The “Autonomous Region of Korçë” (1916–1918) was an autonomous administrative region established by the National Movement in Korçë under the presence of French military troops. The Eastern Army Command, under the pressure of patriotic circles in Korçë led by Themistokli Gërmenji and Sali Butka, interested in having a quiet background on the war front against the Austro-Hungarian and Bulgarian invaders, accepted a series of demands from the region’s representatives. After expelling the previous Greek occupiers from there, the Eastern Army Command, represented by the commander of French troops for Korçë, Colonel Henri Descoing, signed a Protocol with these representatives on December 10, 1916, according to which the city of Korçë, along with the districts of Bilisht, Kolonjë, Gorë, and Opar, would be administered autonomously, under the leadership of a Government Council consisting of 14 members, all local representatives, in equal numbers of Muslims and Christians. The official language would be Albanian, the flag of the region would be Albanian, Greek-language schools would be closed, and schools in Albanian language would be opened, etc. The Autonomous Region of Korçë operated under the protection of French authorities in the region. Its establishment was not well received by the government of Rome and was particularly opposed by that of Athens. In February 1918, by order of the French government, the Protocol of December 10, 1916 was unilaterally abolished, and the region of Korçë was placed under the direct administration of the French army. However, the Albanian flag continued to fly, schools in Albanian language remained open, and the language of the country continued to be used in the civilian administration of the region. The creation of the Autonomous Region of Korçë and the expulsion of the Greek occupiers were important victories that played a major role in thwarting Athens’ attempts to reoccupy the region in 1919 and 1920, thus helping to preserve the territorial integrity of the Albanian state at the end of World War I. (In the photo: Government building of the Republic of Korça, 1916.)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 2 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 1329-1330.
Photo: © https://albemigrant2011.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/republika-autonome1.jpg
Graphic processing: AHCF
