljanin Sulejman Ugljanin (; sr-cyrl, Сулејман Угљанин; born 20 November 1953) is a Serbian politician. An ethnic Bosniak, he has led the Party of Democratic Action of Sandžak since its establishment in 1990. Ugljanin was previously th ...
(Minister Without Portfolio of Serbia), Esad Džudžević (president of the Bosniak National Council) and Ahmedin Škrijelj (deputy mayor of Novi Pazar). The Ministry of Justice and State Administration of Serbia instructed the local administration to remove the memorial. There is also an initiative to name the City Stadium of Novi Pazar after him. Opponents of the rehabilitation of Aćif Hadžiahmetović emphasize that he fought for
Greater Albania Greater Albania is an irredentist and nationalist concept that seeks to unify the lands that many Albanians consider to form their national homeland. It is based on claims on the present-day or historical presence of Albanian populations in th ...
project, that his aim was to Albanize the Bosniak population of Sandžak, that he collaborated with occupying forces of the Third Reich in the whole period of occupation during World War II, sent a number of communists from Novi Pazar into concentration camps, as well as allowed the elimination of Serbian, Jewish and Roma population of Novi Pazar. For his collaboration he was awarded with
Iron Cross The Iron Cross (german: link=no, Eisernes Kreuz, , abbreviated EK) was a military decoration in the Kingdom of Prussia, and later in the German Empire (1871–1918) and Nazi Germany (1933–1945). King Frederick William III of Prussia est ...
by Nazi Germany.


References


Sources

* * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Hadziahmetovic, Acif 1887 births 1945 deaths Albanian people of World War II Politicians from Novi Pazar People from Kosovo vilayet Albanian collaborators with Nazi Germany Albanian politicians Albanian nationalists Recipients of the Iron Cross (1939) Albanians in Serbia Genocide of Serbs in the Independent State of Croatia perpetrators Executed Albanian collaborators with Nazi Germany Executed Yugoslav collaborators with Nazi Germany People killed by Yugoslav Partisans Executed mass murderers