The massacre of Tivar (Bar) in April 1945, according to scholars and historians, is considered one of the greatest crimes against Albanians from Kosovo.
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| Scholars and guests speaking about the Tivar Massacre in Tivar, April 7, 2024 |
In this massacre, nearly 3000 young people from Kosovo, recruited as partisans to fight in the territories of former Yugoslavia, were killed and massacred in a single day, VOA reports.
This tragic event started to be commemorated much later by Albanian political entities in Montenegro. Researcher Hajrullah Hajdari told Voice of America that a monument should be erected at the site of the event to commemorate the most painful date in Albanian history.
The Tivar massacre was the largest crime against Albanians recruited from Kosovo by Yugoslav partisans at the end of the Second World War.
It is estimated that the number of victims exceeded 4000 killed and disappeared, and until later, this event was a topic that was kept secret for decades, with even the Albanian communist state being implicated.
Researcher Hajrullah Hajdari emphasizes that this event left indelible traces in the collective consciousness of the Albanian people.
"The Tivar massacre is a black mark in our national history. In the merciless slaughter that took place at the Tobacco Monopoly in Tivar almost 80 years ago, nearly 3,000 Albanians from Kosovo were massacred," he said.
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| Albania/Kosovo recruits passing through Shkodër accompanied by armed Yugoslav soldiers, April 2, 1945, Shkodër |
Researcher Hajdari highlights that the tragic event of Tivar started to be commemorated much later by Albanian entities in Montenegro, recalling in various forms this painful date in Albanian history.
"Several books have been written and even a documentary film has been made, and several events and commemorations have been held for this date, while the mountaineers of the 'Rumia' association have organized a trip on the road of the Tivar massacre," Mr. Hajdari said.
Mr. Hajdari said that a monument should be erected in Tivar, inscribed in several languages dedicated to this tragic event. Such a monument should be a memorial, for the past.
"Efforts must be made so that the Albanian political factor and others, so that at least those souls that were massacred in the courtyard of the Tobacco Monopoly can rest in peace and a memorial should be erected not only in Albanian but also in English and Serbian languages so that everyone understands what happened there and always remember," said Mr. Hajdari.
Researcher Hajdari said that Kosovo institutions and representatives of Montenegro should engage in the issue of the Tivar massacre to seek clarification of this event, which would be very important in the new social and political circumstances in the region.