Vermosh
—  Settlement  —
Vermosh
Coordinates: 42°35′34″N 19°40′50″E / 42.59278°N 19.68056°E / 42.59278; 19.68056Coordinates: 42°35′34″N 19°40′50″E / 42.59278°N 19.68056°E / 42.59278; 19.68056
Country	Albania
County	Shkodër
District	Malësi e Madhe
Municipality	Kelmend
Government
• Mayor	Gjon Hysaj
Time zone	Central European Time (UTC+1)
• Summer (DST)	CEST (UTC+2)
Car Plates	MA (Malësi e Madhe)

View over Vërmosh to the East

Church of Vërmosh

One-man-bunkers from the Hoxha era in Vërmosh

Traditional entrance onto private ground

Vërmosh (pron.: "vurmosh", definite form Vërmoshi) is the northernmost village of Albania, a rural part of the Kelmend municipality, District of Malësi e Madhe.

Geography [link]

Vërmosh is part of the "Accursed Mountains" (Bjeshket e Namuna in Albanian, Prokletije (gore) in Serbian and Montenegrin), a mountain range in northern Albania that extends to western Kosovo and eastern Montenegro and the highest point of which, Maja Jezercë, lies 18.8 kilometers (12 miles) south of Vërmosh, in the Theth and Valbona National Parks.

Vërmosh comprises the quarters of Pjetroja—also known as Qendra ("The Center"), Velan, Bashkim ("Junction" --with the Lepushë valley), Velipojë, and Maliaj. When first explored it was called Bjeshket e Seljanave.

Its mountain pastures are called Seferçe, Smutirogë, Lugu i Dolit, Përbicë, Greben, etc.

Vërmosh is the place of the border crossing with Montenegro near Vjeternik on the road from Shkodra (95 km (59 mi) away) and Koplik to Guci/Gusinje and Plav/Plava in Montenegro.

The Vërmosh river [link]

Vërmosh extends around the 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) of the Vërmosh river (Lumi i Vërmoshit in Albanian) which belong to Albania.

The Vërmosh river appears under the Montenegrin name of Vrmoša below the Maglič peak in the Kuči area of eastern Montenegro, just before running into Albania.

It re-enters Montenegro at Vjeternik under the name of Grnčar.

Receiving the stream Vruje from the right in Guci/Gusinje, it continues as the Ljuča for a few more kilometers where it empties into the Lake Plav (Plavsko blato in Montenegrin), creating a small delta.

There it flows out of the lake to the north, next to the mountain Visitor, under the name Lim for the remaining 197 kilometers (122 miles) through Montenegro, Serbia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, where it joins the Drina at the Višegrad reservoir.

Population [link]

Vërmosh started being settled in the mid-19th century, first for the 4–6 months of the Spring and Summer because of the harsh winters (up to 3 feet of snow regularly).

Most of the families living there originate from Sëlca, 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) south of Vërmosh. Other settlers have come from places such as Kosovo, specifically from nearby Peja. The regional economy is based mainly on agriculture, immigrant remittances and tourism.

Tourism [link]

Most tourists come to Vërmosh for its mountain views. There are also more than 30 kinds of medicinal and endemic plants.

Popular activities in Vërmosh include hiking, fishing, horseback riding, and the "Miss Bjeshka" ("Miss Mountains") pageant.^[1]

History [link]

The border was drawn in 1878 by the Berlin Congress which gave Plav/Plava, Guci/Gusinje, Tuzi and Ulqin/Ulcinj to Montenegro at the expense of the Ottoman Empire. Although Vermosh was there before the border was drawn. The history of Vermosh comes from the story of the three brothers Seli, Vuli and Nili. Their names resemble the villages of Selca, Vukli and Nikci. Some families from Vermosh have come from Gusinje and Peje. They have changed their last names to a Albanian-Catholic last name and have became catholic and adopted the traditions of people from Vermosh. There is a book that was written by Pero Llesh Tinaj.

Part of the Malësor highlanders, the local Këlmendi mountain tribe has been known for its warring tradition, mostly against foreign occupiers. It has been traditionally Catholic. Vërmosh is the birthplace of patriots Fran Llesh Tinaj, Mema Smajli, Marash Vata, Dod Prek Nika, Gjon Preci, etc.

One big local hero was Prek Cali Hasanaj, famous for fighting Slavic aggression and Communist oppressors.

Fleeing the Communist regime [link]

After Enver Hoxha died in 1985, many people from Vërmosh tried to leave. Most were caught by the Communists and brought to Shkodër.

17 year-old Pëllumb Pëllumbaj left Vërmosh to try to cross the border to Yugoslavia through Hani Hotit. He was caught and the communist party killed him and dragged his body through Shkodër on a truck. When the people of Shkodër saw him they started arguing with the communists saying "why did you kill him, he didn't deserve to be killed"? They started rioting and the Communists had to call Albanian Communist President Ramiz Alia and Enver Hoxha's spouse Nexhmije Hoxha then in Gjirokastër. 500 people from Shkodra were killed because of the death of Pëllumb Pëllumbaj. Two days before Pellumb's attempt, Genc Nikoll Tinaj, and Gjergj Pjeter Vuktilaj left Vermosh for United States and were the first from the whole municipality of Kelmend to leave and have a successful attempt.

This also occurred in probably the same year when people from Bajza attempted to cross the border in Vërmosh and were caught by the Communists who carried their corpses on the back of trucks through the Kelmend municipality (Selcë, Tamarë, Lëpushë, and Vërmosh) and then down to Shkodër.

Notable People [link]

• Prek Cali Hasanaj
• Llesh Marashi
• Mema Smajlaj
• Fran Llesh Tinaj
• Luc Mark Gjelosh Hysaj
• Zek Çuni Hysaj
• Gjelosh Çuni Hysaj
• Pjeter Gjek Hysaj
• Marash Vata Lumaj (fought the Communist regime)
• Gjon Prec Rexhaj
• Dod Prek Nika Bujaj (fought the Communist regime)
• Gjergj Ndou
• Ded Lulashi
• Fran Mali
• Nik Marku Rexhaj
• Ded Macaj

Families [link]

• Tinaj
• Vuktilaj
• Bujaj
• Cali
• Dukaj
• Gjonaj
• Hasanaj
• Hysaj
• Koçaj
• Lelçaj
• Lumaj
• Maçaj
• Mitaj
• Nacaj
• Pepaj
• Peraj
• Pllumaj
• Preljocaj"
• Rexhaj
• Selmanaj
• Mernacaj
• Lekutanaj
• Smajlaj
• Shqutaj
• Volaj
• Vushaj
• Vukaj

References [link]

Whoever is editing this page do not edit anymore this is under federal reserve.

See also [link]

• Albanian Alps

External links [link]

• Kelmend Municipality Official Website

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Vermosh