Demographics of Ferizaj

Feriz Khan or Hani i Ferizit, is known as the first place where the first inhabitants in the region Ferizaj, a city and municipality in Kosovo originated.

The first families to come to Ferizaj

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Goga Families

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The city of Ferizaj was established in 1873. However, many decades before the creation of the city, Ferizaj was settled by the first family named Goga. Their houses were built in the village of Nikadin, which, before the construction of the railway, was unnamed. This family also lived in the region of Ferizaj when Elezit Khan existed. They began to work and to establish their households. Near their houses was a crossroad that linked all the roads of Kosovo. They became the most important family of that time. Members of this family are considered the first inhabitants and the creators of the city. It is thought that the Goga family originated from the area of northern Albania from the great highland in the village of Muraj. In those areas, the surname Goga is very common. Many families around the beginning of the 18th century moved to Kosovo to take advantage better living conditions. Members of Goga family brought their culture with them to Ferizaj. Their unique and rich spoken language originated in northern Albania. The chamber of Ismajl Goga is famous for its hospitality for friends, guests, and passersby. Some of the first leaders of the Goga family were: Bislim Goga II, Haxhi Kadri Goga III, and Ismajl Goga and his descendants Muharremi, Faiku, Samiu, Kadriu, Remziu, and Xhylizarja.[1]

Vata Families

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Early residents of Ferizaj city also included the Vata family. Families lived quietly in the same place until the year 1912. Today a military barrack occupies the land. The Vata family mostly worked in agriculture and cultivated vegetables. The first leaders of Vata family were: Ali Vata, Avdi Vata, Bajram Vata, Beqir Vata, Fejzë Vata, Haki Vata, Halim Vata, Hetem Vata, Halim Vata, Ismajl Vata, Liman Vata, Mustafë Vata, Muharrem Vata, Nazif Vata, Rizah Vata, Rifat Vata, Sylejman Vata, Shaban Vata, preacher, professor, teacher and one of the creators of the first Albanian school, called Ismajl Qemaili in Ferizaj (1914–1968).[2]

 
Familja Kurti, Ferizaj 1920

Kurti Families

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Other early residents of Ferizaj city were the Kurti Family. Around 1750, Kolë Kurti and his brothers (Seba, Andrea, and Toni) moved to Gjakova. Later Zef Kurti married Petra and moved to Ferizaj in 1878 during the time the railway was under construction. They were mainly tradesmen and hand-craftsmen. One of the Kurtis was Father Shtjefën Kurti[3] (1898–1971) who was a priest and a martyr. He was born and raised in Ferizaj and studied in Graz, Feldkirch, and Innsbruck in Austria as well as Rome, Italy. From 1936 he was the parish priest in Tirana where he was executed by the communist regime of that time.

Gjon Serreqi is another member of the Kurti family who was the leader of Lidhja Nacionale Demoratike Shqipëtare (the Albanian National Democratic Union or LNDSH). Gjon Serreqi[4] was a professor who was jailed for his political activity and sentenced to death by the regime of that time. Today, one of Europe's largest secondary schools bears his name in his honor.[5]

The Kurti family brought the first pharmacist to Ferizaj, Anton Kurti, the father of Vilson and Marsel Kurti as well as the tradesman and a leader in the metal industry Leon Kurti, who is the father of Kolë and Franc Kurti, both mechanical engineers and gold tradesmen who to this day, reside in Ferizaj.

In recent generations, the Kurti family has continued to make significant contributions in various professional fields:

  • Leonard Kurti, a Ph.D. in Biochemistry and Assistant Professor at the University of Prishtina. [6]
  • Ilir Kurti, holding an MBA and PMP certification, is a well-known entrepreneur with activities in both Kosovo, USA and Germany. [7]
  • Dr. David Kurti, a Medical Doctor specialized in Radio-Oncology, based in Lucerne, Switzerland and a former doctor of the Juventus [8] [9]

The Kurti family is a large family whose members also live in: Albania (Tirana, Durrës), Croatia (Rijeka, Opatija), Switzerland (Lucerne), Germany (Stuttgart) and Norway (Oslo).

Albanian Catholic families

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Ferizaj became a very attractive place for those seeking new opportunities for work and it was an environment where there were no national or religious separations. Because of that, it also became attractive for Catholic families that had settle in the village since the beginning. Most of the Catholic families were involved with handcrafts. They had different experiences from visiting the most well-known handcrafts, economic, and cultural centers. The leaders of those families were: Anton Kurti, pharmacist, the father of Vilson and Marse Kurti; merchant: Leon Kurti the father of Kolë and Franc Kurti both of them mechanical engineers, and Violeta Kurti-Pufjes, education veteran; Anton Gjoni, baker and painter; Batë Kajtazi, officer, the father of Marsel and Viktor; Dedë Gjini; Dedë Pren Palaj, baker, Ded's father, teacher; Dedush Ndou, worker; Franc Dedushi, shopkeeper, Gap Gllasniqi, Merchant, Kolë Gllasniqi's father, doctor of professional orientation; Gjon Serreqi, professor, jailed for his politics and sentenced to death as a leader of Albanian National Democratic Organization for national activities.[10]

Refugee families

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Along with the violent displacements of Albanians from Serbia (Sandžak or Niš) after the Berlin Congress in 1878, a large number of people were placed in Ferizaj. They were known as Muhaxhirs. The most well-known family leaders were Abdullah Musliu-Petrovic who was the Head of Ferizaj in 1946, Ahmet Qunglla, Ahmet Svarqa, Avdyl Rexhepi, Avdyl Qerimi, Emin Islami, Fetah Hasani, Hajdin Petrovci, etc.[11]

Gorani families

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This family came to Ferizaj from villages around Dragash, which were known for their professionals which included handcrafts, cooks, and confectionery makers. Heads of Gorani families were: Adem Limani, Beqir Mehmeti, Berzat Osmani, Daut Sadiku, Ejup Limani, Elez Rexhepi, etc.[12]

Serbian and Montenegrin families

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A big number of Serbians came to Ferizaj including merchants and craftsmen. They came from different parts of Kosovo. Serbians and Montenegrins arrived between the two World Wars and settled in all of Serbias areas. The first family heads were: Duša Llukič, Marko Gjorgje Nikolič, Sava Vitković, etc.[13]

Residents and households in Ferizaj

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The following table lists the number of residents and households economies in Ferizaj for the years 1961, 1971, 1981, and 1999.[14] The historical population for the current area of Ferizaj is divided into statistical areas as follows:[15]

No. Residence
Number of residents Number of household economies
1961 1971 1981 1999 1961 1971 1981
1 Ferizaj 11655 22239 37655 57421 2354 4083 6179
2 Bablak 361 370 388 455 63 68 75
3 Babush 395 369 341 289 69 68 72
4 Balaj 551 687 933 1551 78 103 150
5 Bibaj 341 443 592 914 67 71 92
6 Burrnik 442 450 398 633 64 58 46
7 Cërrnillë 546 668 817 1353 87 99 119
8 Doganaj 386 463 582 900 54 72 96
9 Dremjak 612 763 936 1557 100 110 130
10 Dardani 758 720 849 931 148 141 154
11 Gaçkë 1081 1268 1723 2726 187 203 226
12 Gërlicë 181 260 347 34 42
13 Greme 1966 2576 3520 5749 284 355 418
14 Jezerc 1630 1666 1621 2692 236 231 183
15 Komogllavë 1851 2499 3118 5164 276 333 183
16 Koshare 925 1203 1543 2547 135 179 185
17 Kosinë 536 605 731 1121 85 90 95
18 Lloshkobare 668 920 1170 1910 100 141 148
19 Mirash 1083 1231 1542 2431 145 182 208
20 Muhovc 324 337 444 730 48 48 46
21 Manastir 364 580 779 1295 52 81 106
22 Mirosalë 792 909 1037 1712 107 115 130
23 Nikadin 622 862 1026 1080 111 150 137
24 Neredime e Epërme 1219 1267 1641 2255 236 239 297
25 Neredime e Poshtme 750 945 1302 1943 121 149 207
26 Papaz 315 336 397 655 50 42 66
27 Pleshinë 1416 2035 2877 5177 232 298 424
28 Pojatë 407 595 720 1156 70 76 88
29 Prelez i Jerlive 941 1046 1242 2008 143 177 175
30 Prelez i Muhaxherëve 446 576 685 859 71 72 52
31 Rahovicë 877 576 685 859 101 119 108
32 Rakaj 164 302 583 959 34 38 57
33 Sazli 582 597 716 1136 86 84 91
34 Slivovë 633 806 1138 1859 107 120 143
35 Softaj 279 354 366 540 53 50 59
36 Sojevë 729 906 1155 1907 122 126 177
37 Surrqinë 230 312 386 644 37 38 47
38 Fshati i Vjetër 250 393 679 1037 50 62 99
39 Talinovc i Jerlive 387 505 727 665 61 57 79
40 Talinovc i Muhaxherëve 653 878 1133 1386 110 143 122
41 Tërrn 625 716 799 1273 88 93 102
42 Varosh 1257 1541 2035 3200 216 229 267
43 Zaskok 886 1070 1281 1924 147 170 188
44 Zllatar 685 856 1084 1801 98 109 122

References

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  1. ^ Ferizaj 1873–1944/Ibrahim Hyseni (Goga) page 17,18; chapter II
  2. ^ Ferizaj 1873–1944/Ibrahim Hyseni (Goga) page 41, 32; chapter III
  3. ^ Shtjefën Kurti
  4. ^ Albanian National Democratic Movement
  5. ^ "Ferizaj kujton Gjon Serreqin • KOHA".
  6. ^ "Universiteti i Prishtinës". staff.uni-pr.edu.
  7. ^ "WeDo Source - Outsourcing Solutions for Your Business!". WeDo Source.
  8. ^ "Kurti D - Search Results - PubMed". PubMed.
  9. ^ "Mjeku kosovar bëhet pjesë e Juventusit". Telegrafi. June 3, 2016.
  10. ^ Ferizaj 1873–1944/Ibrahim Hyseni (Goga) page 49, 50; chapter V
  11. ^ Ferizaj 1873–1944/Ibrahim Hyseni (Goga) page 53,54; chapter VI
  12. ^ Ferizaj 1873–1944/Ibrahim Hyseni (Goga) page 68, 69; chapter VIII
  13. ^ Ferizaj 1873–1944/Ibrahim Hyseni (Goga) page 70; chapter IX
  14. ^ https://esk.rks-gov.net/rekos2011/repository/docs/Te%20dhenat%20kryesore%20demografike%20sipas%20komunave.pdf rekos2011, Te dhenat demografike sipas komunes, February 23, 2014
  15. ^ Aplikimi i GIS-it ne qeshtjet urbane Ferizaj lagjeja Qendra-Adnan Hashani/Prishtine 2006