Shqiptarët me origjine pellazge,populli më i lashtë i Ballkanit
Shenim:Titulli: With Stalin: memoirs
Autori: Enver Hoxha
Edition 2
Botues: "8 Nëntori" Pub. House, 1981
(From the University of Michigan)
Ky material nuk ka vlere ideologjike apo politike, por eshte thjesht ceshtje informimi dhe krioziteti historik.
"Cila është origjina dhe gjuha e popullit tuaj?" më pyeti ai, ndër të tjera, "A është popullsia tuaj e ngjashme me baskët?" Dhe ai vazhdoi: "Unë nuk besoj se populli shqiptar ka ardhur nga brendësia e Azisë, as se është me origjinë turke, sepse shqiptarët janë fise më të lashta se turqit. Ndoshta, njerëzit tuaj kanë rrënjë të përbashkëta me ata etruskë që mbetën në malet tuaja, sepse pjesa tjetër shkoi në Itali, disa u asimiluan nga romakët dhe disa kaluan në Gadishullin Iberik."
Unë iu përgjigj Shokut Stalin se origjina e popullit tonë ishte shumë e lashtë, që gjuha e tij ishte e indo-europiane. "Ka shumë teori lidhur me këtë çështje," vazhdova, "por e vërteta është se origjina jonë është ilire. Ne jemi një popullsi me origjinë ilire. Ekziston edhe një teori që mbron tezën se populli shqiptar është më i lashti i Ballkanit dhe se Pellazgët ishin etërit e lashtë para-homerik të shqiptarëve. "
Unë vazhdova të shpjegoj se teoria Pellazge u mbrojt për njëfarë kohë nga shumë studiues, sidomos studiuesit gjermanë. "Ka edhe një dijetar shqiptar" i thashë atij, "i cili është i njohur si një ekspert mbi Homerin, që ka arritur në të njëjtin përfundim, duke u bazuar mbi disa fjalë të përdorura te Iliada dhe Odisea, të cilat janë në përdorim sot mes shqiptarëve, si për shembull, fjala “gur”, që do të thotë “kamenj” në rusisht. Homeri e përdor këtë fjalë si një parashtesë për fjalën greke, duke thënë: “Guri-Petra”. Kështu, në bazë të disa fjalë të tilla, duke pasur parasysh Orakullin e Dodonës, dhe disa dokumente ose etimologjinë e fjalëve, të cilat kanë pësuar ndryshime, sipas shumë interpretimeve filologjike, shkencëtarët arrijnë në përfundimin se etërit tanë të lashtë kanë qenë pellazgët, të cilët jetonin në Gadishullin Ballkanik përpara grekëve.
"Megjithatë, unë nuk kam dëgjuar që shqiptarët janë me të njëjtën origjinë, si baskët," i thashë Shokut Stalin. "Një teori e tillë mund të ekzistojnë, ashtu si teoria që ju përmendët, se disa nga Etruskët kanë mbetur në Shqipëri, ndërsa pjesa tjetër u nda për t’u vendosur në Itali, me disa prej tyre që kaluan në Gadishullin Iberik, në Spanjë. Është e mundur që kjo teori, gjithashtu, mund të ketë mbështetësit e saj, por unë nuk kam njohuri, mbi të.”
"Në Kaukaz ne kemi një vend të quajtur Albania," më tha Stalini në një rast. "Mund të ketë ndonjë lidhje me Shqipërinë?"
"Unë nuk e di," i thashë, por është një fakt se gjatë shekujve, shumë shqiptarë, të detyruar nga pushtimi i egër osman, luftërat dhe persekutimi i egër i Sulltanëve dhe Padishahëve osmanë, u detyruan të largohen nga vendlindja e tyre dhe të vendosen në tokat të huaja ku ata kanë formuar fshatra të tërë. Kjo është ajo që ka ndodhur me mijëra shqiptarë të cilët u vendosën në Italinë e Jugut në shekullin e 15-të, pas vdekjes së heroit tonë kombëtar, Skënderbeu, dhe tani atje ka zona të tëra të banuara nga Arbëreshët e Italisë, të cilët ruajnë ende gjuhën e tyre dhe zakonet e vjetra të Atdheut të të parëve të tyre edhe pse ata kanë jetuar në një vend të huaj për 4-5 shekuj. Po kështu," i thashë unë shokut Stalin, "shumë shqiptarë u vendosën në Greqi, ku rajone të tëra janë të banuara nga Arbëreshët e Greqisë, të tjerët u vendosën në Turqi, Rumani, Bullgari, Amerikë dhe vende të tjera... Megjithatë, për në vendin tuaj të quajtur ‘Albania’, " thashë “Unë nuk di asgjë konkrete...”
"What is the origin and language of your people?" he asked me, among other things, "Are your people akin to the Basques?" And he continued, "I do not believe that the Albanian people came from the interior of Asia, nor are they of Turkish origin, because the Albanians are of a more ancient stock than the Turks. Perhaps, your people have common roots with those Etruscans who remained in your mountains, because the rest went to Italy, some were assimilated by the Romans and some crossed over to the Iberian Peninsula."
I replied to Comrade Stalin that the origin of our people was very ancient, that their language was Indo-European. "There are many theories on this question," I continued, "but the truth is that our origin is Illyrian. We are a people of Illyrian descent. There is also a theory which defends the thesis that the Albanian people are the most ancient people of the Balkans and that the Pelasgians were the ancient pre-Homeric forefathers of the Albanians."
I went on to explain that the Pelasgian theory was upheld for a time by many scholars, especially German scholars. "There is also an Albanian scholar" I told him, "who is known as an expert on Homer, who has reached the same conclusion, basing himself on some words used in the Iliad and the Odyssey, and which are in use today among the Albanian people, as for example, the word 'gur' (stone) which means 'kamenj' in Russian. Homer uses this word as a prefix to the Greek word, saying 'guri-petra'. Thus, on the basis of a few such words, bearing in mind the Oracle of Dodona, and some documents or etymologies of
words, which have undergone changes, according to many philological interpretations, the scientists conclude that our ancient forefathers were the Pelasgians, who lived on the Balkan Peninsula before the Greeks.
"However, I have not heard that the Albanias are of the same origin as the Basques," I said to Comrade Stalin. "Such a theory may well exist, like the theory you mentioned, that some of the Estruscans remained in Albania, while the rest branched off to settle in Italy, with some of them crossing over to the Iberian Peninsula, to Spain. It is possible that this theory, too, may have its supporters, but I have no knowledge of it."
"In the Caucasus we have a place called Albania," Stalin told me on one occasion. "Could it have any connection with Albania?"
"I don't know," 1 said, but it is a fact that during the centuries, many Albanians, forced by the savage Ottoman occupation, the wars and ferocious persecution of the Ottoman Sultans and Padishahs, were obliged to leave the land of their birth and settle in foreign lands where they have formed whole villages. This is what happened with thousands of Albanians who settled in Southern Italy back in the 15th century, after the death of our National Hero, Scanderbeg, and now there are whole areas inhabited by the Arbereshi of Italy, who still retain their language and the old customs of the Homeland of their forefathers al
though they have been living in a foreign land for 4-5 centuries. Likewise," I told Comrade Stalin, "many Albanians settled in Greece, where entire regions are inhabited by the Arbereshi of Greece, others settled in Turkey, Rumania, Bulgaria, America and elsewhere... However, as to the place in your country called 'Albania'," I said, "I know nothing concrete....."
I replied to Comrade Stalin that the origin of our people was very ancient, that their language was Indo-European. "There are many theories on this question," I continued, "but the truth is that our origin is Illyrian. We are a people of Illyrian descent. There is also a theory which defends the thesis that the Albanian people are the most ancient people of the Balkans and that the Pelasgians were the ancient pre-Homeric forefathers of the Albanians."
I went on to explain that the Pelasgian theory was upheld for a time by many scholars, especially German scholars. "There is also an Albanian scholar" I told him, "who is known as an expert on Homer, who has reached the same conclusion, basing himself on some words used in the Iliad and the Odyssey, and which are in use today among the Albanian people, as for example, the word 'gur' (stone) which means 'kamenj' in Russian. Homer uses this word as a prefix to the Greek word, saying 'guri-petra'. Thus, on the basis of a few such words, bearing in mind the Oracle of Dodona, and some documents or etymologies of
words, which have undergone changes, according to many philological interpretations, the scientists conclude that our ancient forefathers were the Pelasgians, who lived on the Balkan Peninsula before the Greeks.
"However, I have not heard that the Albanias are of the same origin as the Basques," I said to Comrade Stalin. "Such a theory may well exist, like the theory you mentioned, that some of the Estruscans remained in Albania, while the rest branched off to settle in Italy, with some of them crossing over to the Iberian Peninsula, to Spain. It is possible that this theory, too, may have its supporters, but I have no knowledge of it."
"In the Caucasus we have a place called Albania," Stalin told me on one occasion. "Could it have any connection with Albania?"
"I don't know," 1 said, but it is a fact that during the centuries, many Albanians, forced by the savage Ottoman occupation, the wars and ferocious persecution of the Ottoman Sultans and Padishahs, were obliged to leave the land of their birth and settle in foreign lands where they have formed whole villages. This is what happened with thousands of Albanians who settled in Southern Italy back in the 15th century, after the death of our National Hero, Scanderbeg, and now there are whole areas inhabited by the Arbereshi of Italy, who still retain their language and the old customs of the Homeland of their forefathers al
though they have been living in a foreign land for 4-5 centuries. Likewise," I told Comrade Stalin, "many Albanians settled in Greece, where entire regions are inhabited by the Arbereshi of Greece, others settled in Turkey, Rumania, Bulgaria, America and elsewhere... However, as to the place in your country called 'Albania'," I said, "I know nothing concrete....."
