Mefail Shehu
mefail Shehu was born in
Zajas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mefail_Shehu#cite_note-zemrashqiptare2-1He was most likely to have been born in the early 20th century, just before the collapse of the
Ottoman Empire. His ideology of
Albanian nationalism was formed during his adolescence. As a child, Shehu witnessed the terror of the Serbian royalists under
King Alexander where 11 Albanian populated villages in the east of
Kicevo were razed.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mefail_Shehu#cite_note-zemrashqiptare2-1
Shehu was against the
Italian occupation and in 1939 formed his own
militia to fight against the
fascists. On the 19th of April, 1941,
Kicevo was occupied by
German forces. On the 22nd of June, 1941,
Kicevo became apart of the new
Albanian state under Germany.
[2] At this time,
Mit’hat Frashëri published the
Balli Kombetar program around the new Albanian state. The Balli Kombetar ideology greatly appealed to Shehu. Shehu formed the
Balli Kombetar in
Kicevo and held many demonstrations to rally support. The people of
Kicevo supported the
Balli Kombetar over the
communists.
[2]
The Balli Kombetar committee held a meeting in
Zajas in 1942.
[2] Representatives of the
Albanian tribes that attended the meeting elected Shehu as military commander of the region. Shehu transformed the bands of millitia into a proper army. Shehu's battalion patrolled villages around
Zajas while commander Mefail Mehmeti(Mefail i Vogel) and his battalion patrolled from Greshnica to
Kicevo.
[2] Shehu's third elected commander, Begzat Vuli operated from
Kicevo to Berikove. At that period, the Ballists successfully repelled the
Yugoslav partisans.
[2] Shehu not only fought in Zajas but also in
Skopje,
Gostivar and
Debar. While fighting away from
Zajas, Shehu became associated with
Xhem Hasa.
[1]
In October 1943, a general assembly was called in
Zajas. It was decided that the chairman of the committee of the
Balli Kombetar will be Mefail Shehu, along with Mefail Mehmeti as vice chairman, Begzat Vuli as treasurer and Skender Presevo as under prefect.
[2]
As the
Albanian partisans and
Yugoslav partisans were on the rise and the
Germans reducing its aid to the
Balli Kombetar, Shehu was gradually losing his territory to the partisans.