Forsaken Albania

By Artan Lame
Tirana, 1916,17. Albania, proclaimed independent in the year 1912, recognized as such by the Conference of Ambassadors in 1913, graced with a Prince and a capital city in 1914 and plunged yet again into a state of chaos and division between the belligerent sides in 1915. Northern and Central Albania as far as the River Vjosa, were occupied by the XIX Austro-Hungarian Army Corps, based in Shkodra, which established a military occupation administration throughout the main cities. In this context, an important military contingent was also deployed in Tirana.
Seeing that, at that time, Tirana was more a sprawling village rather than a city, and due to the absence of sufficient buildings, the troops had to camp out in tents pitched on the Shallvars Field, which since the time of Turkey has served as an army training ground, while the officers’ quarters were the old Turkish garrisons, located on the spot where the Chamber of Commerce is today and properties of the Toptan Family estate within the walls of the Castle ofTirana. The Austrians remained in Tirana until October 1918, when they then withdrew northwards.
The photo shows the street that was later called 28 November Street, the Et’hem Bey Mosque and the Clock Tower. The clock tower constructed at the turn of the XIX Century, still shows its original shape, a classic oriental style, which it was to preserve until the year 1928, when the shape of the upper part of the tower and its roof were modified to how they look today. The building in front of the Tower, where Bar Sahati was later built, was the state Hospital at that time. Behind the Mosque and the Tower, you can see nothing but trees and the occasional domicile, which was only normal for that time because that is where the town ended. Behind the Tower and to its left you can see the Shallvars Field and you can also distinguish the large military tents of the Austrian troops. The generation of buildings, to the right of the photo, are part of a complex of shops within the Old Bazaar.
The photograph itself, taken probably by an Austrian armyman, was taken from the Minaret of the Sulejman Pascha Mosque, which was located on the spot where the Monument dedicated to the Unknown Partizan stands today. The Mosque was burnt down on 14 November 1944, during the fighting to liberate the city.