Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë

Republika Shqipëtare Korçë

Protectorate of France

1916–1920

Flag

Albania after fragmentation in 1916.

Capital

Korçë

Languages

Albanian, French.

Government

14-member local government

Prefect of Police

Themistokli Gërmenji

Historical era

World War I

•

Protocol signed

December 10, 1916

•

French Army depart

June 15, 1920

Currency

Korçë frange

Flag

The Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë (Albanian: Republika Autonome Shqipëtare e Korçës) was an autonomous state established in 1916, by the local French forces, after the city of Korçë fell under their control, during World War I and lasted till 1920.

Due to developments in the Macedonian Front of World War I the city of Korçë came under French control (1916–20). During this time 14 representatives of Korçë and French Colonel Descoins signed a protocol that proclaimed the Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë under the military protection of the French army and with Themistokli Gërmenji as Prefect of Police.

The new authorities introduced Albanian and French as the official language and replaced Greek schools with Albanian ones, which were forbidden during the Greek administration of the city. There was also a French school in Korçë and one of its many students was Enver Hoxha, who was apprentice (1927—1930) and then teacher (1937—1939). He would later become the First Secretary of the Albanian Party of Labour, serving from 1941 until his death in 1985.

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Wikipedia