The Turks in Kosovo, also known as Kosovo Turks, and Kosovan Turks, (Turkish: Kosova Türkleri) are the ethnic Turks who constitute a minority group in Kosovo.
Turkish settlement into Kosovo began in the late 14th century after the medieval Serbian state lost the Battle of Kosovo and the territory came under Ottoman rule. Although Turkish colonists began arriving in 1389-1455 when, during the Ottoman conquest, numbers of soldiers, officials, and merchants began to make their appearance in the major towns of Kosovo, the overwhelming majority of modern Turks in Kosovo are of Albanian origin.[5][6]
During Ottoman rule, the cities of Prizren, Mitrovica, Vushtrri, Gjilan and Pristina experienced a widespread phenomenon where villagers settling in the cities would, upon arrival, begin adopting Turkish customs and the Turkish language. Those who settled in these urban environments, where Turkish was the language of communication with the government and the language of social prestige, opted to refer to themselves as Turks, in order to distinguish themselves from those who had not migrated to the cities and as a marker of socioeconomic status. A large number of these Turkified inhabitants still retain names alluding to their ethnic Albanian origin, usually consisting of tribal names such as Berisha, Bytyçi, Gashi, Hoti, Kastrati, Krasniqi, Kryeziu, Luma and others.[7]
In 1912 the Ottoman Turks lost control over Kosovo and the region became a part of the Kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro. From this point, Kosovo as a political entity was discontinued as the region was divided among new administrative units. Following the Austrian and Bulgarian occupation during World War I, Serbia and Montenegro became part of the newly created Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes in 1918. When the Axis powers occupied Yugoslavia in 1941, the former territory of Kosovo became part of Albania, which was itself controlled by Italy. With the defeat of the Axis powers, Yugoslavia, then ruled by Communists led by Josip Broz Tito, regained control over the region. In 1946, Kosovo returned to maps when a region bearing the name Kosovo and Metohija was granted autonomous status within FPR Yugoslavia.
As a result of the Turkification policies enacted by the Yugoslavian government between 1948-1956, the number of registered Turks in Kosovo jumped from a mere 1,313 (or 0.2% of the population) in 1948 to 34,343 (4.3% of Kosovo's population) in the 1953 census. This was partly the result of the historical connotations of the word Turk, which had been synonymous with Muslim during the Ottoman era. These self declared Turks, almost exclusively consisting of ethnic Albanians, then began to emigrate to Turkey until 1958 on the basis of a bilateral agreement between Yugoslavia and Turkey.[8][9]
Turks in Kosovo according to official censuses[10]
Year of census
Turks
% of total population
1921
27,920
6.3%
1931
23,698
4.3%
1939
24,946
3.8%
1948
1,315
0.2%
1953
34,583
4.3%
1961
25,784
2.7%
1971
12,224
1.0%
1981
12,513
0.8%
2011
18,738
1.1%
Demographics
Population
In 1993, the Human Rights Watch stated that there was approximately 20,000 Kosovan Turks, constituting about 1% of Kosovo's population.[11] More recent estimates suggest that there are now about 29,000 to 30,000 Turks living in Kosovo, forming between 1-2% of Kosovo's total population.[4][3] According to the 2011 census 18,738 citizens declared themselves as Turks, constituting 1.1% of Kosovo's total population. The European Centre for minority Issues Kosovo has stated that:
The total census number for Turks (18,738) is somewhat lower than that of previous estimates. To give an example, in Lipjan/Lipljan, the figure of Turks decreases from 400-500 to 128. However, in the 2010 general elections, the Turkish political parties KDTP and KTB received together a total of 207 votes. Although members from other communities sometimes vote for Turkish parties and other issues need to be taken into account, this figure suggests that for this municipality the census figure may not be representative and that further analysis is needed.[12]
Areas of settlement
The Turkish minority of Kosovo have a majority population in Mamusha. However, the largest Turkish population in Kosovo live in Prizren.[13] They constitute roughly 5% of Prizren's population, and the town remains the historical, cultural and political centre of the Kosovan Turkish community.[2] In the Gjilan municipality, the Turkish community resides mostly in the town of Gjilane and in the villages of Livoç i Epërm/Gornji Livoč and Dobërçan/Dobrčane, constituting between 0.9-1.1% of the total population of the municipality.[2] Kosovan Turks living in Mitrovica amount to roughly 1.5% of its total population; in the southern part of the town, Kosovan Turks live scattered in the city, while those who live in northern region reside in the "Bosniak Mahalla" neighbourhood.[2] In Vushtrri Turks constitute about 0.9% of the total population, and live scattered throughout the urban areas. In the Pristina region together with Turkish speaking Muslim Roma the Divanjoldjije Group, they are concentrated in the urban areas of the city, and constitute roughly 0.4% of the total municipal population, and in the rural settlements of Janjevo and Banullë/Bandulić in the Lipjan municipality, where they amount to 0.5% of the population.[2]
Turkish population in Kosovo according to the 2011 census (Turkish majority in bold):
^Kosovo Agency of Statistics. "Population by gender, ethnicity at settlement level". p. 12. Archived from the original on 2016-05-08. Retrieved 2016-04-29.
^Jikhareva, Anna (2015), Sind Sie eine Mustermigrantin von Zwinglis Gnaden?, WOZ Die Wochenzeitung, retrieved 6 May 2021, Frau Adilji, Ihre Mutter stammt aus Pristina, ist aber ursprünglich Türkin. Ihr Vater wuchs als Albaner in einem serbischen Dorf nahe der kosovarischen Grenze auf.
^Which countries can Adnan Januzaj play for?, ITV News, 2013, retrieved 25 April 2021, The teenager was born in Brussels... He qualifies to play for Albania through his Kosovan-Albanian parents... He qualifies to play for Turkey through his grandparents.
^Adnan Januzaj invited to play for Kosovo in friendly match, BBC News, 2014, retrieved 25 April 2021, Januzaj, who signed a new five-year-deal with Manchester United last October, was born in Belgium and has Kosovan-Albanian parents. He could also represent Serbia after Kosovo declared independence from the country in 2008, while his grandparents are Turkish.
^Januzaj could play for Kosovo – but it won't end England hopes, The Week, 2014, retrieved 25 April 2021, The 19-year-old... was born in Belgium to Kosovan-Albanian parents... In addition the teenager has Turkish grandparents
Bibliography
Baltic, Nina (2007), Theory and Practice of Human and Minority Rights under the Yugoslav Communist System(PDF), MIRICO: Human and Minority Rights in the Life Cycle of Ethnic Conflicts.
Elsie, Robert (2010), Historical Dictionary of Kosovo, Scarecrow Press, ISBN978-0-8108-7231-8.
European Centre for minority Issues Kosovo (2012), (PDF), European Centre for minority Issues Kosovo, archived from the original (PDF) on 2014-01-03.
Human Rights Watch (1993), Open Wounds: Human Rights Abuses in Kosovo, Human Rights Watch, ISBN1-56432-131-2.
Mertus, Julie (1999), Kosovo: How Myths and Truths Started a War, University of California Press, ISBN0-520-21865-5.
O'Neill, William G. (2002), Kosovo: An Unfinished Peace, Lynne Rienner Publishers, ISBN1-58826-021-6.
OSCE (2010), "Community Profile: Kosovo Turks", Kosovo Communities Profile, Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe.
January 02, 2023
turks, kosovo, also, known, kosovo, turks, kosovan, turks, turkish, kosova, türkleri, ethnic, turks, constitute, minority, group, kosovo, kosovo, turkskosova, türkleritotal, population18, 2011, census, kosovo, population, other, estimates, about, kosovo, popul. The Turks in Kosovo also known as Kosovo Turks and Kosovan Turks Turkish Kosova Turkleri are the ethnic Turks who constitute a minority group in Kosovo Kosovo TurksKosova TurkleriTotal population18 738 2011 census 1 1 1 of Kosovo s population Other estimates 30 000 2 to 50 000 3 about 1 2 of Kosovo s population 4 Regions with significant populationsMamusaPrizrenPristinaLanguagesBalkan Gagauz Turkish Turkish AlbanianReligionSunni IslamRelated ethnic groupsBalkan Turks Gagauz people Turkish people and other Turkic peoples Contents 1 History 2 Demographics 2 1 Population 2 2 Areas of settlement 3 Politics 4 Notable Kosovo Turks 5 Ottoman architecture 6 See also 7 References 8 BibliographyHistory EditTurkish settlement into Kosovo began in the late 14th century after the medieval Serbian state lost the Battle of Kosovo and the territory came under Ottoman rule Although Turkish colonists began arriving in 1389 1455 when during the Ottoman conquest numbers of soldiers officials and merchants began to make their appearance in the major towns of Kosovo the overwhelming majority of modern Turks in Kosovo are of Albanian origin 5 6 During Ottoman rule the cities of Prizren Mitrovica Vushtrri Gjilan and Pristina experienced a widespread phenomenon where villagers settling in the cities would upon arrival begin adopting Turkish customs and the Turkish language Those who settled in these urban environments where Turkish was the language of communication with the government and the language of social prestige opted to refer to themselves as Turks in order to distinguish themselves from those who had not migrated to the cities and as a marker of socioeconomic status A large number of these Turkified inhabitants still retain names alluding to their ethnic Albanian origin usually consisting of tribal names such as Berisha Bytyci Gashi Hoti Kastrati Krasniqi Kryeziu Luma and others 7 In 1912 the Ottoman Turks lost control over Kosovo and the region became a part of the Kingdoms of Serbia and Montenegro From this point Kosovo as a political entity was discontinued as the region was divided among new administrative units Following the Austrian and Bulgarian occupation during World War I Serbia and Montenegro became part of the newly created Kingdom of Serbs Croats and Slovenes in 1918 When the Axis powers occupied Yugoslavia in 1941 the former territory of Kosovo became part of Albania which was itself controlled by Italy With the defeat of the Axis powers Yugoslavia then ruled by Communists led by Josip Broz Tito regained control over the region In 1946 Kosovo returned to maps when a region bearing the name Kosovo and Metohija was granted autonomous status within FPR Yugoslavia As a result of the Turkification policies enacted by the Yugoslavian government between 1948 1956 the number of registered Turks in Kosovo jumped from a mere 1 313 or 0 2 of the population in 1948 to 34 343 4 3 of Kosovo s population in the 1953 census This was partly the result of the historical connotations of the word Turk which had been synonymous with Muslim during the Ottoman era These self declared Turks almost exclusively consisting of ethnic Albanians then began to emigrate to Turkey until 1958 on the basis of a bilateral agreement between Yugoslavia and Turkey 8 9 Turks in Kosovo according to official censuses 10 Year of census Turks of total population1921 27 920 6 3 1931 23 698 4 3 1939 24 946 3 8 1948 1 315 0 2 1953 34 583 4 3 1961 25 784 2 7 1971 12 224 1 0 1981 12 513 0 8 2011 18 738 1 1 Demographics EditPopulation Edit In 1993 the Human Rights Watch stated that there was approximately 20 000 Kosovan Turks constituting about 1 of Kosovo s population 11 More recent estimates suggest that there are now about 29 000 to 30 000 Turks living in Kosovo forming between 1 2 of Kosovo s total population 4 3 According to the 2011 census 18 738 citizens declared themselves as Turks constituting 1 1 of Kosovo s total population The European Centre for minority Issues Kosovo has stated that The total census number for Turks 18 738 is somewhat lower than that of previous estimates To give an example in Lipjan Lipljan the figure of Turks decreases from 400 500 to 128 However in the 2010 general elections the Turkish political parties KDTP and KTB received together a total of 207 votes Although members from other communities sometimes vote for Turkish parties and other issues need to be taken into account this figure suggests that for this municipality the census figure may not be representative and that further analysis is needed 12 Areas of settlement Edit The Turkish minority of Kosovo have a majority population in Mamusha However the largest Turkish population in Kosovo live in Prizren 13 They constitute roughly 5 of Prizren s population and the town remains the historical cultural and political centre of the Kosovan Turkish community 2 In the Gjilan municipality the Turkish community resides mostly in the town of Gjilane and in the villages of Livoc i Eperm Gornji Livoc and Dobercan Dobrcane constituting between 0 9 1 1 of the total population of the municipality 2 Kosovan Turks living in Mitrovica amount to roughly 1 5 of its total population in the southern part of the town Kosovan Turks live scattered in the city while those who live in northern region reside in the Bosniak Mahalla neighbourhood 2 In Vushtrri Turks constitute about 0 9 of the total population and live scattered throughout the urban areas In the Pristina region together with Turkish speaking Muslim Roma the Divanjoldjije Group they are concentrated in the urban areas of the city and constitute roughly 0 4 of the total municipal population and in the rural settlements of Janjevo and Banulle Bandulic in the Lipjan municipality where they amount to 0 5 of the population 2 Turkish population in Kosovo according to the 2011 census Turkish majority in bold Municipality Turks 2011 Census 14 TurkishPrizren 9 091 5 11 Mamusa 5 128 93 11 Pristina 2 156 1 08 Gjilan 978 1 08 Mitrovice 518 0 72 Vushtrri 278 0 39 Dragas 202 0 59 Lipjan 128 0 22 Fushe Kosove 62 Peje 59 Ferizaj 55 Gjakove 16 Gracanica 15 Istog 10 Novo Brdo 7 Gllogoc 5 Kamenice 5 Podujeve 5 Suhareke 4 Viti 4 Kline 3 Kacanik 2 Obiliq 2 Rahovec 2 Klokot 1 Skenderaj 1 Shtime 1 Kosovo total 18 738 1 1 Politics EditThere are three Turkish political parties in Kosovo Turkish Public Front under the leadership of Sezai Saipi Turkish Democratic Union under the leadership of Erhan Koroglu centred in Pristina Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo KTDP under the leadership of Mahir Yagcilar centred in Prizren the only registered Turkish party of Kosovo Notable Kosovo Turks EditEmin Acar tr politician Gulsha Adilji Swiss TV presenter Turkish Kosovar mother 15 Mazhar Apa tr businessman Cemil Arican tr politician Tevfik Nazif Arican tr politician Necmi Riza Ayca tr cartoonist Enver Baki tr writer Mehmet Faik Baysal tr politician Zeynel Beksac tr writer poet and short story writer Suleyman Brina tr community leader Asik Celebi biographer poet and translator Prizrenli Suzi Celebi poet and historiographer Fahrettin Durak football player Haci Omer Lutfu Efendi tr poet and writer Cafer Tayyar Egilmez officer of the Ottoman Army and a general of the Turkish Army Melih Gokcek mayor of Ankara 1994 2017 Nimetullah Hafiz tr literary scholar and Turcologist Adem Huduti tr military general Adnan Januzaj Belgian football player 16 17 18 Suzan Kardes tr singer and actress Hikmet Kivilcimli communist leader theoretician writer publicist and translator Abdulhadi Krasnic mayor of Mamusa Edvin Kurtulus Swedish football player Abdurrahman Seref Lac tr politician Hasan Mercan tr poet and writer Gani Mujde tr writer cartoonist screenwriter director and presenter Ahmet Samim journalist and liberal politician founding member of the Ottoman Liberty Party Ali Haydar Sen businessman Naci Sensoy football manager and former player Yahya Kemal Beyatli Turkish poet and author as well as a politician and diplomat Ismet Tavgac tr politician Ekrem Behcet Tezel tr politician Razi Trak tr former president of Fenerbahce S K Guner Ureya first Ambassador of the Republic of Kosovo to the People s Republic of Bangladesh Nusret Diso Ulku tr writer poet and short story writer Vehbi Varlik tr businessman Mahir Yagcilar President of the Turkish Democratic Party of KosovoOttoman architecture Edit Ottoman mosque Prizren An Ottoman mosque in Prizren Prizren League of Prizren building in Prizren See also the Mosque of Muderis Ali EfendiSee also EditTurkish minorities in the former Ottoman Empire Turks in Serbia Turks in the Balkans Mamusa Turkish Democratic Party of Kosovo Kosovo Turkey relations TurkificationReferences Edit http esk rks gov net rekos2011 repository flipbook 1 Te 20dhenat 20kryesore ALB 0 dead link a b c d e OSCE 2010 3 a b Cole 2011 368 a b Today s Zaman Kosovo Turks fear of Albanianization Retrieved 2012 02 24 Elsie 2010 276 Gashi Skender 2015 ONOMASTIC HISTORICAL RESEARCH ON EXTINCT AND ACTUAL MINORITIES OF KOSOVA ASHAK p 724 Gashi Skender 2015 ONOMASTIC HISTORICAL RESEARCH ON EXTINCT AND ACTUAL MINORITIES OF KOSOVA ASHAK p 724 Baltic 2007 29 Gashi Skender 2015 ONOMASTIC HISTORICAL RESEARCH ON EXTINCT AND ACTUAL MINORITIES OF KOSOVA ASHAK p 245 246 Mertus 1999 316 317 Human Rights Watch 1993 54 European Centre for minority Issues Kosovo 2012 6 O Neill 2002 56 Kosovo Agency of Statistics Population by gender ethnicity at settlement level p 12 Archived from the original on 2016 05 08 Retrieved 2016 04 29 Jikhareva Anna 2015 Sind Sie eine Mustermigrantin von Zwinglis Gnaden WOZ Die Wochenzeitung retrieved 6 May 2021 Frau Adilji Ihre Mutter stammt aus Pristina ist aber ursprunglich Turkin Ihr Vater wuchs als Albaner in einem serbischen Dorf nahe der kosovarischen Grenze auf Which countries can Adnan Januzaj play for ITV News 2013 retrieved 25 April 2021 The teenager was born in Brussels He qualifies to play for Albania through his Kosovan Albanian parents He qualifies to play for Turkey through his grandparents Adnan Januzaj invited to play for Kosovo in friendly match BBC News 2014 retrieved 25 April 2021 Januzaj who signed a new five year deal with Manchester United last October was born in Belgium and has Kosovan Albanian parents He could also represent Serbia after Kosovo declared independence from the country in 2008 while his grandparents are Turkish Januzaj could play for Kosovo but it won t end England hopes The Week 2014 retrieved 25 April 2021 The 19 year old was born in Belgium to Kosovan Albanian parents In addition the teenager has Turkish grandparentsBibliography EditBaltic Nina 2007 Theory and Practice of Human and Minority Rights under the Yugoslav Communist System PDF MIRICO Human and Minority Rights in the Life Cycle of Ethnic Conflicts Cole Jeffrey 2011 Ethnic Groups of Europe An Encyclopedia ABC CLIO ISBN 978 1 59884 302 6 Elsie Robert 2010 Historical Dictionary of Kosovo Scarecrow Press ISBN 978 0 8108 7231 8 European Centre for minority Issues Kosovo 2012 Minority Communities in the 2011 Kosovo Census Results Analysis and Recommendations PDF European Centre for minority Issues Kosovo archived from the original PDF on 2014 01 03 Human Rights Watch 1993 Open Wounds Human Rights Abuses in Kosovo Human Rights Watch ISBN 1 56432 131 2 Mertus Julie 1999 Kosovo How Myths and Truths Started a War University of California Press ISBN 0 520 21865 5 O Neill William G 2002 Kosovo An Unfinished Peace Lynne Rienner Publishers ISBN 1 58826 021 6 OSCE 2010 Community Profile Kosovo Turks Kosovo Communities Profile Organization for Security and Co operation in Europe Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Turks in Kosovo amp oldid 1127240327, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
