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| By Nail Draga |
Historical Background
It is well known that following the decisions of the Congress of Berlin (1878), several Albanian territories and settlements were annexed to Montenegro. A similar development occurred after the London Conference of Ambassadors (1912–1913), when Montenegro expanded further east, incorporating new regions inhabited by compact Albanian populations.
From the outset, Montenegrin authorities pursued a deliberate policy of altering the ethnic composition of these territories. Since Albanians were autochthonous and demographically homogeneous in their regions, the government employed two main strategies: colonization of Albanian lands and assimilation through education in the Slavic language.
Although Albanians resisted as much as possible, many were forced to migrate, particularly to Shkodra in northern Albania. Yet, during World War I, when Austria-Hungary occupied Montenegro, the situation shifted dramatically. For the first time, Albanian-language schools were opened, spreading from Ulqin (Ulcinj) in the south to Rozhajë in the north, allowing the Albanian language to resonate in classrooms as never before.
This development was not accidental. Austria-Hungary had played a decisive role in supporting Albanian independence in 1912, and the establishment of schools in the Albanian language was part of its broader political, military, and cultural agenda in the Balkans.
Austria-Hungary’s Interest in Albanians
The Habsburg Monarchy’s influence among Albanians was also tied to its Kultusprotektorat policy, the legal right to protect Catholic communities within the Ottoman Empire, guaranteed through a series of treaties dating back to 1615. By 1837, the Pope had formally transferred the protection of Catholic rights in Albania to Austria.
This framework allowed Vienna to engage in extensive educational, cultural, scientific, and religious activities. Laws passed in 1848, 1849, and 1867 explicitly recognized the right of ethnic groups to preserve their national identity and language in education. Austria-Hungary thus developed a reputation for supporting minority cultures—partly out of principle, but largely for strategic reasons.
In northern Albania and the Vilayet of Shkodra, Austria-Hungary subsidized dozens of schools before 1912. After its military occupation of Montenegro in January 1916, it extended this policy by opening Albanian schools in the annexed Albanian-inhabited territories.
The Establishment of Albanian-Language Schools (1916–1918)
Under Austrian administration, Albanians were granted freedoms previously denied by Montenegro:
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The use of the national flag,
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Participation in local administration,
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And most importantly, education in the Albanian language.
By June 1917, 23 Albanian-language schools were functioning across Ulqin, Tuz, Triesh, Plavë, Vuthaj, Martinaj, Rozhajë, and other areas. The Austro-Hungarian command explicitly ordered that Albanians should be taught in their mother tongue so that they would “remain Albanians and nothing else.”
However, resources were scarce. Textbooks, notebooks, and teachers were lacking. To overcome the teacher shortage, Austrian authorities recruited Arbanasi (Albanians of Zadar, Dalmatia), giving them the choice of military service at the front or teaching in Albanian schools. Many accepted the latter, leaving a strong legacy among the local population. Notable names included Kristo Peroviq (also inspector of Albanian schools), Josip Rela, Zef Duka, and Stjepan Moroviq.
Local priests and Albanian teachers also played a vital role. Figures such as Padër Jak Salçi in Ulqin, Luigj Bushati in Traboin, and the nationalist teacher Gjon Gjekë Lucaj in Dinoshë became symbols of educational dedication and patriotism. Lucaj, in particular, is remembered for opening the first Albanian school in Dinoshë in 1917–18, enriching lessons with patriotic content that inspired both students and parents.
The curriculum included reading, writing, grammar, arithmetic, history, geography, natural sciences, drawing, music, and religion. Despite the poverty of material conditions, students attended regularly and even received free meals or supplies when possible.
The Newspaper Posta e Shqypnies (1916–1918)
A crucial contemporary source for understanding this period is the newspaper Posta e Shqypnies, published in Shkodra under the editorship of Gjergj Fishta.
The newspaper reported extensively on the progress of Albanian schools in Montenegro, celebrating the enthusiasm of students and parents. Reports from Ulqin, Plavë, Tuz, and other areas describe the emotional impact of hearing lessons and songs in Albanian for the first time. One article recounted how a six-year-old pupil recited a patriotic prayer in Albanian, symbolizing the rebirth of national consciousness through education.
Such testimonies confirm that Albanian communities wholeheartedly supported these schools, recognizing them as vital for preserving their language, culture, and identity.
The End of the Experiment
The collapse of Austria-Hungary in 1918 brought this short-lived educational flowering to an end. Albanian schools in Ulqin, Tuz, Plavë, Rozhajë, and elsewhere were closed as the territories once again fell under the control of the new Kingdom of Serbs, Croats, and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia). The new regime reinstated policies of assimilation and Slavicization, banning Albanian-language education and imposing severe restrictions on the Albanian population.
Nevertheless, the memory of the 1916–1918 schools endured. For Albanians in Montenegro, this period represented the first institutionalized opportunity to learn in their native language—a milestone that reinforced national identity and sowed seeds for future demands for cultural and educational rights.
Conclusion
Though brief, the Austro-Hungarian initiative (1916–1918) marked a turning point in the educational and cultural history of Albanians in Montenegro. Despite poor infrastructure, scarce teaching materials, and political motives behind Austria’s policies, the Albanian people embraced the opportunity with passion and resilience.
For the first time, reading, writing, history, geography, and music were taught in Albanian, fostering a new generation of educated youth connected deeply with their national identity. Teachers and priests, supported by parents and the wider community, became central figures in preserving and transmitting the Albanian language.
This short-lived era demonstrated the enduring determination of Albanians to resist assimilation and to cultivate their own language and culture. Even after the closure of the schools in 1918, the memory of this period remained a cornerstone in the struggle for educational and cultural rights—an early and lasting foundation for the teaching of the beautiful Albanian language in Montenegro.
📚 References:
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Vehbi Hoti, Luigj Gurakuqi për shkollën shqipe dhe arsimin kombëtar, Shkodër, 2002.
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Dr. Palokë Berishaj, Shkollat dhe arsimi i shqiptarëve në Mal të Zi deri në vitin 1918, 1985.
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Posta e Shqypnies (1916–1918).
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Nail Draga, Shqiptarët në Mal të Zi, Ulqin, 1994.
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Eleni Kocaqi, Si e krijoi Austro-Hungaria shtetin shqiptar, Tiranë, 2012.