In September 1917, Northern epirus Finds Itself at one of the most critical junctures in its history. After the victorious Autonomous Struggle of 1914 and the declaration of Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus, hopes for definitive vindication began to be shaken by the geopolitical expediencies of World War I. The Spyromilios, the legendary leader of Himara and one of the main protagonists of the Autonomy struggle, writes a letter-document describing the dramatic consequences of the Italian military intervention in the region.
This valuable historical document, which belongs to the Eleftherios Venizelos Archive of the Benaki Museum, is originally written in English, a fact that highlights Spyromilios's attempt to internationalize the issue and influence the decision-making centers of the Entente.
It is noteworthy that, while historiography often focuses on conflicts with Albanian elements, the Spyromilios highlights a bitter truth: the greatest and most methodical historical damage to the Hellenism of Northern Epirus, after the collapse of the Autonomous Republic of Northern Epirus, was achieved by ItalyThrough his text, it is revealed how a European power used its power to suppress local self-determination, forcibly closing Greek schools and subjecting the inhabitants to an unprecedented tyranny that surpassed in methodicality any previous threat.
Addressing his British politician and friend, Edward Hilton Young, the Spyromilios denounces with disarming honesty the violent overthrow of the gains of their struggle. This letter is a cry of anguish for the hellenism of Northern Epirus which suddenly found itself under the cruel occupation of a supposed ally. The text that follows highlights the extent of the persecutions, the hostage-takings and the systematic effort dehellenism of the area.
The Text of The Letter (Translated from English)
Athens, September 24, 1917
My dear Friend,
Three years have passed since the fate of Himara brought you and our noble friend, Finley, which fell on the Somme, in its mountains. Liberal children of England, hasten to watch closely the struggle for Freedom of a people, small but brave, who remained free from the Fall of Constantinople and the enslavement of Hellenism by the conquering Turk. In the Acrokeravnia Mountains you saw the self-sacrifice men, women and children for their Motherland; there you realized that for the mountaineers of Himara nothing is more precious than their Freedom and that, as long as one of them remains alive, Himara will not be subject to foreign domination, will not become an Albanian province or part of it. albanian monstrosity, which was imposed by the conflict Between italy And austria and Which europe agreed to create, against every natural law.
Time has since proven what the people of Himara felt instinctively and what you, as free citizens of a free country, proclaimed to the world. Not a single Albanian foot has defiled Himara, nor has it been possible to establish an Albanian Kingdom. For how could it be established when the People do not possess national consciousness; When Beys, Agades and Pashads have only one thought, their local influence, and only one law, which they themselves embody: that of plunder and robbery, and not of Justice and Equality. The fact of drawing the borders of a State on a piece of paper by the powerful, cannot in itself constitute a State. It is a act of violence και μια προσωρινή συνέπεια της Ισχύος. Τα Κράτη βασίζονται στην εθνική συνείδηση, και αυτή δεν υπήρχε, διότι οι ανώτερες τάξεις κινούνταν μόνο από τα αυθαίρετα ένστικτά τους και οι κατώτεροι μουσουλμάνοι από θρησκευτικό φανατισμό. Σκέφτονταν μόνο πώς θα παρέμεναν Τούρκοι και πώς θα εξόριζαν τον μη μουσουλμανικό πληθυσμό. Το αποτέλεσμα ήταν οι ανώτερες τάξεις, όντας διχασμένες, να οδηγηθούν σε εσωτερικές διαμάχες — και ο λαός διαιρεμένος και υπό την επιρροή των τοπικών αρχόντων του, επέφερε την πτώση νωρίτερα από ό,τι περίμεναν όσοι γνώριζαν ότι οι κάτοικοι της Βορείου Ηπείρου παρέμειναν Έλληνες και, παίρνοντας τα όπλα, αρνήθηκαν να υποδουλωθούν στην Αλβανία. Η Ευρώπη σε απόγνωση αποδέχθηκε τελικά ότι θα έπρεπε και πάλι να ενωθούμε με τη Μητέρα μας Πατρίδα, την Ελλάδα. Δυστυχώς, η δοκιμασία μας δεν είχε ακόμη τελειώσει.
A catastrophe greater than any other in the previous five centuries has befallen us. Since June 1916, in violation of all treaties and negotiations, italian troops προέλασαν νότια από τον Αυλώνα, και η Χιμάρα καθώς και ολόκληρη η Βόρειος Ήπειρος καταλήφθηκαν. Η ιταλική πολιτική ονειρεύεται την Αρχαία Ρωμαϊκή Αυτοκρατορία και, ως εκ τούτου, όχι μόνο η Χιμάρα, όχι μόνο η Βόρειος Ήπειρος, αλλά ολόκληρη η Ήπειρος, η Μακεδονία και η Ελλάδα πρέπει να γίνουν ιταλικές. Οι ιταλικές βλέψεις περιλαμβάνουν όλο τον Ελληνικό κόσμο μαζί με τη Μικρά Ασία, προτιμώντας τους λυτρωμένους Έλληνες από τους αλύτρωτους Ιταλούς. Η πρόφαση περί στρατηγικών λόγων όσον αφορά τα Στενά της Κέρκυρας, την ενδοχώρα της Αδριατικής κ.λπ., είναι μόνο πρόσχημα.
The truth is passion for conquest, conquest on the largest possible scale, conquest of peoples who would thus become slaves. The proof is that in the last year the greek schools of Himara and northern Epirus Were closed and replaced by italian and albanian. The freedom of the citizen, even of one who has been subjected to the law of a foreign legislator, is non-existent; people cannot communicate or work freely in their region or in their Village. all prominent people were arrested 10 months ago and are being held hostage in Sicily, without any reason or provocation, other than that as Greeks they refuse to become Italians, as they previously refused to become Albanians. This unfortunate people are dying of hunger and their pleas to the Military Commander have been answered: "You're not dead yet". One hundred and twenty-seven of the best men of Himara starve to death on a ration of dry bread on the island of Favignana, in Bari and in the prisons of Vlora.
What law dictates this Tyranny? Are these the ideals of the great Italian nation, fighting alongside others for the Freedom of the World?
These few examples, which no one can deny, will allow you to realize the calamities and tyranny that Himara is suffering, while Northern Epirus suffers under even worse conditions. Gangs of Turkish-Albanians, with the approval of the Italian authorities, are terrorizing the Christian villages in the regions of Liountzi, Zagori and Pogoni. Not a day goes by without murders and looting. Στο χωριό Χλωμό, μέρα μεσημέρι, λεηλατήθηκαν δύο καταστήματα και δύο αγροκτήματα. Στο χωριό Σούκα, τα παιδιά του Κυρίτση Λίτου και του Δημήτρη Τσάρου απήχθησαν και ζητήθηκαν λύτρα 500 λιρών. Στο μοναστήρι του Σπηλαίου, ο γιος του ιερέα Βασιλείου υπέστη την ίδια μεταχείριση και εξαγοράστηκε για 80 λίρες. Στις περιοχές του Νόκοβου και του Μεγκουλή, 40 πρόβατα από τα κοπάδια του Πουλέρη και του Καλέμη θανατώθηκαν, επειδή οι ληστές δεν μπόρεσαν να πιάσουν τους γιους τους. Στο Στεγόπουλο επιβλήθηκε στο χωριό ένας επιστάτης με μηνιαίο μισθό 6 λιρών, ο οποίος ήταν και παραμένει γνωστός ληστής από το Προγονάτι.
All these acts are committed under the eyes of the Italian authorities, troops and the notorious carabinieri or gendarmes, because behind them lies Italian Politics, whose goal is to extermination of a people born with the right to live free.
I do not wish to be tedious and have only described the general situation of the mourning Continent. Italy is a great country for whose Freedom much foreign blood has been shed, and we Himariotes, as you well know, have offered no little. We do not ask for favors from Italy, but we wish that this nation should not forget that we will never change our Nationality..
We wish these facts to be known to the Italian people, who do not agree with the Italian Policy of conquest. We wish the peoples of Great Britain, France and the United States to know that we protest against the enslavement and extermination which their ally, Italy, while proclaiming on their side that she too is fighting for the principles of Nationhood and Freedom, is imposing on us.
I enclose the Memorandum of the Members of Parliament of Northern Epirus to the Hellenic Parliament, in which they were legally elected but were not allowed entry due to Italy's stance and its threat to make it a cause of war (casus belli). From this you will see what our decisions are and how we will act.
The leader of Himara and MP for Argyrokastër is begging his friend, Liberal Member of Parliament E. Hilton Young, to do his best for Himara and Northern Epirus.
(Signed) SPYROS SPYROMILIOS
Η Ιταλία είναι χειρότερος εχθρός της ΕΛΛΑΔΑΣ απο τους Τούρκους.