Cen Elezi

Cen Elezi
Born	Hysen Elez Ndreu 1884 Lisvalle (Sllove), Dibër, Ottoman Empire (modern Albania)
Died	May 9, 1949 (aged 65) Yugoslavia
Nationality	Albanian
Other names	Cen Elez Ndreu
Occupation	Guerrilla fighter
Known for	Uprising of Dibra, 1912, Battle of Dibra, 1920

Cen Elezi was an Albanian bayraktar, Colonel and nationalist.

Biography

Cen Elez Ndreu was born in Sllovë, Dibër, Ottoman Empire (in modern Albania). ^[1] Ndreu was bayraktar of Dibra and Kolonel, he was son of Albanian well known patriot Elez Isuf Ndreu and grandson of Isuf Ndreu. He is considered as a nationalist figure of Albania. ^[2] Ndreu fought against Ottoman Empire alongside his father Isuf and people of Reç and liberated Peshkopi and The Greater Dibra. ^[1] During 1913-1915 Cen Elezi participated in Balkan Wars against Serbian invasion in parts of Dibër and Lumë region.

On 16 April, he took part in Albanian peace delegation that went to Rome. ^[3] In 1916 Elezi was selected to be part of Liberation Committee of Kosovo in Shkodër.In 1920’s he was part of his father’s uprising and fightings against Serbs during Albanian-Yugoslav border war (1921) and later clashes against Xhafer Ypi and Ahmet Zog goverment in 1922 and also participated in June Revolution (Albania) 1924. After Zog’s returning to power and his father Elez Isufi was murdered he left political activity and got more isolated in his town in Sllove where he took care of his family agricultural economy. After Italian Invasion of Albania he returned his nationalist activity against italian occupation troops in 1941. He clashed also with other nationalists who supported Fascist Italy. In 1943 after harsh fightings between italian troops and his supporters they bombed his hometown and burned his tower. After they left Albania in September he was coordinated with Balli Kombëtar leader Mid’hat Frashëri,nationalist fighters Xhem Hasa,Mefail Shehu,Hysni Dema etc against LANÇ operations however he was against war between Albanians. After Democratic Government of Albania establishment he spent two years in mountains until he fled to Yugoslavia, he was captured by UDBA and Yugoslav authorities and sent in prison. He died of tortures on 9 May 1949.

References

1. Telegraf, Gazeta. "Cen Elezi, luftëtari legjendë i maleve të Dibrës". Gazeta Telegraf. Archived from the original on 2013-10-30. Retrieved 2014-06-24.
2. "Cen Elezi Ndreu, Besë Nga Malet E Dibrës". gazetadielli.com. 5 November 2013.
3. Elsie, Robert (2012). A Biographical Dictionary of Albanian History. I.B.Tauris. ISBN   9781780764313.