Albania info, please.

http://cjoint.com/data/eCem3DbvAY.htm

I was given these stamps as a small "thank you" for a short translation job
I did for a fellow collector . All I know about them is what Scott says,
i.e. they were prepared but never officially issued. Any additional
information about them would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
--
Tony Vella (Ottawa, Canada)
http://indian-biographies.shorturl.com/

On Apr 27, 10:21Â*pm, "Tony Vella" wrote:
http://cjoint.com/data/eCem3DbvAY.htm

I was given these stamps as a small "thank you" for a short translation job
I did for a fellow collector . Â*All I know about them is what Scott says,
i.e. they were prepared but never officially issued. Â*Any additional
information about them would be appreciated. Â*Thanks in advance.
--
Tony Vella (Ottawa, Canada)http://indian-biographies.shorturl.com/

In 1912 --officially in 1913-- Albania became independent from the
Ottoman Empire, and the country was placed under the care of an
International Control Commission. The self-proclaimed provisional
government of Ismail Qemal in Vlorλ did not receive the general
approval of the public.

In 1914 the foreign powers invited Prince Wilhelm de Wield, the grand
nephew of Wilhelm II of Germany, to become the King of Albania.
The Lutheran Wield, however, was unable to find any support from the
Catholics, the Orthodox Christians, or the Muslims. Wield failed to
establish his authority and had to leave the country after six months.


By 1920, Muslim Ahmad Zogulli (later King Zog I) appeared as one
of the most important contenders for power. Zogulli was instrumental
in the November 20, 1920, ousting of the government of Suleman Bey
Delvina.

Neither of the Albanian political parties had anything to offer to the
northern
Roman Catholics (mirdites). This situation pushed some of the
Catholic
leaders to make their own bid for power. They started a campaign
against
the political leaders to try to convince the Catholic population that
the
government was about to launch repressive measures against them.


17 Jul 1921 - 20 Nov 1921 Proclamation of an independent
Mirditë republic in the north of Abania. Capital: Prizren

In July 1921, Mark Gjonmarkaj united the Mirdite tribes in a rally
and
proclaimed itself the Mirdite Republic with the probable assistance
of
the Serbian government. Serbia showed its support for the young
Catholic
republic by immediately sending troops under the command of General
Wrangel, a hero of the Russian White Army who had successfully
resisted
the Communists before taking refuge in Serbia (Fischer, 1984: 28-29).

The Russian-Serbian army, combined with the two thousand fighters
of Gjonmarkaj, represented a formidable force with the ability to
defeat
the government army and take control of Tirana.

The Serbian government was interested in creating a ‘buffer state’
that
would isolate Kosovo from Albania. They feared that a nationalist
government, possibly headed by Zogulli, could stir agitation in
Kosovo
and strengthen the influence of nationalist leaders such as Bajram
Curri
and Hasan Prishtina. Italy also supported the Mirdite Republic, which
it
saw as an agent for furthering Italy’s interests in the Balkans.

However, the Gjonmarkaj revolt only helped strengthen Zogulli’s
power.
He seemed to be the only person able to defend the Albanian
government. Although his troops were few and ill equipped, he
somehow managed to seize the capital of the Mirdite and defeat the
rebellion, regardless of the outside support.

The stamps

These stamps were prepared in 1921 for the Mirdite Republic, but
their military defeat by Zogulli, made the stamps redundant.
Supplies of the stamps then made their way into the marketplace.

For some 50 years afterward, Albanian governments persecuted
the Catholics of the north, for their support of the Mirdite Republic

Blair

On Apr 27, 10:21 pm, "Tony Vella" wrote:
http://cjoint.com/data/eCem3DbvAY.htm

I was given these stamps as a small "thank you" for a short translation job
I did for a fellow collector . All I know about them is what Scott says,
i.e. they were prepared but never officially issued. Any additional
information about them would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
--
Tony Vella (Ottawa, Canada)http://indian-biographies.shorturl.com/



ADDENDUM
=========

Not only are there the eleven original Merdite stamps,
but these also exist as reprints.

Forgeries also exist of this series.

Reference:
The stamps of the Mirdite Republic : originals. reprints and
forgeries
by David K. Meriney

In: The Skanderberg 2000 ; september. - p. 32-34

Blair