Mefail Shehu
Mefail Shehu | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Other name(s) | Mefail Zajazi |
| Nickname(s) | Mefaili i Madh(Big Mefail) |
| Born | 1898[1] Zajas,Kosovo Vilayet, Ottoman Empire |
| Died | November 1945 (aged 47) Zajas,SR Macedonia, FPR Yugoslavia |
| Allegiance | Albanian Kingdom |
| Branch | Balli Kombëtar |
| Service years | 1939–1945 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Commands | KičevoRegion Command |
| Battles/wars | World War II in Yugoslav Macedonia |
Mefail Shehu,also known asMefaili i MadhorMefail Zajazi(1898 – November 1945), was aBalli Kombëtarmilitary commander and leader of theKicevoregion duringWorld War II.He was a close associate ofXhem Hasa.[2]
Biography
[edit]Early life
[edit]Mefail Shehu was born inZajas[3]in 1898. His ideology ofAlbanian nationalismwas formed during his adolescence. As a child, Shehu witnessed the terror of the Serbian royalists underKing Alexanderwhere 11 Albanian populated villages in the east of Kicevo were razed.[3][dead link]
1939 and onwards
[edit]Shehu was against theItalian occupationand in 1939 formed his ownmilitiato fight against thefascists.On 19 April 1941, Kicevo was occupied byGermanforces. On 22 June 1941, Kicevo became a part of the newAlbanian state under Germany.[3]At this time,Mit'hat Frashëripublished theBalli Kombëtarprogram 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 thecommunists.[3][dead link]
The Balli Kombëtar committee held a meeting in Zajas in 1942.[3]Representatives of theAlbaniantribes 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.[3]Shehu's third elected commander, Begzat Vuli operated from Kicevo to Berikove. At that period, the Ballists successfully repelled theYugoslav partisans.[3]Shehu not only fought in Zajas but also inSkopje,GostivarandDebar.While fighting away from Zajas, Shehu became associated withXhem Hasa.[2]
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.[3]
As theAlbanian partisansand 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
[edit]In November 1945, Mefail Shehu was killed in an ambush with his remaining soldiers by the partisans.
He was referred as atraitorbyAlbanian Communists,inMehmet Shehu'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...".[4]
References
[edit]- ^Zija Xholi, Ylli Vejsiu (2009),Fjalor enciklopedik shqiptar,Akademia e Shkencave e Shqipërisë, p. 2971,ISBN9789995610326
- ^abProf. Dr. Vebi Xhemaili."Xhemë Hasë Gostivari Ikona e Trimërisë Shqiptare".Archived fromthe originalon July 1, 2011.Retrieved7 January2011.
- ^abcdefghformer ballist Safet Hyseni."Safet Hyseni: Mefail Shehu (Zajazi) alias Mefaili i Madh, një strateg ushtarak".Archived fromthe originalon 5 October 2011.Retrieved7 January2011.
- ^Xhelal Gjeçovi (1998),Shteti Shqiptar dhe çështja e Kosovës[The Albanian state and Kosovo issue] (in Albanian), Botimpex, p. 221,ISBN9789992762806,OCLC42690331