Mefail Shehu, also known as Mefaili i Madh or Mefail Zajazi (1898 – November 1945), was a
Balli Kombëtar
The Balli Kombëtar (literally ''National Front''), known as Balli, was an Albanian nationalist, collaborationist and anti-communist resistance movement during the Second World War. It was led by Ali Këlcyra and by Midhat Frashëri. The move ...
military commander and leader of the
Kicevo region 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 opposing ...
. He was a close associate of
Xhem Hasa
Xhemail Hasani (1908 – 6 May 1945), known as Xhem Hasa and Xhem Gostivari, was an Albanian nationalist and Axis collaborator, in charge of the Balli Kombëtar's activities in the western regions of Yugoslav Macedonia, a part of Yugoslavia oc ...
.
Biography
Early life
Mefail Shehu was born in
Zajas[ ] in 1898. His ideology of
Albanian nationalism
Albanian nationalism is a general grouping of nationalist ideas and concepts generated by ethnic Albanians that were first formed in the 19th century during the Albanian National Awakening ( sq, Rilindja). Albanian nationalism is also associated w ...
was formed during his adolescence. As a child, Shehu witnessed the terror of the Serbian royalists under
King Alexander where 11 Albanian populated villages in the east of Kicevo were razed.
1939 and onwards
Shehu was against the
Italian occupation and in 1939 formed his own
militia
A militia () is generally an army or some other fighting organization of non-professional soldiers, citizens of a country, or subjects of a state, who may perform military service during a time of need, as opposed to a professional force of r ...
to fight against the
fascists. On 19 April 1941, Kicevo was occupied by
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
forces. On 22 June 1941, Kicevo became a part of the new
Albanian state under Germany.
At this time,
Mit'hat Frashëri published the
Balli Kombëtar
The Balli Kombëtar (literally ''National Front''), known as Balli, was an Albanian nationalist, collaborationist and anti-communist resistance movement during the Second World War. It was led by Ali Këlcyra and by Midhat Frashëri. The move ...
program around the new Albanian state. The Balli Kombëtar ideology greatly appealed to Shehu. Shehu formed the Balli Kombëtar in Kicevo and held many demonstrations to rally support. The people of Kicevo supported the Balli Kombëtar over the
communists
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
.
The Balli Kombëtar committee held a meeting in Zajas in 1942.
Representatives of the
Albanian tribes that attended the meeting elected Shehu as military commander of the region. Shehu transformed the bands of militia into a proper army. Shehu's battalion patrolled villages around Zajas while commander Mefail Mehmeti(Mefail i Vogel) and his battalion patrolled from Greshnica to Kicevo.
Shehu's third elected commander, Begzat Vuli operated from Kicevo to Berikove. At that period, the Ballists successfully repelled 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 ...
.
Shehu not only fought in Zajas but also in
Skopje
Skopje ( , , ; mk, Скопје ; sq, Shkup) is the capital and List of cities in North Macedonia by population, largest city of North Macedonia. It is the country's political, cultural, economic, and academic centre.
The territory of Sk ...
,
Gostivar
Gostivar ( mk, Гостивар , Albanian and Turkish: ''Gostivar''), is a city in North Macedonia, located in the upper Polog valley region. It is one of the largest municipalities in the country with a population of 81,042, and the town also ...
and
Debar
Debar ( mk, Дебaр ; Albanian: ''Dibër''/''Dibra'' or ''Dibra e Madhe;'' ) is a city in the western part of North Macedonia, near the border with Albania, off the road from Struga to Gostivar. It is the seat of Debar Municipality. Debar has ...
. While fighting away from Zajas, Shehu became associated with
Xhem Hasa
Xhemail Hasani (1908 – 6 May 1945), known as Xhem Hasa and Xhem Gostivari, was an Albanian nationalist and Axis collaborator, in charge of the Balli Kombëtar's activities in the western regions of Yugoslav Macedonia, a part of Yugoslavia oc ...
.
In October 1943, a general assembly was called in Zajas. It was decided that the chairman of the committee of the Balli Kombëtar will be Mefail Shehu, along with Mefail Mehmeti as vice chairman, Begzat Vuli as treasurer and Skender Presevo as under prefect.
As the
Albanian partisans and Yugoslav partisans were on the rise and the Germans reducing its aid to the Balli Kombëtar, Shehu was gradually losing his territory to the partisans.
Death
In November 1945, Mefail Shehu was killed in an ambush with his remaining soldiers by the partisans.
He was referred as a ''traitor'' by
Albanian Communists, in
Mehmet Shehu
Mehmet Ismail Shehu (January 10, 1913 – December 18, 1981) was an Albanian communist politician who served as the 23rd Prime Minister of Albania from 1954 to 1981. As an acknowledged military tactician, without whose leadership the communist p ...
's words:''"People of Kicevo should know that their only way for salvation is to immediately join forces with the Macedonian partisans and to cut off and condemn the traitors as Mefail, Xhem, etc..."''.
Quotes
Shehu's view on Communism:
"''The way of communism is wrong. Those who embrace communism are fools."''
[Mefail Sheh](_blank)
In a meeting with Albanian partisans in 1939:
"''You are very young and naive. Your cause doesn't help Albania. Unless you love Albania, it is better to stay home''."
After The Albanian partisans allied with the Yugoslav partisans and broke the
peace agreement
A peace treaty is an agreement between two or more hostile parties, usually countries or governments, which formally ends a state of war between the parties. It is different from an armistice, which is an agreement to stop hostilities; a surrend ...
with the Balli Kombëtar:
"''To make a brotherhood with the
Slavs is to curse the blood that has been spilled, to curse the mothers that do not know where the graves of their loved ones are, to curse the wells that are filled with heads of our family members - for he that has the courage to kill a child has no
besa, this is proven today. Our road is
ethnic Albania and there is no other road''"
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Shehu, Mefail
1898 births
1945 deaths
19th-century Albanian military personnel
20th-century Albanian military personnel
Albanian anti-communists
Albanian Muslims
Albanian collaborators with Nazi Germany
Albanians in North Macedonia
Balli Kombëtar
People from Kičevo Municipality
People from Manastir vilayet