Jusuf Reçi (also known as Isuf) 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 ...

Miller born in

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, 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 ov ...

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 ...

(

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 ...

when he was born) to the Reçi tribe and he is known for assassinating

Avni Rustemi Avni Rustemi (26 September 1895 – 22 April 1924) was an Albanian patriot, revolutionary, teacher, activist and member of the Albanian parliament. Rustemi was the leader of numerous patriotic societies and associations and also a member o ...

, an Albanian activist, on the 20th of April 1924. Avni's death gave rise to the anti-government demonstrations that led to the

June Revolution The June Revolution () was a popular uprising in Albania that temporarily overthrew the Zogist regime following the 1923 Albanian parliamentary election and the assassination of popular Albanian activist and politician Avni Rustemi. A new gove ...

. (Died in 1947) Jusuf's family and tribe are originally from

northern Albania Northern Albania () is one of the three NUTS-2 regions of Albania, along with Central Albania and Southern Albania (). It consists of the counties of Dibër, Durrës, Kukës, Lezhë and Shkodër. Historically and in ethnography, Northern ...

, with their own settlements in

Malësia Malësia e Madhe ("Great Highlands"), known simply as Malësia (, ), is a historical and ethnographic region in northern Albania and eastern central Montenegro corresponding to the highlands of the geographical subdivision of the Malësi e Madhe ...

Reç Reç (also known as Reç i Poshtëm) is a settlement in the former Shkrel municipality, Shkodër County, northern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Malësi e Madhe. Notable people *Bekim Balaj, foot ...

, but part of the family migrated down to Tirana. The Reçi family has been recorded in Tirana since the 1800s, with records showing Hafsa Reçi (1848–1928) living there in the late 1800s with her husband Metan Vorpsi (1841–1911) from the

Vorpsi family The Vorpsi are an Albanian family native to Tirana and have their first records of a surname recorded in 1650 (Islam Vorpsi the first one to be recorded) by Ottoman registries in Tirana and the family's presence has been recorded since. A Muslim ...

. The Reçi family still lives in Tirana now. Avni Rustemi is also known for the murder of

Essad Pasha Toptani Essad Toptani (1863/1875 – 13 June 1920) was an Albanian politician who served as the third prime minister of Albania from 1914 to 1916. He previously established the Republic of Central Albania based in Durrës. An Ottoman army officer, he ...

, an Albanian politician. Jusuf was a loyalist to the

Toptani family The Toptani were a leading Albanian nobility, noble family in central Ottoman Albania, Albania at the beginning of the 20th century. They belonged to a small number of noble families appointed by the Ottomans who used local chieftains to control ...

of Tirana, which was a noble family with money and influence in the region. Toptani is remembered among Albanians today as one of the most negative historical figures and a symbol of treason. During his time alive, Avni Rustemi and many others thought of him as a traitor to the Albanian people, and on the 13th of June 1920, he assassinated Essad Toptani. Jusuf was a Miller, and some time in his life he became acquainted with the Toptani family, possibly during the time of Essad's rule as prime minister. He must have already been working for them prior to the murder of Essad Pasha Toptani and was a servant of Mr. Essad Toptani, and with the news of his death, the Toptani family and their loyalists alike, including Jusuf, were distressed by this news. All of Albania was aware that it was Avni Rustemi who killed Essad in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

. Why exactly Jusuf killed Avni is not fully known; some say

Zog I Zog I (born Ahmed Muhtar Zogolli; 8 October 18959 April 1961) was the leader of Albania from 1922 to 1939. At age 27, he first served as Albania's youngest ever Prime Minister (1922–1924), then as president (1925–1928), and finally as King ...

hired him to do it, others say the Toptani family directly. All that is known is that he was very loyal to Essad Pasha Toptani, and the plan to kill Avni was formulated only a few days before he committed the crime. Jusuf, at 15:55 on the 20th of April 1924, on Durrës Road in

saw Avni Rustemi and shot him twice with his revolver. Avni shot at him back, but all his shots missed. Avni was heavily wounded for two days and died of the wounds inflicted on him by Jusuf Reçi. Jusuf Reçi died in 1947 from execution by the communist party of Albania.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reci, Jusuf 1947 deaths People from Tirana Albanian murderers Executed assassins 20th-century murderers