Chamerian conflict

The Chamerian conflict, occurring during World War II, was a violent and tragic episode marked by deep ethnic and political tensions between the Cham Albanian population and the Greek forces. The conflict primarily took place in the region of Epirus, known as Chameria by the Albanian population. During the Axis occupation of Greece, Cham Albanians, many of whom collaborated with the Italian and later German forces, were accused of committing atrocities against the local Greek population. This collaboration was partially facilitated by the Balli Kombëtar, an Albanian nationalist and collaborationist organization, which controlled parts of the region during the war (1942–1944).

Chamerian Conflict
Part of Greek Resistance and World War II in Albania
Greek soldiers during WW2
Date 1941-1945 Location Chameria,Epirus Result Greek Victory Destruction of Chameria Expulsion of Cham Albanians Fall of Ballist Occupation Territorial changes Reincorporation of Chameria back to Greece
Belligerents
EDES ELAS Local Greek Population	Balli Kombetar(1942-1944) Cham Albanians LANÇ German occupation of Albania(1943-1944)
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Hundreds dead 2416 Greek civilians got killed by Cham Albanians	5,000 Cham Albanians civilians got killed by Greeks 35,000 Cham Albanians were forced to leave Chameria

As the tide of war turned and Axis forces retreated, Greek resistance groups, particularly EDES (National Republican Greek League), led by Napoleon Zervas, launched a series of reprisals against the Cham Albanians. These reprisals led to widespread violence, including massacres and forced expulsions of the Cham Albanian population. By 1944–1945, the Greek forces had successfully reasserted control over the region, leading to the destruction of Cham villages and the expulsion of the Cham Albanians into Albania. This conflict resulted in the near-complete depopulation of the Cham Albanian community from Epirus and left a legacy of bitterness and unresolved grievances that persist to this day.

Background

The Chamerian conflict's origins are deeply rooted in the complex and volatile relationship between the Greek and Albanian populations in the Epirus region, exacerbated by the events of World War II. The Greco-Italian War of 1940-1941 played a crucial role in setting the stage for the conflict. When Mussolini's Italy invaded Greece from Albania in October 1940, Cham Albanians, many of whom harbored grievances against the Greek state, collaborated with the Italian forces, providing intelligence and logistical support. This collaboration strained the already tense relations between the Greek and Cham Albanian communities.

After the Italian invasion was repelled by Greek forces, the German invasion of Greece in April 1941 (Operation Marita) led to the occupation of Greece by Axis powers. During the occupation, Cham Albanian collaboration with the Italian and later German occupiers intensified. The Cham Albanians, under the influence of nationalist groups like Balli Kombëtar, saw the occupation as an opportunity to settle old scores and secure greater autonomy or even annexation to a Greater Albania. This led to widespread persecution and violence against the local Greek population, including massacres and forced expulsions, which would later provoke harsh reprisals from Greek resistance forces as the Axis retreated.

The deep-seated ethnic animosities, fueled by these wartime alliances and the broader context of the Greco-Italian War, created a volatile environment in which the Chamerian conflict erupted, leading to significant bloodshed and the eventual expulsion of the Cham Albanian population from Greece.

Conflict

The Chamerian conflict unfolded amidst the broader chaos of World War II, particularly following the Axis occupation of Greece in 1941. Cham Albanian collaboration with the occupying Italian and German forces significantly exacerbated tensions in the region. Cham Albanians, motivated by nationalist ambitions and long-standing grievances against the Greek state, engaged in widespread acts of violence and retribution against the local Greek population. This included assisting Axis forces in operations against Greek resistance fighters and participating in the persecution of Greek civilians.

As the Axis powers began to lose their grip on the region, Greek resistance groups, particularly EDES (National Republican Greek League) led by Napoleon Zervas, launched a series of brutal reprisals. These reprisals targeted Cham Albanian communities, resulting in massacres, the destruction of villages, and the forced expulsion of thousands of Cham Albanians into Albania by 1944–1945. The conflict led to the near-complete depopulation of the Cham Albanian population in Greek Epirus, effectively ending their centuries-old presence in the region. The violence and forced expulsions left a legacy of bitterness and unresolved disputes that continue to strain Greek-Albanian relations to this day.

Aftermath

As a result, the Cham Albanian community dispopulated a lot and left Epirus after the Chamerian conflict and the Explusion of Cham Albanians. Many property which was owned by the Chams, was seized by the Greeks, many cham villages were destroyed or burned. The Chamerian conflict, resulted in the decline and explusion of many Chams and other Albanians.

Bibliography

• Fischer, Bernd J. Albania at War, 1939-1945 (West Lafayette: Purdue University Press, 1999).
  • Mazower, Mark. Inside Hitler's Greece: The Experience of Occupation, 1941-44 (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1993).
    1. Vickers, Miranda. The Cham Issue: Albanian National and Property Claims in Greece (Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2002).