Vermosh (definite form ''Vermoshi'') is the northernmost village 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 ...

, located in the former Kelmend municipality. At the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality

Malësi e Madhe Malësi e Madhe () is a municipality in Shkodër County, in northwestern Albania. The municipality consists of the administrative units of Gruemirë, Kastrat, Kelmend, Qendër, Shkrel with Koplik Koplik (also known as Koplik i Poshtëm) is ...

. The village lies in a valley of the

Albanian Alps The Accursed Mountains ( sq, Bjeshkët e Nemuna; sh-Cyrl-Latn, Проклетије, Prokletije, ; both translated as "Cursed Mountains"), also known as the Albanian Alps ( sq, Alpet Shqiptare), are a mountain group in the western part of the B ...

, along a river with the same name.

Geography

Vermosh is part of the ''Bjeshkët e Namuna'' ("Accursed Mountains") or

, a mountain range in Northern Albania that extends to western

Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a partially recognised state in Southeast Euro ...

and Eastern Montenegro and the highest point of which, ''

Maja Jezercë Jezerca Peak ( sq, Maja Jezercë) is the highest peak in the Dinaric Alps, the fifth highest in Albania and the sixth highest in the Balkans, standing at above sea level. It is the 28th most prominent mountain peak in Europe, and is regarded ...

'', lies 18.8 kilometers (12 miles) south of Vermosh, in the

Theth Theth ( sq, Thethi) is a small village within Shkodër County, Albania. Following the 2015 local government reform it became part of the municipality Shkodër, and has been declared a Protected Historic Center by the Albanian Government. The commu ...

and Valbona National Park. Vermosh comprises the quarters of Pjetroja (also known as Qendra, "the center"), Velan, Bashkim ("junction", incl. the Lepushë valley), Velipojë, and Maliaj. When first explored it was called ''Bjeshkët e Seljanave''. Its mountain pastures are called ''Seferçe'', ''Smutirogë'', ''Lugu i Dolit'', ''Përbicë'', ''Greben'', etc. Vermosh is the place of the

border crossing Border control refers to measures taken by governments to monitor and regulate the movement of people, animals, and goods across land, air, and maritime borders. While border control is typically associated with international borders, it a ...

with

Montenegro ) , image_map = Europe-Montenegro.svg , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Podgorica , coordinates = , largest_city = capital , official_languages = M ...

near Vjeternik on the road from

Shkodër Shkodër ( , ; sq-definite, Shkodra) is the fifth-most-populous city of the Republic of Albania and the seat of Shkodër County and Shkodër Municipality. The city sprawls across the Plain of Mbishkodra between the southern part of Lake Shkod ...

( away) and

Koplik Koplik (also known as Koplik i Poshtëm) is a town and former municipality in the northwestern tip of Albania. At the 2015 local government reform, it became a subdivision, and the seat of the municipality Malësi e Madhe. It was the seat of the ...

Gusinje Gusinje ( cyrl, Гусиње, ; sq, Gucia) is a small town in north-eastern Montenegro. According to the 2011 census, the town has a population of 1,673 and is the administrative center of Gusinje Municipality. Name Two alternative etymologies h ...

and Plav in Montenegro.

The Vermosh river

Vermosh extends around the 100 kilometers (62 miles) of the Vermosh river (''Lumi i Vermoshit'' in Albanian) which belong to Albania. The Vermosh river appears under the Montenegrin name of ''Vrmoša'' below the

Maglič Maglič ( sr-Cyrl, Маглич, ) is a 13th-century castle about south of Kraljevo, Serbia. The castle is located atop a hill around which the Ibar river makes a curve, about above the river. The fortress protected the only road that connecte ...

peak in the Kuči area of eastern Montenegro, just before running into Albania. It re-enters Montenegro at Vjeternik under the name of ''Grnčar''. Receiving the stream ''Vruje'' from the right in

, it continues as the ''Ljuča'' for a few more kilometers where it empties into the Lake Plav, creating a small delta. There it flows out of the lake to the north, next to the mountain ''

Visitor A visitor, in English and Welsh law and history, is an overseer of an autonomous ecclesiastical or eleemosynary institution, often a charitable institution set up for the perpetual distribution of the founder's alms and bounty, who can interve ...

'', under the name '' Lim'' for the remaining 197 kilometers (122 miles) through Montenegro, Serbia and

Bosnia and Herzegovina Bosnia and Herzegovina ( sh, / , ), abbreviated BiH () or B&H, sometimes called Bosnia–Herzegovina and often known informally as Bosnia, is a country at the crossroads of south and southeast Europe, located in the Balkans. Bosnia and H ...

, where it joins the

Drina The Drina ( sr-Cyrl, Дрина, ) is a long Balkans river, which forms a large portion of the border between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Serbia. It is the longest tributary of the Sava River and the longest karst river in the Dinaric Alps whic ...

at the

Višegrad Višegrad ( sr-cyrl, Вишеград, ) is a town and municipality located in eastern Republika Srpska, an entity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. It rests at the confluence of the Drina and the Rzav river. As of 2013, it has a population of 10,668 ...

reservoir A reservoir (; from French ''réservoir'' ) is an enlarged lake behind a dam. Such a dam may be either artificial, built to store fresh water or it may be a natural formation. Reservoirs can be created in a number of ways, including contro ...

History

According to folklore, the three brothers Seli, Vuli and Nili founded Vermosh, and they are eponymous to the villages of Selca, Vukli and Nikci. The border was drawn in 1878 by the

Berlin Congress The Congress of Berlin (13 June – 13 July 1878) was a diplomatic conference to reorganise the states in the Balkan Peninsula after the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78, which had been won by Russia against the Ottoman Empire. Represented at th ...

which gave Plav,

Tuzi Tuzi ( cnr, Tuzi/Тузи, ; sq, Tuz or ''Tuzi'') is a small town in Montenegro and the seat of Tuzi Municipality, Montenegro. It is located along a main road between the city of Podgorica and the Albanian border crossing, just a few kilometers n ...

and

Ulcinj Ulcinj ( cyrl, Улцињ, ; ) is a town on the southern coast of Montenegro and the capital of Ulcinj Municipality. It has an urban population of 10,707 (2011), the majority being Albanians. As one of the oldest settlements in the Adriatic coast ...

to the

Principality of Montenegro The Principality of Montenegro ( sr, Књажевина Црна Горa, Knjaževina Crna Gora) was a principality in Southeastern Europe that existed from 13 March 1852 to 28 August 1910. It was then proclaimed a kingdom by Nikola I, who then ...

at the expense of the

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) ...

. Part of the Malësor highlanders, the local

Kelmendi Kelmendi is a historical Albanian tribe (''fis'') and region in Malësia ( Kelmend municipality) and eastern Montenegro (parts of Gusinje Municipality). It is located in the upper valley of the Cem river and its tributaries in the Accursed Moun ...

mountain tribe Hill people, also referred to as mountain people, is a general term for people who live in the hills and mountains. This includes all rugged land above and all land (including plateaus) above elevation. The climate is generally harsh, with s ...

has been known for its warring tradition, mostly against foreign occupiers. It has been traditionally

Catholic The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with 1.3 billion baptized Catholics worldwide . It is among the world's oldest and largest international institutions, and has played a ...

Monarchist rule

The

Principality of Albania The Principality of Albania ( al, Principata e Shqipërisë or ) refers to the short-lived monarchy in Albania, headed by Wilhelm, Prince of Albania, that lasted from the Treaty of London of 1913 which ended the First Balkan War, through ...

was established in 1914. In 1925, Albania was declared a republic. On September 13, 1914, Montenegrin troops entered Kelmendi and fought for three hours, sacked and burnt Selcë, Vukël, Tamarë, and Nikç, only Vermosh managed to save itself. A total of 90 men were executed, and the Montenegrin troops took with them 10,000 sheep, goats, and cattle. On May 23, 1923, Yugoslavia refused to evacuate Vermosh and the locality of the Monastery of Saint Naum, despite the decision of the Delimitation Commission. The Yugoslav minister renewed the protest regarding the issue. On July 28, 1925, the areas of the Monastery of Saint Naum and Vermosh were ceded to Yugoslavia. Zog I ceded the territories, as a friendly gesture and payment for the Yugoslav assistance to Zog's return to the throne, and in the agreement, Albania received

Peshkopi Peshkopi ( sq-definite, Peshkopia, Latin: ''Penestae'') is a town in Dibër County, northeastern Albania. At the 2015 local government reform it became a subdivision of the municipality Dibër. The population at the 2011 census was 13,251.

and other minor concessions.

Communist rule

After Enver Hoxha died in 1985, many people from Vermosh tried to escape the country. Most were caught by 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 so ...

and brought to Shkodër. A noted event was the murder of 17-year-old Pëllumb Pëllumbaj, who had tried to cross the Yugoslav border through Hani i Hotit, but was caught by the Albanian border police and dragged through Shkodër tied to a truck. The event sparked a riot, in which the local government was forced to contact

Ramiz Alia Ramiz Tafë Alia (; 18 October 1925 – 7 October 2011) was an Albanian politician serving as the second and last leader of the People's Socialist Republic of Albania from 1985 to 1991, serving as First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albani ...

, and Hoxha's wife

Nexhmije Hoxha Nexhmije Hoxha (; ; 8 February 1921 – 26 February 2020) was an Albanian communist politician. For many years she was the wife of Enver Hoxha, the first leader of the Socialist People's Republic of Albania and the First Secretary of the Party o ...

. In the same year, a group of people from Bajzë attempted to cross the border in Vermosh, but were caught by the Albanian border police, which once again dragged their corpses throughout the Kelmend municipality, then to Shkodër.

Tourism

Most tourists come to Vermosh for its mountain views. There are also more than 30 kinds of

medicinal Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...

and

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found elsew ...

plants. Popular activities in Vermosh include hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and the "Miss Bjeshka" ("Miss Mountains") pageant.Albanian National Agency of Tourism (Agjencia Kombëtare e Turizmit Shqiptar)

Demographics

Vermosh started being settled in the mid-19th century, first for the 4–6 months of the Spring and Summer because of the harsh winters (up to 3 feet of snow regularly). Most of the families living there originate from Selca, 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) south of Vermosh. In the 19th century, some Muslim Albanian families had settled from Guci, and

Peja Peja ( Indefinite Albanian form: ''Pejë'' ) or Peć ( sr-Cyrl, Пећ ) is the fourth largest city of Kosovo and seat of Peja Municipality and Peja District. It is situated in the region of Rugova on the eastern section of the Accursed Mount ...

. The regional economy is based mainly on agriculture, immigrant remittances and tourism. Families from Vermosh include: Vushaj, Beqi, Bujaj, Vukaj, Cali, Dukaj, Gjoni (Gjonaj), Hasanaj, Hysaj, Koçaj, Lekutanaj, Lelçaj, Lumaj, Maçaj, Mernaçaj, Mitaj, Nacaj, Pepaj, Peraj, Pllumaj, Preljocaj, Rexhaj, Selmanaj, Smajlaj, Shqutaj, Staka, Tinaj, Volaj, and Vuktilaj

Notable people

* Prek Cali Hasanaj (fl. 1911–1930), Vermosh-born guerilla fighter, that fought in the

Battle of Deçiq The Battle of Deçiq ( sq, Beteja e Deçiqit; Montenegrin: ) was a battle between Albanian tribesmen and Ottoman forces during the Malësori uprising of 1911. It was a turning point for Albania's secession from the Ottoman Empire. Dedë Gjo ...

against the

, and later against the

Kingdom of Serbia The Kingdom of Serbia ( sr-cyr, Краљевина Србија, Kraljevina Srbija) was a country located in the Balkans which was created when the ruler of the Principality of Serbia, Milan I, was proclaimed king in 1882. Since 1817, the Princi ...

and the communist forces under

Enver Hoxha Enver Halil Hoxha ( , ; 16 October 190811 April 1985) was an Albanian communist politician who was the authoritarian ruler of Albania from 1944 until his death in 1985. He was First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania from 1941 unt ...

. Hoxha had him lured and killed him on

Palm Sunday Palm Sunday is a Christian moveable feast that falls on the Sunday before Easter. The feast commemorates Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, an event mentioned in each of the four canonical Gospels. Palm Sunday marks the first day of Holy ...

. * Gjeto Gjek Vushmaçaj, also commonly referred to as Gjeto Gjeku Vushaj was a highlander in

located in Vermosh who fought against the

and has been known for warring tradition against foreign occupiers.← *Llesh Marashi *Fran Llesh Tinaj *Mema Smajlaj *Martin Hasani * Gjon Çuni Hysaj *Luc Mark Gjelosh Hysaj *Zek Çuni Hysaj *Gjelosh Çuni Hysaj *Pjeter Gjek Hysaj *Marash Vata Lumaj, fought the Communist regime *Gjon Prec Rexhaj *Dod Prek Nika Bujaj, fought the Communist regime *Gjergj Ndou *Ded Lulashi *Fran Mali *Nik Marku Rexhaj *Ded Macaj

References

Sources

External links

Kelmend Municipality Official Website
{{Malësi e Madhe div Kelmend (municipality) Populated places in Malësi e Madhe Albania–Montenegro border crossings Villages in Shkodër County