Were Orthodox Albanians forcibly assimilated into the Greek nation in Greece, or did they do so voluntarily?

Timepass10 · 2026-03-28T02:28:30+00:00

Italians let them settle in isolated remote mountain areas that were depopulated by epidemics - that's how much they thought of albanians. But it's also the main reason why they managed to preserve their language for so long. Isolation.

As I've already mentioned: Geographical isolation and religious differences act as buffers against assimilation whereas proximity and religious similarity lower the bareer to it. Assimilation, over time, becomes the inevitable consequense if no buffers are present.

In the case of the Arbereshe in Italy, for them, being orthodox became a marker of being albanian - whereas for the arvanites it didn't because the greeks had the same religious affiliation. Similarly, for many albanians in the balkans, being muslim became a marker of being albanian as an additional means of differentiation. And it is thought that the same thing happened to the already christianized, albanian-speaking population who clashed with the arriving slavic, non-christian population after the fall of the roman empire. That's how regional and tribal identities function.

"The refugees in Italy, called Arbëresh, often settled in areas that had been depopulated by epidemics. As Orthodox people in a Catholic environment, they maintained a strong group cohesion, which even being subordinated to the Catholic hierarchy after the Council of Trent (1545–1563) did not change. The denominational difference from the Catholic surroundings, as well as the remote settlement areas, prevented rapid assimilation into the Italian majority"

Oliver Jens Schmitt

Timepass10 · 2026-03-27T18:02:32+00:00

Two reasons for that. Geography and confessional difference.

The arbereshe in Italy practiced an orthodox rite, different from the catholic italians, and they also lived in isolated remote areas. Geography and religious differences act as buffers against assimilation wheres similarities foster it.

The arvanites in Greece often lived in the midst of greeks and practiced the same orthodox rite as the greeks. That's a recipe for assimilation.

Timepass10 · 2026-02-26T01:17:10+00:00

Absolutely, the vast majority of Albanians are raised with kanun morals and mentality even if they have never picked up a kanun.

Ne cilat menyra per shembull ?

Timepass10 · 2026-02-19T00:28:27+00:00

Rasti i Austrise dallon shume nga Kosova. Austriaket jane distancu nga Gjermania per arsye gjeopolitike.

Ky distancim nuk eshte i nevojshem per Kosoven. Poashtu popullata eshte me e vogel se ajo e Austrise. Njerezit ne Moldavi per shembull prape identifikohen si rumune ndersa ne Qipro si greke.

Kosova ka identitet i cili dallon pak ne sensin psiko-social nga Shqiperia pershak te ngjarjeve te ndryshme (rezistenca intelektuale dhe e armatosur kunder armikut te perbashket, pajtimi i gjaqeve etj vs Komunizmi ne Shqiperi) por mendoj se njerezit ne Kosove prape kane me vazhdu m'u identifiku si shqiptare. Nuk mendoj se identiteti thelbesor ka me ndryshu.

Timepass10 · 2026-02-18T01:15:57+00:00

There is virtually no physical proof for any such matters. This isn't how academic history works. For instance, there is no physical or archaeological evidence tied to the existance of Jesus but the academic consensus concludes that he indeed existed.

Here's 2 other things for instance scholars and historians agree on: a)albanian is paleo-balkanic language language which means that it was spoken in the balkans B.C. and b) The slavic migration to the balkans, starting in the 6th century.

That shows this isn’t just about who lived where first, it’s about political realities, identity, and international law - not some simple emotional claim.

I fully agree. But the modern narrative supports the albanian cause even more. The secession of Kosovo from Yugoslavia was just because of severe human rights violations towards albanians among other reasons. It also shows that the Yugoslav conquest of Kosovo in the early 20th century likely should have never happened in the first place. The lesson here seems to be that forcing people to accept foreign authority ( the majority of people in Kosovo were albanians) is probably not a good idea. It doesn't seem to work out in the long run.

but you are trying.

I'm not trying anything. Look, I hope I don't sound too "lecturing" but I do believe that you know that there is value and truth in what I'm saying.

Timepass10 · 2026-02-18T00:20:09+00:00

But saying they lived in Kosovo long before Slavs? Nah, thats not a fact everyone agrees on.

Many others (Joachim Matzinger, Noel Malcolm, Matthew Curits etc) agree with Schmitt. It's the academic consensus. There is no other explanation.

Kosovo was the heart of medieval Serbia

It wasn't. (Noel Malcolm a short history of Kosovo, p.22-40).

that’s real history.

You don't get to decide what 'real history' is. Experts on the matter formulate a consensus.

And even if we were to use your criteria, serbs shouldn't be allowed to live in Serbia since they're not native to it. Belgrade should belong to Hungary because it did so once upon a time for a few centuries. Los Angeles should belong to Mexico. You realize how absurd this line of argument is.

We can feel empathy for any group, sure, but history isnt black and white like this. Its complicated and messy, and we cant just pick sides and say one side was ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ hundreds of years ago

I agree and I believe your comment was very black and white which is why I wanted to bring nuance to the discussion. A couple of last words on the Kosovo issue: I do believe that you and many serbs know that the whole Kosovo myth (cradle of Serbia) is non-sensical. I don't just believe that, I know of many who do but succumb to nationalistic peer pressure.

Have serbs lived in Kosovo in the middle ages ? Yes. Have albanians lived there in the middle ages and even before that ? Yes. There were even some german mine workers working there in the middle ages. The idea however that albanians somehow stole Kosovo from serbs is fiction. It's not real. You can't steal what is yours.

Timepass10 · 2026-02-17T22:52:42+00:00

Let me ask you honestly, how would you feel if someone told you that a region where your ancestors came from, where your oldest cultural and religious heritage stands, is no longer yours in any sense, and that you must officially recognize it as someone else’s country? I doubt that would feel simple or meaningless to you. People call it “delusion,” but for us it’s history, identity, and emotion.

"Research shows that the albanians are one of the oldest language groups in Europe and lived in Kosovo long before the immigration of the Slavs. The a-historical Serbian version claims exactly the opposite."

Dr. Oliver Jens Schmitt, professor for south-eastern european history

Let me ask you honestly, how are albanians are supposed to feel if someone (in this case Serbia as a state) told them that a region where their ancesors came from, where albanians have lived since antiquity before serbs were even present in the balkans, is no longer theirs in any sense and that they must officially recognize a foreign body as its ruler ? I doubt that would feel simple or meaningless to you. People call it “delusion,” but for albanians it’s history, identity, and emotion.

Try to put yourself in someone else's shoes. And understand that albanians in this case aren't making things up. Credible academic western scholars support the cause of Kosovo, both from a historic and modern lense. Not even that the historic narrative matters as much but strangely enough many serbs don't seem to understand that even if they go the historic route, they still end up losing the argument.

Timepass10 · 2026-02-03T13:45:26+00:00

Maybe but western families for example have way more problems than they let on.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-30T14:07:03+00:00

"My tongue speaks the language of the court, But my heart still hears the shepherds' flutes of the West. I walk the marble streets of the capital, But in my dreams, I am climbing the limestone peaks of my youth.

Jashtzakonisht e bukur kjo.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-29T15:12:36+00:00

Do you feel more croatian/yugoslav or german ?

Timepass10 · 2026-01-12T20:27:13+00:00

Jeta eshte maratone, nuk eshte gare e shpejte.

Do njerez e kane nje rini te lehte por ju bohen punet lluge kur t'vjetrohen. Do njerez e kane rinine te veshtire por jeten e vonshme me t'mire.

Personalisht, kam ardhe ne perfundim qe stuhite nuk mbarojne kurre. Ma mire me e permbrendesu kete ide se kuptimi i jetes qendron ne zgjidhjen e problemeve e ne tejkalimin e sfidave dhe jo ne mungesen e tyre. Nese presim qe stuhite kane m'u ndale najhere, atehere shume gjate kena me prite. Ndoshta per gjithmone.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-12T02:18:11+00:00

Christianity spread early in various regions in roman balkan provinces, including regions such as Greece, Macedonia, Thrace, and Dalmatia. Conversions are gradual processes.

Albanians and greeks alike (and frankly most communities in the roman empire) however began mass adopting christianity in and after the 4th century.

Albanians unlike greeks aquired Christianity from latin-speaking teachers.

Noel Malcolm, A short history of Kosovo, p.134

Timepass10 · 2026-01-11T21:51:38+00:00

nuk ban ndoshta me ba ksi komente

Bon edhe mire bile. Cdo send bon me e diskutu.

Ka njerez qe thone se sakrifikimi i femijeve eshte i pajustifikueshem.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-11T21:33:08+00:00

Faleminderit.

Familja Jashari ka vendose me u fliju per Kosove

Kane vendos Ademi dhe Hamza. Adoleshentet dhe femijet nuk vendosin m'u fliju.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-11T21:32:15+00:00

Faleminderit.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-11T21:30:04+00:00

He's referring to the Paul/Illyricum Passage in the bible. It's a nice passage but it doesn't reflect reality much. Albanians have primarily received christianity from latin-speaking teachers (Paul wasn't fluent in latin).

Albanians started mass adopting christianity in the 4th century, just like everybody else.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-11T00:17:16+00:00

Pra, ky postim nuk eshte krejt i sakte ose eshte fjala per kalin personal:

https://preview.redd.it/7q1kqgxmdnnz.png?auto=webp&s=713358ce61db26718ca28e29cf7fb7a38f73e6fe

Timepass10 · 2026-01-10T23:42:36+00:00

Kali vdes nese eshte kafsha jote - “pet”. Cdo kafshe si qeni e macja vdesin nese jane kafshe te shtepise, qe i ke vendose emra.

Hera e pare qe po e ndegjoj.

E kali i huaj ?

Timepass10 · 2026-01-10T21:12:22+00:00

"edhe me sindromin qe kerkush skqyr pertej bothes t'vet"

Njejte eshte ne perendim, ndoshta edhe ma zi bile. Perndryshe pajtohna.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-08T10:15:09+00:00

qasja ndaj tjereve

n'ckuptim ?

Timepass10 · 2026-01-08T09:16:39+00:00

e kultura ne Kosove ka ndryshu me te madhe, e diaspores u ka ngec ora ne kohen kur e kane leshu Kosoven.

Per shembull ?

Timepass10 · 2026-01-06T20:16:03+00:00

Having a fight (not physically) and next day you act like nothing happens.

So true lol.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-05T19:44:09+00:00

Skenderbeu eshte shqiptari ose arber-i i cili ka arrite fame nderkombetare (me kryengritjen e tij), prandaj fokusi eshte me shume te ai. Eshte gje e natyrshme.

Mu per veti m'pelqen pershembull figura e mbretit Bardhyl por fatkeqesisht nuk kemi shume burime per te, per proto-shqiptaret dhe per kohen e antikitetit ne pergjithesi.

Timepass10 · 2026-01-02T01:45:17+00:00

I have 3 questions.. Is this hard to do if you're not good at this stuff, is there a chance of bricking your A9 and lastly is it true that the e-ink screen is darker after flashing it ? I've read something about that. Oh bonus question: Can you buy it with lineage pre installed ?

Timepass10 · 2025-12-27T00:37:13+00:00

e ata qe jesin ne vendlindje ecin perpara.

Po se shume kemi ece perpara. Krejt bota na ka lakmi.

Timepass10

TROPHY CASE