The Jewish presence in Kosovo and Metohia during the Balkan wars and WWI

Abstract

This paper reports on everyday life and the social-economic, political and cultural state of the Jewish communities in Kosovo and Metohia just before the Balkan wars broke out and during the wars, then in a short period between the end of the second Balkan war and the beginning of the First World War, during Great War and finally with the liberation and cessation of war actions on the territory of Kosovo and Metohia. At the same time, the paper treats the presence and public activeness of the Jewish figures from abroad who were engaged in Balkan for various reasons and were visiting Kosovo and Metohia because of the character of their businesses. Participation of the Jewish soldiers at the war front in this area, emigration and desertion from Kosovo and Metohia because of war skirmish, the diplomatic activity of representatives of the Jewish communities from the Kingdom of Serbia with aim of survival and comeback on the liberated territory of Kosovo and Metohia - a present integral part of this paper as well.

Ovaj rad izveštava o svakodnevnom životu i društveno-ekonomskom, političkom i kulturnom stanju jevrejskih zajednica na Kosovu i Metohiji neposredno pre izbijanja balkanskih ratova i tokom ratova, zatim u kratkom periodu između završetka Drugog balkanskog rata i početka Prvog svetskog rata, tokom Velikog rata i konačno oslobađanjem i prestankom ratnih dejstava na teritoriji Kosova i Metohije. Istovremeno, rad se bavi prisustvom i javnom aktivnošću jevrejskih ličnosti iz inostranstva koji su iz raznih razloga bili angažovani na Balkanu i zbog karaktera svog poslovanja posećivali Kosovo i Metohiju. Učešće jevrejskih vojnika na ratnom frontu na ovim prostorima, iseljavanje i dezerterstvo sa Kosova i Metohije zbog ratnog okršaja, diplomatska aktivnost predstavnika jevrejskih opština iz Kraljevine Srbije u cilju opstanka i povratka na oslobođenu teritoriju Kosovo i Metohija su integralni deo i ovog rada.