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Debar

Coordinates:41°31′N20°32′E/ 41.517°N 20.533°E/41.517; 20.533
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the place in North Macedonia. For the legal penalty, seeDebarment.For the sociological concept, seeSocial rejection.
Not to be confused withDbar (disambiguation)orThe Bar (disambiguation).
Debar
Дебaр(Macedonian)
Dibër/Dibra(Albanian)
Town
From the top, View over Debar, Skanderbeg Monument, Hünkar Mosque
View of Debar
Flag of Dibër Municipality[1]
Flag
Official seal of Debar
Seal
Debar is located in North Macedonia
Debar
Debar
Location within North Macedonia
Coordinates:41°31′N20°32′E/ 41.517°N 20.533°E/41.517; 20.533
CountryNorth Macedonia
RegionSouthwestern
MunicipalityDebar
Government
• MayorHekuran Duka(DUI)
Population
(2002)
• Total14,561
Time zoneUTC+1(CET)
• Summer (DST)UTC+2(CEST)
Postal code
1250
ClimateCfb
WebsiteOfficial Website

Debar(Macedonian:Дебaр[ˈdɛbar]ⓘ;Albanian:Dibër,Albaniandefinite form:Dibra or Dibra e Madheis a city in the western part ofNorth Macedonia,near the border withAlbania,off the road fromStrugatoGostivar.It is the seat ofDebar Municipality.Debar has an ethnicAlbanianmajority of 74% and is North Macedonia's only city whereethnic Macedoniansdo not rank first or second demographically. The official languages areMacedonianandAlbanian.

Name

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The name of the city inMacedonianisDebar(Дебар). InAlbanian;Dibër/DibraorDibra e Madhe(meaning "Great Dibra", in contrast to the otherDibër in Albania). InSerbianDebar(Дебар), inBulgarianDebǎr(Дебър), inTurkishDebreorDebre-i Bala,inGreek,Dívrē(Δίβρη) orDívra(Δίβρα), inAncient GreekDēvoros,Δήβορος and inRomantimes asDeborus.[2]

Geography

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Lake Debar

Debar is surrounded by theDešat,Stogovo,JablanicaandBistramountains.

It is located 625 meters above sea level, next toLake Debar,theBlack DrinRiver and its smaller break-off river,Radika.

History

[edit]
Saint Jovan Bigorski Monasterynear Debar.
The mosque of Debar.

TheByzantineemperorBasil IIknew of its existence, historianAnna Komnenarecorded the name asDevréin the Alexiad, andFeliks Petančićreferred to it asDibriin 1502.[3]

During the period from the 12th, to early 14th century, Debar was ruled by theAlbanian nobleGropa family.In the latter half of the 14th century until the first half of the 15th century it was ruled by thePrincipality of Kastrioti,anAlbanian medieval principalityruled by theKastriotinoble family and later from 1443 by the Albanian state,League of Lezhë.Debar fell under the rule of the Ottoman Empire when local rulerGjon Kastriotidied shortly after his four children were taken hostage.[3]

It was conquered by theOttomansin 1395 and subsequently became the seat of theSanjak of Dibra.

In 1440Skanderbegwas appointed as itssanjakbey.[4][5]

During theOttoman-Albanian wars between 1443-1479the Dibër region was the borderline between the Ottomans and theLeague of Lezhëled bySkanderbegand became an area of continuous conflict. There were two major battles near Debar, on 29 June 1444 TheBattle of Torviolland on 27 September 1446The Battle of Otonetëboth ending with the defeat of the Ottoman armies and Albanian victories.

An Ottoman army division was also stationed within the town.[6]

It was first a sanjak centre inScutari Vilayetbefore 1877, and afterwards inManastir Vilayetbetween 1877-1912 asDebreorDebre-i Bala( "Upper Debre" in Ottoman Turkish, as contrasted with Debre-i Zir, which wasPeshkopi's Turkish name).

Debar was significantly involved in the national Albanian movement and on 1 November 1878 the Albanian leaders of the city participated in founding theLeague of Prizren.

In 1907 theCongress of Dibrawas held in the town, which madeAlbanianan official language within the Ottoman Empire. The congress allowed that Albanian be taught in schools legally for the first time within the Empire.[7]

Balli Kombëtarforces in Debar

Following the capture of the town of Debar bySerbia,many of its Albanian inhabitants fled toTurkey,the rest went toTirana.[8]Of those that ended up inIstanbul,some of their number migrated to Albania, mainly to Tirana where the Dibran community formed an important segment of the capital city's population from 1920 onward and for some years thereafter.[8]

It was occupied byKingdom of Bulgariabetween 1915 and 1918.

From 1929 to 1941, Debar was part of theVardar Banovinaof theKingdom of Yugoslavia.

Debar wasannexed,along with most of Western North Macedonia, into theItalian-controlledKingdom of Albaniaon 17 April 1941, following theAxis invasion of Yugoslaviaduring theSecond World War.Albaniawas officially a protectorate of Italy and therefore public administration duties were passed to Albanian authorities.Albanian languageschools, radio stations and newspapers were established in Debar. WhenItaly capitulatedin September 1943, Debar passed intoGermanhands. In 1944, after a two-month struggle for the city between the communistAlbanian National Liberation Frontand German forces holding the city, including theSS Skanderbeg division,the communists led byHaxhi Lleshifinally secured Debar on 30 August 1944.[9]

After the cessation of hostilities with the end of WW2 and the establishment ofcommunismin bothAlbaniaandYugoslavia,Debar passed back into Yugoslav hands.

Population

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In the late Ottoman period, Debre (Debar) was a town with 20,000 inhabitants, 420 shops, 9 mosques, 10 madrasas, 5 tekkes, 11 government run primary schools, 1 secondary school, 3 Christian primary schools and 1 church.In the early 19th century, when Debar rebelled against the Turkish Sultan, the French traveller, publicist, and scientistAmi Boueobserved that Debar had 64 shops and 4,200 residents.[6]

According to the statistics of theBulgarianethnographerVasil Kanchovin 1900 the population of Debar was 15,500 consisting of 10,500Albanians,4,500Bulgarians,and 500Romani.[10]

According to the last census data from 2002, the city of Debar has a population of 14,561, made up of

City of Debar population according to ethnic group 1948-2021[12]
Ethnic
group 		census 1948 census 1953 census 1961 census 1971 census 1981 census 1994 census 2002 census 2021
Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number % Number %
Albanians .. .. 4,122 74.7 4,507 71.3 6,681 75.7 8,625 70.7 9,400 70.5 10,768 74.0 8,194 69.8
Turks .. .. 53 1.0 195 3.1 367 4.2 573 4.7 1,175 8.8 1,415 9.7 911 7.8
Roma .. .. 83 1.5 0 0.0 0 0.0 1,030 8.5 1,103 8.3 1,079 7.4 1,140 9.7
Macedonians .. .. 1,110 20.1 1,009 16.0 1,276 14.5 1,106 9.1 1,431 10.7 1,054 7.3 419 3.6
Vlachs .. .. 2 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 1 0.0 2 0.0 2 0.0
Serbs .. .. 87 1.6 57 0.9 105 1.2 37 0.3 34 0.3 22 0.2 4 0.0
Bosniaks .. .. 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 0 0.0 2 0.0 5 0.0
Others .. .. 63 1.2 555 8.8 394 4.5 830 6.8 196 1.5 219 1.5 146 1.2
Persons for whom data are taken from administrative sources 914 7.8
Total 4,698 5,520 6,323 8,823 12,201 13,340 14,561 11,735

Culture

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Statue ofSkanderbegin Debar

Some of the best craftsman,woodcarvingmasters and builders came from the Debar region and were recognized for their skills in creating detailed and impressive woodcarvings, painting beautiful icons and building unique architecture. In fact, Debar was one of the then famous three woodcarving schools in the region, the other two beingSamokovandBansko.Their work can be seen in many churches and cultural buildings throughout theBalkan Peninsula.TheMijak School of woodcarvingbecame noted for its artistic excellence, and an amazing example that can be seen today by tourists is theiconostasisin the nearby Monastery ofSaint Jovan Bigorski,near the town of Debar.[13]The monastery was rebuilt in the 19th century and is situated on the slopes ofMount Bistra,above the banks of the RiverRadika.The monastery was built on the remains of an older church dating from 1021.

Another important religious monument is the monastery of Saint Gjorgi in the village ofRajcicain the immediate vicinity of Debar. The monastery was recently built.

Grigor Parlichevwas given the titleSecond Homerin 1860 in Athens for his poemThe Serdar.Based on a folk poem, it deals with the exploits and heroic death ofKuzman Kapidan,a famous hero and protector of Christian people in the Debar region in their struggle with bandits.

Some of the oldest and richest Albanian epics still exist in the Debar regions and are part of the Albanian mythological heritage.

Debar is also known for its pizza consumption. As of 2018, Debar had one pizzeria for every 3,000 residents, and emigrants from the town had opened approximately 50 pizza restaurants in theUnited States.[14]

Sports

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Local football clubKorabiplays in theMacedonian Second League(West Division).

International relations

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Partner towns

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Partner towns of Debar:

Notable people

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References

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  1. ^"Debar (Municipality, North Macedonia)".crwflags.
  2. ^Stephano, Carolo (1633).Dictionarium historicum, geographicum, poeticum.p. 783.
  3. ^abEvans, Thammy (2014).Macedonia.Bradt Travel Guides Ltd, IDC House, The Vale, Chalfront St Peter, Bucks SL9 9RZ, England: The Globe Pequot Press Inc. p. 260.ISBN978-1-84162-395-5.Retrieved31 December2015.{{cite book}}:CS1 maint: location (link)
  4. ^Zhelyazkova, Antonina."Albanian identities".Archived fromthe originalon 15 May 2011.Retrieved3 April2011.In 1440, he was promoted to sancakbey of Debar
  5. ^Hösch, Peter (1972).The Balkans: a short history from Greek times to the present day, Volume 1972, Part 2.Crane, Russak. p. 96.ISBN978-0-8448-0072-1.Retrieved4 April2011.
  6. ^abGawrych, George (2006).The Crescent and the Eagle: Ottoman rule, Islam and the Albanians, 1874–1913.London: IB Tauris. pp. 35–36.ISBN9781845112875.
  7. ^Torte, Rexhep (4 August 2009)."Përfundoi shënimi i 100-vjetorit të Kongresit të Dibrës".Albaniapress. Archived fromthe originalon 2 January 2014.Retrieved13 May2013.
  8. ^abClayer, Nathalie (2005)."The Albanian students of the Mekteb-i Mülkiye: Social networks and trends of thought".In Özdalga, Elisabeth (ed.).Late Ottoman Society: The Intellectual Legacy.Routledge. pp. 306–307.ISBN9780415341646.
  9. ^Magaš, Branka (1993).The destruction of Yugoslavia: tracking the break-up 1980-92.Verso. p. 46.ISBN978-0-86091-593-5.Retrieved25 November2011.
  10. ^В. Кѫнчовъ, Македония. Етнография и статистика. (I изд. Бълг. Книжовно Д-во, София, 1900; II фототипно изд. "Проф. М. Дринов", София, 1996),ISBN954430424X,стр. 210
  11. ^Macedonian Census (2002),Book 5 - Total population according to the Ethnic Affiliation, Mother Tongue and Religion,The State Statistical Office, Skopje, 2002, p. 89.
  12. ^Censuses of population 1948 - 2002Archived14 October 2013 at theWayback Machine
  13. ^Janko Petrovski; Aleksandar Dautovski; Angelikija Anakijeva (2004).Undying creativity: a pictorial journey through Macedonia.MacedoniaDirect. pp. 71–.ISBN978-9989-2343-0-9.
  14. ^Feldman, Amy."Pizza Unchained: Tech Startup Slice Helps Local Pizzerias Get Online And Fight Back Against Domino's".Forbes.Archivedfrom the original on 12 April 2018.Retrieved12 April2018.

General references

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  • The History of Byzantine State byG. Ostrogorsky
  • The Serdar by G. Prlicev
[edit]
Wikivoyage has a travel guide forDebar.

Media related toDebarat Wikimedia Commons

41°31′N20°32′E/ 41.517°N 20.533°E/41.517; 20.533

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