Oral History Kosovo

25/12/2025

A tailor by profession, Mr. Novosella’s first political activity was to sew hundreds of red and black national flags to be hung in public spaces across Kosovo on November 28.

“The second imprisonment happened like this [...] I think this was in ‘70. One of our friends from prison, Hyda Dobruna, got married. He was a member of our organization, [together] with his friends. He got married in Gjakova. He invited us friends to go to his wedding. And in the wedding it was proposed, actually here Meriman Braha, he is here, he works here. I know, he proposed from someone to go up, there were more than 200 wedding guests, and to ask for a moment of silence for Fazli Grajçevci and as a sign of respect for the prisoners who were in prison. They found it reasonable, they suggested me, so I got up. I greeted the wedding guests, I congratulated the wedding and I asked for a moment of silence for Fazli Grajçevci and as a sign of respect for our friends who were in prisons. That was done and the situation immediately got messy. That’s when they imprisoned me, they imprisoned me… I was sentenced to two years in prison. And then, what Meriman Braha said, there were investigations and everything, everything, I didn’t accept any names.”

Sabri Novosella was born in 1943, in Vushtrri. He is the author of countless historical and political works. He was...

22/12/2025

A heartfelt invitation to not look at “the neighbor’s yard,” and keep the peace among nations.

“All of us, Roma, Serbs and Albanians, are doing better now. One had hate for the other before the war, and also right after the war, but now it's better. I do go out and spend time with people and I keep looking and I see people do better, Roma, Serbs and Albanians, we all are doing better…Because I think that no one wants another war, to go through that fear and destruction again. No one wants their child to have to go through what they had to go through the war.”

This publication was conducted in partnership with the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Views and opinions presented therein are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Mamudija Mustafa was born in Prilužje on September 9, 1969. Raised in a family of blacksmiths, before the war she...

22/12/2025

Një ftesë e sinqertë për të mos parë “oborrin e fqinjit” dhe për të ruajtur paqen mes kombeve.

“Të gjithë ne, romë, serbë dhe shqiptarë, jemi më mirë tani. Para luftës, e madje edhe menjëherë pas luftës, kishte urrejtje mes njëri-tjetrit, por tani është më mirë. Unë dal, rri me njerëz dhe shikoj përreth, dhe shoh që njerëzit po jetojnë më mirë, romë, serbë e shqiptarë, të gjithë jemi më mirë… Sepse mendoj që askush nuk do edhe një luftë tjetër, të kalojë sërish atë frikë dhe shkatërrim. Askush nuk do që fëmija i tyre të përjetojë atë që ata vetë kanë përjetuar gjatë luftës.”

Ky publikim është realizuar në partneritet me Fondacionin Heinrich Böll. Pikëpamjet dhe opinione e paraqitura këtu janë të autorëve dhe nuk pasqyrojnë domosdoshmërisht qëndrimet e Fondacionit Heinrich Böll.

Mamudija Mustafa u lind në Prilluzhë më 9 shtator, 1969. E rritur në një familje farkëtarësh, para luftës punonte si...

15/12/2025

Një burrë, filozofia e jetës së të cilit ka të bëjë me bujarinë dhe me idenë se ndihma që u jep të tjerëve gjithmonë të kthehet.

“Muzika rome ishte gjithçka! Muzikën e kam dashur gjithmonë. Kur u martova në vitin 1995, në kulmin e inflacionit, bëra një dasmë të madhe. Madje doja edhe helikopter, por s’e mora dot!... Po, ishte [një nga dasmat më të mëdha në rajonin e Prishtinës]. Përgatita dy qe dhe pesë dele. Kishim gjithçka: peshk, mish në skarë, pije. Madje solla edhe një orkestër frymore nga Banja e Vranjës në Serbi, 10 muzikantë! U dhashë 100 marka parapagim me ndihmën e kushëririt tim, Jasharit, i pastë dritë shpirti. E doja muzikën. Punova, kurseva dhe e bëra siç duhej… Pa dyshim, dasma ime [është kujtimi më i paharrueshëm].”

Mehdi Skenderi, fillimisht Skenderović, lindi më 4 qershor 1952 në Obiliq. Para luftës, punoi si operator buldozeri në KEK, dhe...

15/12/2025

A man whose life philosophy is about generosity, and how the help one gives others is always returned.

“Roma music was everything! I always loved music. When I got married in 1995, during the peak of inflation, I had a huge wedding. I even wanted a helicopter, but couldn’t get it!... Yes, it was [one of the biggest weddings in the Pristina region]. I prepared two oxen and five sheep. We had everything: fish, barbecue, drinks. I even brought a brass band from Vranjska Banja in Serbia, 10 musicians! I paid them 100 German Marks upfront with help from my cousin Jashar, may he rest in peace. I loved music. I worked, saved, and did it properly… Definitely my wedding [is the most unforgettable memory].”

Mehdi Skenderi, originally Skenderović, was born on 4th June 1952 in Obiliq. Before the war, he worked as a bulldozer...

09/12/2025

Transkripti i intervistës me Aiman K. Zureikat tani i përkthyer në gjuhën shqipe.

Një vajzë interviston të atin dhe zbulon të kaluarën e tij plot aventura, herë pas here të dhimbshme, nëpër vende, konflikte dhe misione paqeruajtëse, që në fund e çuan atë në Kosovë.

“Kam kaluar katër vite të jetës sime në Kosovë. Kam udhëtuar anembanë Kosovës, edhe nëpër rrugë malore. E njihja Kosovën si pëllëmbën e dorës. Është një vend i bukur. Kam shkuar gjithandej, dhe gjëja më e bukur ishte që ndihesha më i qetë dhe më si në shtëpi në Kosovë sesa në vendet e tjera të ish-Jugosllavisë, sepse shqiptarët e Kosovës kishin shumë nga ajo kulturë me të cilën isha rritur. […] [Ajo që ndodhi gjatë luftës] ishte vërtet e trishtueshme, sepse ja ku ishte problemi: në Kosovë kishe të krishterë dhe myslimanë. Pra, nuk kishte të bënte me fenë, por me pastrimin etnik.”

Për më shumë, lexoni intervistën e tij të plotë.

Aiman K. Zureikat u lind në Aman, Jordani, në vitin 1962. Ai ka qenë kontraktor i qeverisë së Shteteve të...

02/12/2025

Si Ridvani kaloi nga një fëmijëri në një mahallë të ngushtë Rome te përballja me luftën, mërgimin dhe diskriminimin, e më pas u bë aktivist për komunitetin e tij.

“Para luftës, në atë mahallë kushtet e jetesës për romët kanë qenë të mira, të gjithë romët kanë qenë të integruar. Kur them se kanë qenë të integruar, dua të them se secili punonte, secili kishte zanatin e vet ku punonte, ekzistonte një lloj rregulli, për ta thënë kështu, ku secili e dinte çfarë bënte dhe ku. Nuk vareshin nga ndihma sociale, siç është tani, ishin të organizuar politikisht, ishin të punësuar, dhe kishim aktivizëm, edhe aktivizëm politik, romët e kishin zërin e tyre, në Fushë Kosovë. Shumë romë në Fushë Kosovë punonin në kompani të njohura si korporata e energjisë elektrike, ujësjellësi, fabrika e luleve — një kompani ku para luftës, prej ‘90 deri në ‘99, punonin mbi 500 familje; tani nuk punon askush aty, sepse ndodhi modernizimi dhe gjithçka u privatizua.”

Ky publikim është realizuar në partneritet me Fondacionin Heinrich Böll. Pikëpamjet dhe opinione e paraqitura këtu janë të autorëve dhe nuk pasqyrojnë domosdoshmërisht qëndrimet e Fondacionit Heinrich Böll.


How Ridvan went from a childhood in a close-knit Roma mahalla to confronting war, exile, and discrimination, and later becoming an activist for his community.

“Before the war, there were good living conditions for the Roma in that mahalla, all the Roma were integrated. When I say they were integrated, I mean everyone was working, everyone had their own craft where they worked, there was some kind of order so to speak, where everyone knew what they were doing and where. They were not dependent on social aid, as it is now, they were organized politically, they were employed, and we had activism, political activism as well, Roma had their voice heard, in Kosovo Polje. Many Roma in Kosovo Polje worked for known companies such as the power plant company, the water company, the flower company — a company where before the war, from ‘90 till ‘99, over 500 families worked, now there is no one working there, because the modernization happened and everything went private.”

This publication was conducted in partnership with the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Views and opinions presented therein are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Ridvan Gashi was born and raised in Fushë Kosovë, in the Roma neighborhood known as Logionica. After the 1999 war,...

28/11/2025

Congratulations! Another award for Ana Morina’s animation inspired and based on Oral History Kosovo’s interviews with prisoners of conscience.

24/11/2025

Në familjen e Ramadanit gjithmonë ka pasur farkëtarë, por përveç punës, ishin ritualet rome ato që i mbanin të bashkuar, teksa festonin gëzimin dhe shpresën e fillimeve të reja — në maj, Erdelezi, në fillim të janarit, Vasi.

“Kishim shumë prej atyre festave, si të thuash, e festonim Erdelezin dhe atë për shumë ditë, shkonim te njëri-tjetri. Nuk ishte vetëm të shkoje për të ngrënë e për të pirë, por qëndrimi ynë së bashku kishte rëndësi… Festonim edhe Vasi, edhe ajo zgjaste 2-3 ditë… Babai im i ndjerë e këndonte bukën, dhe pastaj mblidheshim të gjithë bashkë, e gjithë familja, dhe kishim shumë shpenzime… Babai e këndonte bukën dhe këndonte për secilin që vinte, për çdo burrë apo fëmijë, nga çdo familje, për të gjithë… Dhe të gjithë, sepse atëherë njerëzit e ndienin ndikimin e këngës… Pastaj, të themi, kishte dasma dhe kishte festa të ndryshme.”

Ky publikim është realizuar në partneritet me Fondacionin Heinrich Böll. Pikëpamjet dhe opinione e paraqitura këtu janë të autorëve dhe nuk pasqyrojnë domosdoshmërisht qëndrimet e Fondacionit Heinrich Böll.


There were always blacksmiths in Ramadan’s family, but besides work, it was Roma rituals that kept them together as they celebrated the joy and hopes of new beginnings — in May, Erdelezi, in early January, Vasi.

“There were a lot of those holidays, how to say, we used to celebrate Erdelezi and that for many days, we would go to each other’s house. It was not just to go to eat and drink, but the thing is that we stick with each other… We used to celebrate Vasi, and that as well was celebrated for 2-3 days… My late father would sing the bread, and then we would gather all together, the whole family would, and we had a lot of expenses… My father would sing the bread, and he would sing to everyone that would come, for every male, or kid, from every family, all… And all, because then people used to feel the impact of the singing… And then, let’s say, there were weddings, and then there were diverse festivities.”

This publication was conducted in partnership with the Heinrich Böll Foundation. Views and opinions presented therein are the authors’ own and do not necessarily reflect those of the Heinrich Böll Foundation.

Ramadan Avdi was born in Lipjan in 1958. Coming from a long line of blacksmiths, he began learning the craft...

21/11/2025

Këtë të hënë do të fillojmë të ndajmë intervistat nga projekti ynë i ri hulumtues, “Zërat e Heshtur: Përvojat e Romëve gjatë luftës dhe zhvendosjes në Kosovën e pasluftës”.

Projekti është zhvilluar në partneritet me Versitas dhe mbështetur nga Heinrich Böll Stiftung.

Klikoni linkun për të mësuar më shumë.


On Monday, we’ll begin sharing interviews from our new research project, Silenced Voices: Roma Experiences of War and Displacement in Postwar Kosovo.

The project is developed in partnership with Versitas and supported by the Heinrich Böll Stiftung.

Visit the link to learn more.

The stories of Roma people affected by the 1998-99 Kosovo War and its aftermath are largely unknown. We present here...

18/11/2025

When high school girls like Zyrafete were caught distributing leaflets asking for Kosovo Republic, they were charged with the crime of “enemy resistance against the state and the system of Yugoslavia” and handed down harsh sentences.

“Hava Shala had joined our class once the specialized part of the gymnasium started. We were in the mathematics track. [...] Hava always sang, she would sing patriotic songs. She would open the window, we had our classroom on the third floor, and during the long break she wouldn’t go outside but would open the window, sit on the sill, and sing Fatime Sokoli’s demonstration songs. That’s how we built that trust between us. [...] we said, ‘It’s good to do something.’ ‘What can we do?’ ‘We can write.’ We would write pamphlets and try to influence the students around us by saying that what was happening was not right, that students were being imprisoned and no one was reacting. Not even the professors, for example. We thought they were the grown-ups and should react more. So we decided to write.”

Zyrafete Muriqi Lajçi was born in 1966, in Koshutan, Municipality of Peja. She graduated in the Department of Albanian Language...

10/11/2025

A daughter interviews her father and discovers his adventurous, at times painful past, across countries, conflicts, and peacekeeping operations, which in the end led him to Kosovo.

“I spent four years of my life in Kosovo, I travelled all over Kosovo, off-roaded all over Kosovo. I used to know Kosovo like the back of my hand, okay? It's a beautiful country. I went all over, and the nice thing about it was that I felt more at ease and at home in Kosovo than I did in the other former Yugoslav countries because Kosovo Albanians had a lot of the same culture that I grew up with, yeah? […] [What happened in the war] was really sad because here's the problem: in Kosovo, you had Christians and Muslims, okay? So, it wasn't about religion, it was about ethnic cleansing.”

Aiman K. Zureikat was born in Amman, Jordan, in 1962. He has been a United States government contractor for almost...