Xhem Hasa

Xhemail Hasani (1908, Simnica, Gostivar - May 6, 1945), aka Xhemë "Xhemo" Hasa–Gostivari, was an Albanian patriot, in charge of the Balli Kombëtar's activities in the eastern regions of Albania under Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany.

Early life
Xhem Hasa grew up in a poor family with many children. During his childhood, up until his early stages of adulthood, Xhem worked as a farmer on his family's farm. The Hasa family experienced at first hand the cruelty of the Serbian regime. It was through this experience which led to Xhem leaving the life of a farmer and becoming a soldier.

Royal Albanian Army
Xhem left his home in Simnica and went to Albania to join the Albanian army. In the Albanian Army, Xhem was sent to the south of Albania to fight in the front line. His involvement helped Albania retain its borders and stop the advancement of the Greeks. For his success and brilliance in the army, King Zog promoted him to Army Officer of Albania.

World War II
With the onset of World War II, Xhem returned to Gostivar in 1941. In Gostivar, Xhem gathered Albanians from around to form a group of fighters. With his army, Xhem Hasa liberated Gostivar. In the autumn of 1943, Germany occupied all of Albania after Italy was defeated. The Balli Kombëtar made a deal with the Germans and formed a ‘neutral government’ in Tirana which continued its war with the LNC and Yugoslav Partisans. Xhem Hasa and his battalion was incorporated into the Balli Kombëtar. Hasa's victories in battles led him to being the Commander of the Balli Kombëtar in Macedonia. Xhem's Ballists, as well as the other Balli Kombëtar units from other Albanians, liberated the rest of the Albanian-populated lands. This resulted in the unification of the Albanians and forming a greater Albanian state.

However, both Yugoslav and Albanian partisans casually harassed the Ballist forces. When Maqellarë, midway between Debar and Peshkopi, was recaptured by the Fifth Partisan Brigade, the Germans with the assistance of the Ballist forces of Xhem Hasa launched an attack from Debar, defeating the partisans. Fiqri Dine, Xhem Hasa and Hysni Dema as well as three German Majors directed military campaigns against the Albanian and Yugoslav partisans. Hasa was a close acquaintance of Mefail Shehu and would often send troops from Gostivar and Tetovo to aid him.

Death
The Yugoslav partisans faced difficulty when fighting with Xhem Hasa. This resulted in the Yugoslav partisans in bribing a close associate of Xhem to assassinate him. On May 6, 1945, Xhem Hasa was killed by a close associate. It has been rumored that the associate was his brother in-law.

Legacy
Xhem Hasa was one of the most well known Ballists in World War II. Enver Hoxha, Communist leader of Albania, had a great dislike of Xhem Hasa and the Ballists of Gostivar and Tetovo. In 2010, the Macedonian Albanians political party New Democracy proposed for a monument of Xhem Hasa to be built in Gostivar. A monument of Hasa has already been built in his birthplace, village Simnica, in 2006.