The Congress of Elbasan (), also known among Albanians as the Congress of the Albanian schools (''Kongresi i shkollave shqipe''), was held from 2 to 8 September 1909 in

Elbasan Elbasan ( , ; sq-definite, Elbasani, ) is the fourth most populous city of Albania and seat of Elbasan County and Elbasan Municipality. It lies to the north of the river Shkumbin between the Skanderbeg Mountains and the Myzeqe Plain in centr ...

, today's

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

, back then part of the

Vilayet of Monastir The Vilayet of Manastir () was a first-level administrative division (vilayet) of the Ottoman Empire, created in 1874, dissolved in 1877 and re-established in 1879. The vilayet was occupied during the First Balkan War in 1912 and divided between t ...

of the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. The congress, sponsored by the local ''Bashkimi'' literary club, was attended by 35 delegates from central and southern

. The congress aimed to address issues linked to

culture Culture ( ) is a concept that encompasses the social behavior, institutions, and Social norm, norms found in human societies, as well as the knowledge, beliefs, arts, laws, Social norm, customs, capabilities, Attitude (psychology), attitudes ...

and

education Education is the transmission of knowledge and skills and the development of character traits. Formal education occurs within a structured institutional framework, such as public schools, following a curriculum. Non-formal education als ...

. The delegates came to a decision that the Manastir club had to introduce the Albanian language in all schools in Albania. The

Congress of Manastir The Congress of Manastir () was an academic conference held in the city of Manastir (now Bitola) from November 14 to 22, 1908, with the goal of standardizing the Albanian alphabet. November 22 is now a commemorative day in Albania, Kosovo and ...

had chosen the

Latin script The Latin script, also known as the Roman script, is a writing system based on the letters of the classical Latin alphabet, derived from a form of the Greek alphabet which was in use in the ancient Greek city of Cumae in Magna Graecia. The Gree ...

as the one to be used to write the language. In addition, the delegates decided to request all the Albanian journalists and publicists to use only the dialect of Elbasan. A very important result of the congress was the establishment of a school for teachers, known as Shkolla Normale e Elbasanit. The school was decided to be in Elbasan as well, and started with six classes on December 1, 1909.

Background

In 1908, an alphabet congress in

Manastir Bitola (; ) 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 border crossin ...

agreed to adopt a Latin character-based Albanian alphabet and the move was considered an important step for Albanian unification.. Some conservative

Albanian Muslims Islam arrived in Albania mainly during the Ottoman period when the majority of Albanians over time converted to Islam under Ottoman rule. Following the Albanian National Awakening (Rilindja) tenets and the de-emphasis of religious tradit ...

and clerics opposed the Latin alphabet and preferred an Arabic-based Albanian one because they were concerned that the former undermined ties with the

Muslim world The terms Islamic world and Muslim world commonly refer to the Islamic community, which is also known as the Ummah. This consists of all those who adhere to the religious beliefs, politics, and laws of Islam or to societies in which Islam is ...

.. For the Ottoman government the situation was alarming because the Albanians were the largest Muslim community in the European part of the empire (Istanbul excluded). The Albanian national movement was proof that not only Christians had national feelings and Islam could not keep Ottoman Muslims united. In these circumstances the Ottoman state led by the

Committee of Union and Progress The Ottoman Committee of Union and Progress (CUP, also translated as the Society of Union and Progress; , French language, French: ''Union et Progrès'') was a revolutionary group, secret society, and political party, active between 1889 and 1926 ...

(CUP) organised a congress in Debar in 1909 with the intention that Albanians there declare themselves as Ottomans, promise to defend its territorial sovereignty and adopt an Albanian Arabic character script.. However they faced a strong opposition from nationally minded Albanians and the Albanian element took total control of the proceedings. While the congress was on progress people of the CUP in

Tirane Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills, with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea in the di ...

orchestrated a demonstration aimed at Latin alphabet and the local branch of Bashkimi club, the organizer of the Manastir congress. Talat Bey, the interior minister, claimed that the Albanian population supported the use of the Turkish alphabet and stayed against the Latin one. However, the Bashkimi club did not stop the activity and organized a congress with 120 attendees in Elbasan.

Delegates

The main organizer of Congress was the prominent patriot

Lef Nosi Lef Nosi (born Elefter Nosi; 9 April 187720 February 1946) was an Albanian publisher, archivist, philologist, folklorist, ethnographer, numismatist, archaeologist and politician. On 28 November 1912, he was as one of the signatories of the Decla ...

. Different patriotic clubs authorized delegates to represent them. There were altogether 35 delegates from all over settlements with Albanian population who represented 8 clubs. The Bashkimi club had branches in sixteen settlements, the Vllazënia club in three, and the other six clubs in one each. Some delegates represented more than one club or branch. Midhat Frashëri represented five branches of Bashkimi and one of Vllazënia , while Osman Joraja represented three branches of Bashkimi and one of Vllazënia . The delegates were Abdullah Bej Koprencka (Pellazg branch in Skrapar), Abdullah Reshidi (Bashkimi branch in Struga), Abdurrahim Kavaja (Vllazenia branch in Kocanë), Ahmet Dakli (Bashkimi branch in Struga), Andrea Ikonomi (Drita branch in Gjirokastër), Dervish Beu (Vllazenia branch in Elbasan), Nikolle Kacorri (Durrës), Emin Haxhi (Bashkimi branch in Elbasan), Grigor M. Cilka (American Mission branch in Korce),

Gjergj Qiriazi Gjergj Qiriazi, known as George D. Kyrias and in Bulgarian Г. Д. Кириас (27 May 1868 – 30 December 1912), was an Albanian patriot, author, educator, translator, Protestant Bible distributor, organizer of the First Congress of Monastir (1 ...

(Bashkimi branch in Manastir), Hafiz Ibrahimi (Bashkimi branch in Tirane), Hamdi Beu (Bashkimi branch in Ohrid), Haxhi Bajram Beu (Bashkimi branch in Permet and Bashkimi branch in Leskovik),

Idhomene Kosturi Idhomen Jovan Kosturi (15 May 1873 – 5 November 1943), also known as Idhomeno Kosturi, was an Albanian politician, regent and once acting Prime Minister of Albania. He would become the second representative of Albanian Orthodox population to ...

(Dituria branch in Korce), Irfan Beu (Bashkimi branch in Ohrid), Jahja Efendiu (Durrës), Josif Haxhi Mima (Aferdita branch in Elbasan), Kahreman Beu (Bashkimi branch in Berat), Kristaq Dako (American Mission branch in Tirane), Mihal Gjuraskovici (Durrës),

Midhat Frashëri Midhat (also spelled Medhat, Mitat, or Mithat) () is a name of Arabic origin, usually masculine, except in Pakistan. It means "praise" or "eulogy". Given names * Midhat Pasha (1822–1884), Ottoman grand vizier * Medhat Abdel-Hady (born 1974) ...

(Vllazenia branch in Filiates and Bashkimi branches in Thessaloniki, Skopje, Ioannina, Jenije-Vardar, Karaferia), Orhan Beu (Dituria branch in Korce and Bashkimi branch in Frasher), Osman Joraja (Vllazenia branch in Filiates, Bashkimi branches in Thessaloniki, Jenije Vardar, Karaferia), Qemal Beu (Bashkimi branch in Berat), Refik Beu (Bashkimi branch in Tirane), Sabri Beu (Bashkimi branch in Peqin), Selman Blloshmi (Bashkimi branch in Starove),

Sevasti Qiriazi Sevasti Qiriazi-Dako (Sevasti D. Kyrias) (ca. 1871–1949) was an Albanians, Albanian patriot, educator, Protestant missionary, author, pioneer of Albanian female education, and activist of the Albanian National Awakening. Life and early career ...

(American Mission branch in Korce), Simon Shuteriqi (Aferdita branch in Elbasan), Sulejman Leka (Bashkimi branch in Starove), Taqi Buda (Bashkimi branch in Elbasan), Teki Bej Reshiti (Bashkimi branches in Permet and Leskovik), Telha Beu (Bashkimi branch in Gramsh), Thoma Papapano (Drita branch in Gjirokastër), Xhemil Feza (Vllazenia branch in Elbasan).

Afterwards

The opposition from the pro-Turkish fractions would continue, encouraged by the authorities. In a February 6, 1910 open meeting in Monastir, organized by

Rexhep Voka Rexhep is an Albanian masculine given name. People bearing the name include: * Rexhep Pasha Mati (1842–1908), Ottoman marshal, governor, war minister, revolutionary * Rexhep Demi (1864–1929), member of the Albanian independence movement, poli ...

and Arif Hikmet, it was demanded the introduction of an Arabic-scripts based alphabet for the Muslim population. Similar meetings were organized in the cities of Elbasan and

Ohrid Ohrid ( ) is a city in North Macedonia and is the seat of the Ohrid Municipality. It is the largest city on Lake Ohrid and the eighth-largest city in the country, with the municipality recording a population of over 42,000 inhabitants as of ...

soon after. The Albanian nationalists responded with the organization of another meeting on 27 February at Shën Ilia near

Korçë Korçë (; sq-definite, Korça) is the List of cities and towns in Albania, eighth most populous city of Albania and the seat of Korçë County and Korçë Municipality. The total population of the city is 51,152 and 75,994 of Korçë municipal ...

in support of the Latin-script alphabet. The meeting would be known later in

Albanian historiography The Historiography of Albania () or Albanian historiography () refers to the studies, sources, critical methods and interpretations used by scholars to study the history of Albania and Albanians. Influence of Germany and Austria-Hungary Theodor ...

as the "Albanian alphabet meeting". At this point, it was decided that another follow up congress should be held in order to bring a final end to the oppositions affirming the decisions of the first congress.

References

Citations

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