Mustafa Merlika-Kruja (March 15, 1887,
Akçahisar,
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
(modern-day Krujë,
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
) – December 27, 1958,
Niagara Falls, New York) was one of the signatories of the
Albanian Declaration of Independence
The Albanian Declaration of Independence ( Albanian: ''Deklarata e Pavarësisë'') was the declaration of independence of Albania from the Ottoman Empire. Independent Albania was proclaimed in Vlorë on 28 November 1912. Six days later the Ass ...
. He served as
Prime Minister of Albania
The Prime Minister of Albania ( sq, Kryeministri i Shqipërisë), officially styled Prime Minister of the Republic of Albania ( sq, Kryeministri i Republikës së Shqipërisë), is the head of government of the Republic of Albania and the mo ...
during the
Italian occupation from December 4, 1941 to January 19, 1943.
Early life
He was born Mustafa Asim Merlika, son of Mehmed. His family was
Bektashi
The Bektashi Order; sq, Tarikati Bektashi; tr, Bektaşi or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi mystic movement originating in the 13th-century. It is named after the Anatolian saint Haji Bektash Wali (d. 1271). The community is currently led by ...
. His father was a local administrator of the lands of
Essad Pasha, who from his side sponsored the education of Mustafa. According to Albanian sources he studied at the local ''Rüştiye'', then in
Yannina
Ioannina ( el, Ιωάννινα ' ), often called Yannena ( ' ) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, an administrative region in north-western Greece. According to the 2011 census, the ci ...
, before going to the today's
Faculty of Political Science, Ankara University
The Faculty of Political Science of the University of Ankara ( tr, Ankara Üniversitesi Siyasal Bilgiler Fakültesi, more simply known as "''SBF''") is the oldest faculty of social science in Turkey, being the successor of the "Mekteb-i Mülkiye" ( ...
("Mekteb-i Mülkiye") which he finished in 1910. According to Turkish author Çankaya, he studied at the local school in Elbasan, then in ''Mercan idadisi'' in Istanbul before entering the ''Mülkiye''. There he learned Turkish and French.
Ottoman and Albanian politics (1910–1924)
As a student in the Ottoman capital he joined the Revolutionary League ("Cemiyet-i İnkılabiye") against the autocracy of Sultan
Abdul Hamid II. After the
Young Turk Revolution
The Young Turk Revolution (July 1908) was a constitutionalist revolution in the Ottoman Empire. The Committee of Union and Progress (CUP), an organization of the Young Turks movement, forced Sultan Abdul Hamid II to restore the Ottoman Consti ...
he worked for supporting the Albanian language at the ''Mülkiye'', and posted articles in the liberal press against the
Committee of Union and Progress
The Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) ( ota, اتحاد و ترقى جمعيتی, translit=İttihad ve Terakki Cemiyeti, script=Arab), later the Union and Progress Party ( ota, اتحاد و ترقى فرقهسی, translit=İttihad ve Tera ...
using the signature "Asim Cenan". Contrary to what Essad Pasha had in mind for him, instead of becoming
Kaymakam
Kaymakam, also known by many other romanizations, was a title used by various officials of the Ottoman Empire, including acting grand viziers, governors of provincial sanjaks, and administrators of district kazas. The title has been retained a ...
he preferred a career in education. In 1910 he was appointed secretary of the administration, in the Ministry of Public Education in
Istanbul
)
, postal_code_type = Postal code
, postal_code = 34000 to 34990
, area_code = +90 212 (European side) +90 216 (Asian side)
, registration_plate = 34
, blank_name_sec2 = GeoTLD
, blank_i ...
. A year later he was appointed director of the Public Education for the
Sanjak of Elbasan
The Sanjak of Elbasan ( tr, İlbasan Sancağı) was one of the sanjaks of the Ottoman Empire. Its county town was Elbasan in Albania.
Administration
Although Halil Inalcik explains that the Sanjak of Elbasan was established as soon as the fort ...
,
Manastir Vilayet.
After participating as a volunteer in Ottoman army during the
Italo-Turkish War
The Italo-Turkish or Turco-Italian War ( tr, Trablusgarp Savaşı, "Tripolitanian War", it, Guerra di Libia, "War of Libya") was fought between the Kingdom of Italy and the Ottoman Empire from 29 September 1911, to 18 October 1912. As a result o ...
in 1912, he joined the Albanian Independence movement. Merlika-Kruja participated in the
Assembly of Vlorë
The Assembly of Vlorë ( sq, Kuvendi i Vlorës) was an Albanian assembly constituted during the All-Albanian Congress in Vlorë, on November 28, 1912.
Background
The All-Albanian Congress or ''Albanian National Congress'' or ''Albanian Ind ...
of 28 November 1912, and his name appears in the list of signatories of the Independence Act. In 1913 he joined the Ministry of Education and in 1914 became an adviser of the Ministry of Public Education.
In 1918 he participated in the
Congress of Durrës, favored an Italian protectorate over Albania, and was elected Minister of Posts and Telegraphs. According to
Sejfi Vllamasi's (1883–1975) memories, there Kruja would be the main opponent of the
Congress of Lushnjë
The Congress of Lushnjë (), historically documented by the name ''Mbledhja Kombiare Lushnje'', was a conference of Albanian political leaders held from January 28 to January 31, 1920 in Lushnjë, Albania.
Its objective was to deal with the issue ...
event together with
Fejzi Alizoti
Fejzi Alizoti (22 September 1874, Gjirokastër – 14 April 1945, Tirana), also referred to as Feyzi Bey Alizoti, was an Ottoman and later Albanian politician who served as the Chairman of the Central Administration of Albania from January 1916 to ...
,
Myfit Libohova, and
Sami Vrioni
Sami Bey Vrioni (1876–1947) was an Albanian politician, diplomat, and a delegate at the Assembly of Vlora which declared the Albanian Declaration of Independence. He was a respected and powerful landowner in the Fier region of Albania.
Biograp ...
.
These include the assassination of the Prefect of Durrës (and delegate to Lushnjë) Abdyl Ypi (1876-1920) by Sul Mërlika, himself cousin of Kruja, the prohibition of
Krujë delegates to join the congress, the attempts to stop the delegates of
Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo
The Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo ( sq, Komiteti "Mbrojtja Kombëtare e Kosovës" abbrev. KMKK) was an Albanian organization founded in Shkodër on 1 May 1918. It was mainly consisted of the political exiles from Kosovo and was le ...
, as well as failed attempts of
Fejzi Alizoti
Fejzi Alizoti (22 September 1874, Gjirokastër – 14 April 1945, Tirana), also referred to as Feyzi Bey Alizoti, was an Ottoman and later Albanian politician who served as the Chairman of the Central Administration of Albania from January 1916 to ...
and
Myfid Libohova to stop other delegates from north and south of the country even involving Italian militia.
In 1921 he was elected to the Albanian parliament where he belonged to a progressive trend, openly opposing
Ahmet Zogu's clan, and close with connections to the
Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo
The Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo ( sq, Komiteti "Mbrojtja Kombëtare e Kosovës" abbrev. KMKK) was an Albanian organization founded in Shkodër on 1 May 1918. It was mainly consisted of the political exiles from Kosovo and was le ...
which would be officially banned by Zogu later. In 1922, he was involved in a
coup d'état
A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
attempt against the government of
Xhafer Ypi together with the north-east
Dibra Dibra is an Albanian surname. Notable people with the surname include:
* Abdurrahman Dibra (1885–1961), Albanian politician
* Arenc Dibra (born 1990), Albanian footballer
* Dino Dibra (1975–2000), Australian suspected murderer
* Fuad Dibra (18 ...
clan of
Cen Elezi and
Elez Isufi, and had to temporarily flee from Albania to
Yugoslavia
Yugoslavia (; sh-Latn-Cyrl, separator=" / ", Jugoslavija, Југославија ; sl, Jugoslavija ; mk, Југославија ;; rup, Iugoslavia; hu, Jugoszlávia; rue, label=Pannonian Rusyn, Югославия, translit=Juhoslavija ...
. He was placed in an internment camp there. Kruja asked permission to visit Vienna for personal reasons and was granted temporary pass-out. He did not return to Yugoslavia, breaking his agreement and placing himself in the "
black list" of the Yugoslav authorities. In 1924 he was appointed prefect by
Noli's government.
Exile
As an active participant of the
June Revolution
The history of Albania forms a part of the history of Europe. During classical antiquity, Albania was home to several Illyrian tribes such as the Ardiaei, Albanoi, Amantini, Enchele, Taulantii and many others, but also Thracian and Greek tribe ...
in 1924, he had to flee the country and moved to
Zadar
Zadar ( , ; historically known as Zara (from Venetian and Italian: ); see also other names), is the oldest continuously inhabited Croatian city. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea, at the northwestern part of Ravni Kotari region. Zadar ser ...
, Vienna, and later settled in Switzerland. There he joined the
KONARE Konare may refer to:
People
* Alpha Oumar Konaré
Alpha Oumar Konaré (born 2 February 1946) is a Malian politician, who served as President of Mali for two five-year terms from 1992 to 2002 and was Chairperson of the African Union Commission ...
("Revolutionary National Committee") established by Noli.
During these exile years, Kruja would be pro-Italian and prominent Zog opponent, keeping also ties with the "Bashkimi Kombëtar" ("National Union") organization and other exile personalities as
Hasan Prishtina
Hasan bey Prishtina ( tr, Priştineli Hasan Bey, Hasan Bey Priştine and ''Vulçitrnli Hasan Bey''), originally known as Hasan Berisha (27 September 1873 – 13 August 1933), was an Ottoman, later Albanian politician, who served as the 8th Prim ...
,
Sejfi Vllamasi,
Ali Klissura,
Qazim Mulleti
Qazim Mulleti (1893–1956) was an Albanian politician, nationalist and mayor of Tirana from 1939 through 1940 and its prefect from 1942 to 1944.
Life
Early life
Qazim Mulleti was born in " Sulejman Pasha" (Mulleti) neighborhood, in Tirana, Alba ...
,
Aziz Çami,
Rexhep Mitrovica
Rexhep Mitrovica (15 January 1888 – 21 May 1967) was a Prime Minister of Albania's government under Nazi Germany. A staunch nationalist, he was elected head of the Second League of Prizren.
Biography Early life
Rexhep was born to a wealthy ...
, etc.
World War II
On August 4, 1939, after the
personal union
A personal union is the combination of two or more states that have the same monarch while their boundaries, laws, and interests remain distinct. A real union, by contrast, would involve the constituent states being to some extent interlink ...
of
Albania
Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...
to the
crown
A crown is a traditional form of head adornment, or hat, worn by monarchs as a symbol of their power and dignity. A crown is often, by extension, a symbol of the monarch's government or items endorsed by it. The word itself is used, partic ...
of
Italy
Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical ...
, Merlika-Kruja was appointed as a
Senator within the Italian Kingdom until August 25, 1944, when he resigned. During his tenure he was a member of the Foreign Affairs, Trade and Customs legislature. He is remembered for the public speech held on December 24, 1942, in response of the
Anthony Eden's statement in accordance with the
communique of the
Greek government in London (in exile) which stated that Britain and US would not recognize any border changes established by the Fascists, and that neighboring countries would have the right to claim parts of Albania at the end of the war.
Following the
Axis occupation of Yugoslavia
World War II in the Kingdom of Yugoslavia began on 6 April 1941, when the country was swiftly conquered by Axis forces and partitioned between Germany, Italy, Hungary, Bulgaria and their client regimes. Shortly after Germany attacked the U ...
(in which Kosovo was occupied by Albania), the Albanian authorities under Mustafa Kruja forcibly expelled 70–100,000 Serb ethnics.
Fascist Italy colonized Kosovo and Macedonia with 70,000 Albanians, who carried out religious persecution in the form of damaging and confascating churches and monasteries, and exilement and murder of Orthodox priests.
In June 1942, he held a public speech in which he said that Serbs would be sent to concentration camps or killed.
In the spring of 1944 he escaped by boat from Albania to Italy and from there to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Medit ...
. There he met an old rival of his, the
Albanian King Ahmed Zogu. After World War II he lived in
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...
. During the last exile period he would join the political organization in exile created by Dr. Ismail Verlaci
Kapidan Gjon Markagjonian
Ndue Gjon Markuof which Albanian publicist and writer
Ernest Koliqi
Ernest Koliqi (20 May 190315 January 1975) was an Albanian journalist, politician, translator, teacher and writer.
Biography
Born in Shkodra, where he also attended his first lessons at the local Jesuit College. In 1918 his father send him ...
(1903–1975) was a member.
This organization was named
Independent National Bloc and was formed on 6 November 1946, in Rome. The last years of his life were spent in the United States where he died in a hospital in
Niagara Falls, New York.
Work
During his life, Kruja would write articles to many Albanian journal within and outside Albania, including ''Il Corriere delle Puglie'' (1914), Albanian newspaper of Rome ''Kuvendi'' ("The Assembly") (1918), and ''Mbrojtja Kombëtare'' ("The national defense") published in
Vlora between 1920 and 1923. Since after World War I he worked on a voluminous dictionary of Albanian language. He continued with intellectual studies till the end of life, some of them published in periodicals and books, and some of them being published lately by his descendant after the
fall of communism in Albania.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Merlika-Kruja, Mustafa
1887 births
1958 deaths
People from Krujë
People from Scutari vilayet
Mekteb-i Mülkiye alumni
Albanian collaborators with Fascist Italy
Albanian Sufis
Albanian Fascist Party politicians
Government ministers of Albania
Prime Ministers of Albania
Members of the Senate of the Kingdom of Italy
Signatories of the Albanian Declaration of Independence
Albanian anti-communists
Albanian expatriates in Yugoslavia
Albanian fascists
Bektashi Order
All-Albanian Congress delegates
Government of Durrës
Congress of Durrës delegates