Lesh Marashi ( alb. Llesh Marashi ; 1891, Zagora - 1946, Shkoder ) is an Albanian military and nationalist activist. The officer of the Albanian army under the rule of Ahmet Zogu . During the Second World War was an active opponent of the Italian occupation . In January 1945 - the leader of the anti-Communist Rebellion Koplik . After the suppression of the uprising captured by the state security , sentenced to death and hanged. In modern Albania it is considered as a fighter for independence, an anti-fascist and anti-communist.
| Lesh Marashi | |
|---|---|
| alb. Llesh marashi | |
| Date of Birth | 1891 |
| Place of Birth | Zagora (Albania) |
| Date of death | 1946 |
| Place of death | Shkoder |
| Affiliation |  Albania |
| Type of army | ground troops |
| Rank | major |
| Battles / Wars | Rise of Koplik |
Content
Officer
Born into a noble family of Albanian Catholics from a mountain village located in the district of Malesia-e-Madi, Shkodra region . (According to some information, at birth he received the name Alexander, abbreviated in Lesh [1] ). The Marash Vata family belonged to the clan elite of the mountainous north of Albania. Father and grandfather Lesha Marashi were traditional clan authorities and militia commanders who fought against the Montenegrin princes [2] .
Since childhood, Lesh Marashi was intended for a military career. He was educated in the spirit of Albanian national patriotism and mountain traditions. After graduating from military school in Tirana , he, along with his brothers Kanto and Hecke, was sent to study at the Austrian Military Academy (Brother Patrick was a Catholic priest, Geloshi brothers managed family land tenure, Brother Peter served in the gendarmerie).
Returning to Albania, Lesh Marashi enlisted in the army. He was a supporter of Ahmet Zog , who was considered the guarantor of national independence. In 1935, Marashi participated in the suppression of the anti-government uprising in Fier , which was considered inspired by Yugoslavia and Greece (one of the activists of the uprising was Dali Ndreu ). By 1939 he had the rank of major, commanded the garrison Kukes [3] .
Anti-Fascist
Lesh Marashi was a consistent supporter of Albanian independence. He negatively reacted to the Italian invasion of 1939 , rejected the proposal to enter the collaborationist service, refused to join the Albanian fascist party . Subsequently, during the German occupation , Marashi adopted a declaration on “restoring Albanian sovereignty” and held posts in the Shkodra administration [4] (this was promoted by his long-time pro-German sympathies, since his studies in Austria).
Together with a group of nationalists, led by activist Bally Kombetar Jupe Kazazi , Lesh Marashi created the Albanian Salvation Committee . Collaborated with Prek Tsali and representatives of the clan Markagjoni . Commanded an armed detachment, positioned as an anti-fascist . Participated in political contacts with Republicans and Communists as a representative of the royalist movement of Legality [5] . The occupation authorities suspected him of plotting acts of terrorism against their representatives [3] .
Anti-Communist
At the same time Lesh Marashi considered the Communist Party of Albania (CPA) to be the main opponent. This was due not only to his anti-communist views. Albanian nationalists of the mid-1940s, including Marashi, considered KPA to be the agent of the Yugoslav communists . Meanwhile, it was the Serbian-Montenegrin expansion that was perceived as the primary threat to the independence of Albania.
Since the spring of 1943, the traditional authorities of the mountain clans, the nationalist activists and the Catholic priests of Shkodra held several meetings at which a plan was drawn up to “prevent the communists from going north” [6] . An important role in this was assigned to the formation of Marashi in Malesia-e-Madi.
After the CPA came to power in November 1944, the nationalists of northern Albania organized armed resistance to the new regime. Anti-communist rebel centers sprang up in Postrib (ballista Osman Hadzhii and Jupe Kazazi), Mirrit (clan Markagjoni), Proklet (militia Preka Tsali). In Malesii-e-Madi, armed anti-Communists commanded Lesh Marashi.
Rebel
Active hostilities Marashi rebels began in January 1945. On January 10, 1945, they occupied the large village of Kastrati, where they met with the support of the inhabitants. Twenty Communist prisoners on the wave of enthusiasm were released. On January 14, an operational-political meeting was held in the village of Beltoya. The commanders of the anti-communist groups, political authorities, representatives of the Catholic Church decided to attack the town of Koplik , the administrative center of Malesia-e-Madi. In the future, it was supposed to attack the port of Shengyini and through it to establish communication with Western Europe [7] .
On January 23, 1945, a detachment of Lesha Marashi attacked the barracks of the Communist National Liberation Army (NOAA) in Koplik. Initially, the surprise factor worked. However, the rebels were significantly inferior to government troops in numbers and armaments.
From Shkodra in Kopliku advanced large forces of NOAA and state security by the command of Major Zoya Temeli . The battle lasted about a day. Government forces were supported by the Yugoslavs. The rebels lost 45 people killed and 25 wounded, after which they were forced to retreat (the loss of the government side was 40 killed and 50 wounded) [8] .
In the following weeks, the state security agencies under the leadership of Mehmet Shekha conducted an intensive sweep of Malesia-e-Madi, shot suspects in the insurrection, and seized the property of the peasants. The search for Lesha Marashi, declared to be a dangerous criminal and one of the main enemies, continued continuously [9] .
Penalty
Lesh Marashi with his cousin Peter Bayrakthari and his nephew Rok Canti hid in the mountains for about a year and a half [10] . In the summer of 1946, it was discovered by the state security in a cave shelter. After a short firefight, Marashi surrendered so as not to risk the death of Roca Kanti who was with him [11] .
A demonstration process was carried out over Marashi in Shkodra. Lesh Marashi was sentenced to death and was hanged publicly on July 17, 1946 [10] along with insurgents Kohl Ashik, Nikol Preng Dedi and Catholic priest Alfons Trazki [12] .
Memory
Lesh Marashi was married, three children. The NRA communist authorities severely persecuted members of the Marashi family. Five people were executed, ten were sentenced to long prison terms, many were interned [2] . However, the sons and daughter Lesha Marashi managed to escape from Albania to the United States.
In modern Albania, the image of Lesha Marashi is surrounded by honor and respect. He is regarded as an outstanding Albanian patriot, anti-fascist and anti-communist. He was posthumously awarded the title of Shkoder Honorary Citizen [13] . On September 8, 2018, the Shkoder Regional Council held a conference in memory of Lesch Marashi [14] with the participation of his daughter Albina Marashi Pervisi, who arrived from the United States. The chairman of the council, Greta Bardeli (representative of the Democratic Party ) of the district, Albina’s daughter, praised the contribution of Lesha Marashi to the defense of national independence and the struggle for Albanian democracy [15] .
See also
- Gheorghe Arsenescu
Notes
- ↑ Llesh Marashi (my great grandfather)
- ↑ 1 2 Si u masakrua familja e Marash Vatës
- ↑ 1 2 LLESH MARASHI, NACIONALIST I SHËNDRITSHËM, ANTIFASHIST E ANTIKOMUNIST TRIM EI VENDOSUR
- ↑ Hubert Neuwirth. Widerstand und Collaboration in Albanien 1939-1944 / Harrassowitz, 2008.
- ↑ Lëvizja e janarit 1944: 60 mijë franga për të ndaluar pushtetin e komunistëve
- ↑ Kryengritja e parë antikomuniste në Shqiperi
- ↑ Kryengritja antikomuniste e vitit 1945, kushtrimi që u ngrit në qiell, por që nuk u ndigjua në tokë ...
- ↑ DOSSIER / Fotot e Sigurimit të Shtetit: Vitet e terrorit 1945-1949
- ↑ Komunistët në Koplik: Pushkatuam një partizan se dekonspiroi parrullën
- ↑ 1 2 Llesh Marashi. Informacione personale
- ↑ Llesh Marashi, majori që udhëhoqi kryengritjen antikomuniste të Koplikut
- ↑ MISIONARI TRACKI DHE SHQIPNIA - Nga Fritz RADOVANI
- ↑ Major Llesh Marashi nderohet me titullit "Nderi i Qarkut Shkodër" (pas vdekjes)
- ↑ Llesh Marashi shpallet "Nderi i Qarkut te Shkodres"
- ↑ LLESH MARASHI, "NDERI I QARKUT SHKODËR"