Korce History, Albania

The city of Korce, the capital of the district with the same name, is located in the southeastern part of Albania. This seventh largest city in the country traces its roots from different events. Take a glimpse at what transpired in the course of Korce History.

Korce History – Early Beginnings of the City

Remnants from the Neolithic Era prove that the very first settlement in the Korce area was in 4000 BC. The settlements continued up to the Copper and Bronze Ages.

Korce was first mentioned under the name Coviza in a medieval record dating 1280. However, it was not until the latter part of the 15th century that the city was noticed. It was during this time that Iljaz Hoxha, through the order of Sultan Mehmet II, began the development of Korce. The Ottomans started to occupy the city in 1440 and shortly after the city started to gradually flourish.

Korce History – The Decline of the Ottoman Empire

Korce saw the decline of the Ottoman rule over the city and the rest of the empire’s colonies. In 1878, although Korce and the nearby towns should have been turned over to Bulgaria, the Treaty of Berlin had given back the city to the Ottoman Empire. Korce was freed from the Ottoman rule in 1912 following the Balkan War. It was then occupied by the Greek forces.

In 1913, the city became a part of Albania, which caused a great stir since Greece declared the city as a part of the Northern Epirus region. A 1914 agreement between Greece and Albania settled the conflict making Korce a part of the new Autonomous Northern Epirus.

Korce History – World War I and II

During the First World War, Korce was passed on to the Austro-Hungarians, then to the Greeks and lastly to the French. By 1920, the city had finally become part of Albania.

Before the Second World War, Korce was the backdrop of a major Communist campaign. The would-be Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha, stayed and studied in Korce and had found inspiration in the underground Communist society. This became Hoxha’s core in establishing the Albanian Labor Party.

In 1939, the Italian Army took over the city and the rest of Albania. In 1940, Korce once more fell under the Greek rule after the Greco-Italian War. During World War II, the Germans attacked the city and were able to capture and occupy it until 1944. During the time of the German Occupation, Korce grew to be a chief gathering place of Communist-stimulated resistance.

Korce History – Post-War

Albanian rule was re-established after the war. However, the city had to endure a dictatorial government under Hoxha. Thousands of Korce residents were sent to concentration camps or put to death. Because of fear, other citizens of the city migrated to the United States.

In the 1990s, the New Democratic Party rose to power and Korce was one of the cities that supported it. This marked a transformation in Korce History. This placed the city among prosperous places in Europe like Thessaloniki in Greece and Dubrovnik in Croatia.