Sali Nivica
Born
Sali Asllani

(1890-05-15)May 15, 1890
Rexhin, Vilayet of Yannina, Ottoman Empire
DiedJanuary 10, 1920(1920-01-10) (aged 29)
Shkodër, Principality of Albania
Cause of deathAssassinated
NationalityAlbanian
Other namesSali Nivitza
Occupation(s)Journalist, teacher, politician
Known forK.M.K.K
Populli newspaper

Sali Nivica or Sali Nivitza (May 15, 1890 – January 10, 1920) was a politician, a patriot, an Albanian journalist and a teacher. For his patriotic activity he received the highest Albanian award, 'Honour of the Nation' as well as that of 'Teacher of the People'.

Nivica was born in Rexhin village in the southern Ottoman Albania, today's Tepelenë.

Early life

Nivica went to school in Monastir (1904-1907) where he was inspired by the rebel Bajo Topulli. After that he went in Yannina where he joined the Greek-language Zosimea school (1907–09). He went in Durrës to teach there for a short time (1909–10). During this time he was increasingly caught up by the Albanian nationalist movement. During 1911–12 he was involved with anti-Ottoman activities and uprisings in southern Albania. For that he would be arrested and imprisoned in Istanbul. However, he was soon released with the intervention of Ismail Bey Vlora and managed to arrange himself to teach Albanian at the Robert College.[1]

Nivica returned to Albania after independence and together with Mustafa Hilmi Leskoviku (1887–1915), also known as Muço Qulli, he funded the newspaper Populli ("The people") in Vlorë (1914) and shortly moved to Shkodër. The end of World War I would find him there.[1]

Nivica was a member of the National Literature Organization, and the Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo (CNDS) until his death.[2] He continued as the editor-in-chief of the Albanian patriotic newspaper Populli restarted in early 1919. It was published in Shkodër, with strong nationalistic notes supporting the Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo. The first issue came out on January 18, 1919, with the slogan "Për lavdinë e Atdheut" ("For the glory of the nation"). It served somehow as a de facto journal of the committee. During all its activity the newspaper propagandized Albanian ethnic unity, the Albanian national cause, and called for the liberation of Kosovo from the Serbs.[1]

His nationalistic activity would aggravate his relationship with neighboring countries, especially with Italy which had most of Albania under protectorate. He was killed in Shkodër by a gunman named Kolë Ashiku Sejfi Vllamasi gives more insight on his assassination. Nivica and Ashiku got angry with each other due to a store-renting business negotiation which did not go well, following with Nivica insulting the counterpart. Ashiku declared that he would resolve things according to the Kanun. His brother Andon, a Catholic priest, notified Hysni Curri (a leader of the committee) that Ashiku was serious. Both Curri and Nivica neglected the severity of the situation. Though Curri assigned a guard to follow Nivica, Ashiku found him alone in one of the side streets of the town and shot him twice. Nivica managed to fire four shots towards Ashiku, who ran and entered the Italian consulate. Nivica died later in the hospital, to the great delight of the Italians. name="Vllamasi">Sejfi Vllamasi (2000), "V", in Marenglen Verli (ed.), Ballafaqime politike në Shqipëri (1897-1942): kujtime dhe vlerësime historike, Shtëpia Botuese "Neraida", ISBN 9992771313, Salih Nivica, drejtor i gazetës "Populli", vritet më 11 janar në Shkodër prej Kol Ashikut.</ref>

The day of his funeral the whole town closed the store in his respect. His funeral was attended by a large number of people.[3]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 Robert Elsie (December 24, 2012). A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History. I. B. Tauris. p. 332. ISBN 978-1780764313. He was also a member of the Committee for the National Defence of Kosovo (Komiteti Mbrojtja Kombëtare e Kosovës) founded in November 1918. His newspaper Populli, now edited with Maliq bey Bushati, gave the committee broad support and publicity in the struggle against the Serbian occupation of Kosovo.
  2. ↑ Michael Schmidt-Neke (1987). Enstehung und Ausbau der Königsdiktatur in Albanien, 1912-1939. Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag. pp. 50–. ISBN 978-3-486-54321-6. Retrieved 3 December 2011.
  3. ↑ Sejfi Vllamasi (2000), "V", in Marenglen Verli (ed.), Ballafaqime politike në Shqipëri (1897-1942): kujtime dhe vlerësime historike, Shtëpia Botuese "Neraida", ISBN 9992771313, Salih Nivica, drejtor i gazetës "Populli", vritet më 11 janar në Shkodër prej Kol Ashikut.
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