The Expulsion of the Albanians
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Expulsion of the Albanians[a] (Serbian: Исељавање Арнаута/Iseljavanje Arnauta), also known as The Resettlement of Albanians, was a lecture presented by the Yugoslav historian Vaso Čubrilović (1897–1990) on 7 March 1937.[2] The text elaborates on the ethnic composition dynamics of Kosovo and other Albanian-populated areas within Yugoslavia from medieval times to the present. While explaining why previous methods put in place by the Yugoslav authorities to overturn the ethnic majority of Albanians in those areas had failed so far, such as slow colonization or agrarian reforms, it suggested in detail a radical solution – the mass expulsion of Albanians. The expulsion was seen by Čubrilović as a geopolitical measure to prevent potential Albanian irredentism.
Native name | Исељавање Арнаута Iseljavanje Arnauta |
---|---|
Date | March 7, 1937 (1937-03-07) |
Venue | Serbian Cultural Club |
Location | Belgrade, Serbia |
Type | Conference/ Presentation |
Theme | Ethnic Cleansing of Albanians |
Motive | Serbian Nationalism |
Perpetrator | Vaso Čubrilović |
Organized by | |
Participants |
|
At a time when Germany can expel tens of thousands of Jews and Russia can shift millions of people from one part of the continent to another, the expulsion of a few hundred thousand Albanians will not lead to the outbreak of a world war. However, those who decide should know what they want and persist in achieving this, regardless of the possible international obstacles.
— Čubrilović [1], The Expulsion of the Albanians
Čubrilović proposed that the Albanians be forced to emigrate free willingly through harassment and settling of Serbs, calling the state for help to make the "Arnaut suffer as much as he can".[3] This would be done through fines, arrests, ruthless application of all police regulations, punishment, smuggling, deforestation and violence. A ruthless collection of taxes would be used and all public schools be closed. Albanian homes and villages could be burnt down, referring to the 1877–78 expulsions of Albanians in Niš and Kuršumlija.[3] Čubrilović noted that the Chetniks and paramilitaries could be of good use where they would pressure the Albanians to leave, making it "the most effective means".[3] Their land was to be confiscated and given to Montenegrin and Serb settlers and thus change the ethnic structure.[4] These methods would result in ethnic cleansing.[5]