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Gjarpërinjtë e gjakut
Unknown Binding
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About the author
Adem Demaçi
9 books13 followersAdem Demaçi was a Kosovo Albanian politician and writer. Demaçi studied literature, law, and education in Pristina, Belgrade, and Skopje respectively. In the 1950s, he published a number of short stories with pointed social commentary in the magazine Jeta e re (English: New Life), as well as a 1958 novel titled Gjarpijt e gjakut (English: The Snakes of Blood) exploring blood vendettas in Kosovo and Albania. The latter work brought him literary fame. In 1963 he founded the underground organisation the Revolutionary Movement for the Union of Albanians.
Demaçi was first arrested for his opposition to the authoritarian government of Josip Broz Tito in 1958, serving three years in prison. He was again imprisoned 1964–1974 and 1975–1990. He was released from prison by new president of Serbia Slobodan Milošević.
In 2010 he received the order Hero of Kosovo.
After his release, he was Chairman of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms of the People of Kosovo from 1991 to 1995. He also served as editor-in-chief of Zëri, a magazine based in Prishtina, from 1991 to 1993. In 1991, he was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
In 1996, Demaçi moved into politics, replacing Bajram Kosumi as the president of the Parliamentary Party of Kosovo; Kosumi became his vice-president. During this time, he proposed a confederation of states consisting of Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia that would be known as "Balkania". His prison record gave him credibility among Kosovars, but his tenure in party leadership was marked by factionalism and a lack of action.
Two years later, he joined the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), serving as the head of its political wing. In a 1998 interview with The New York Times, he refused to condemn the KLA's use of violence, stating that "the path of nonviolence has gotten us nowhere. People who live under this kind of repression have the right to resist." In 1999, he resigned from the KLA after it attended peace talks in France, criticising the proposed deal for not guaranteeing Kosovo's independence. Sources stated that Demaçi had grown estranged from the KLA's younger, more pragmatic leadership, leaving him "faced with a decision of jumping or waiting to be pushed".
Though Demaçi's wife left Kosovo before the war, he remained in Pristina with his 70-year-old sister during the entire Kosovo War. He was critical of Ibrahim Rugova and other Albanian leaders who fled the conflict, stating that they were missing an important historical event. Yugoslav soldiers arrested Demaçi twice, but were largely humane with him.
Following the war, Demaçi served as director of Kosovo Radio and Television until January 2004. He remained active in politics, affiliated with Albin Kurti, head of the nationalist movement Vetëvendosje!.
Demaçi was first arrested for his opposition to the authoritarian government of Josip Broz Tito in 1958, serving three years in prison. He was again imprisoned 1964–1974 and 1975–1990. He was released from prison by new president of Serbia Slobodan Milošević.
In 2010 he received the order Hero of Kosovo.
After his release, he was Chairman of the Council for the Defense of Human Rights and Freedoms of the People of Kosovo from 1991 to 1995. He also served as editor-in-chief of Zëri, a magazine based in Prishtina, from 1991 to 1993. In 1991, he was awarded the European Parliament's Sakharov Prize for Freedom of Thought.
In 1996, Demaçi moved into politics, replacing Bajram Kosumi as the president of the Parliamentary Party of Kosovo; Kosumi became his vice-president. During this time, he proposed a confederation of states consisting of Kosovo, Montenegro, and Serbia that would be known as "Balkania". His prison record gave him credibility among Kosovars, but his tenure in party leadership was marked by factionalism and a lack of action.
Two years later, he joined the Kosovo Liberation Army (KLA), serving as the head of its political wing. In a 1998 interview with The New York Times, he refused to condemn the KLA's use of violence, stating that "the path of nonviolence has gotten us nowhere. People who live under this kind of repression have the right to resist." In 1999, he resigned from the KLA after it attended peace talks in France, criticising the proposed deal for not guaranteeing Kosovo's independence. Sources stated that Demaçi had grown estranged from the KLA's younger, more pragmatic leadership, leaving him "faced with a decision of jumping or waiting to be pushed".
Though Demaçi's wife left Kosovo before the war, he remained in Pristina with his 70-year-old sister during the entire Kosovo War. He was critical of Ibrahim Rugova and other Albanian leaders who fled the conflict, stating that they were missing an important historical event. Yugoslav soldiers arrested Demaçi twice, but were largely humane with him.
Following the war, Demaçi served as director of Kosovo Radio and Television until January 2004. He remained active in politics, affiliated with Albin Kurti, head of the nationalist movement Vetëvendosje!.
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
September 25, 2012
Kam fatin të kem edicionin e parë dhe me nënshkrim të Bacës Adem.
July 29, 2025
Jo - atyre që janë trima të ngrejnë gishtin e krimit,
Por - atyre që janë burra të shtrijnë dorën e pajtimit.
- Adem Demaçi
Shqiptarët kanë një respekt të madh për traditat, dhe janë të prirur në mbajtjen e tyre. Ruajtja, transmetimi dhe praktikimi i ketyre vlerave dhe normave kulturore haset në çdo shoqëri. Por, sa është e rëndësishme mbajtja e tyre dhe përcjellja e tyre te brezat e ardhshëm kur ajo traditë ka mbetur në kohë dhe bie ndesh me normat e shoqërisë moderne.
Përplasja e personazheve në libër dhe ballafaqimi i dy mentaliteteve krejtësisht te ndryshme nga njëra-tjetra :
Salihu (babai) - personazh tradicional që mendon që drejtësia arrihet vetëm përmes zakoneve në këtë rast kanunit
Mehmeti (djali) - personazhi i ri që gjendet në mes dy zgjedhjeve, vazhdimi përmes traditave dhe hakmarrja apo veprimi sipas asaj që atij i duket e përshtatshme (por që domosdo bie në kundërshtim me familjen dhe rrethin e tij)
Ky ballafaqim që ndodh mes antarëve të familjes besoj e fuqizon librin pasi që kjo haset shpesh nëpër familjet shqiptare - mospërputhja e mendimeve/mentaliteteve.
Një pjesë shumë e preferuar e librit:
- Abaz, po a nuk diqe, a?!
- Paj, û moti jam dekë, o Mustafë!…
- … Po kur ke kjo moti?!…
- Me qat ditë qi e kam luejtë s’pari herë gishtin edhe e kam lanë ni nanë t’verbueme e tre thmi pa krye, te gurët e votrës!… Po, bjerma do ujë, mik t’paça, se u dogja eti!…
- A nuk ta hoq gjaku t’eçtit, a?
- O, mallkue koftë ai qi ja nisi i pari me pi gjak tue pasë ujë boll!
Pra gjakmarrja duhet të mbetët vetëm në histori, të mësohet nëper breza si pjesë e kulturës sonë që ka ekzistuar me vite (pra të jemi të informuar), por asesi të shihet si zgjidhje e problemeve e të praktikohet.
Por - atyre që janë burra të shtrijnë dorën e pajtimit.
- Adem Demaçi
Shqiptarët kanë një respekt të madh për traditat, dhe janë të prirur në mbajtjen e tyre. Ruajtja, transmetimi dhe praktikimi i ketyre vlerave dhe normave kulturore haset në çdo shoqëri. Por, sa është e rëndësishme mbajtja e tyre dhe përcjellja e tyre te brezat e ardhshëm kur ajo traditë ka mbetur në kohë dhe bie ndesh me normat e shoqërisë moderne.
Përplasja e personazheve në libër dhe ballafaqimi i dy mentaliteteve krejtësisht te ndryshme nga njëra-tjetra :
Salihu (babai) - personazh tradicional që mendon që drejtësia arrihet vetëm përmes zakoneve në këtë rast kanunit
Mehmeti (djali) - personazhi i ri që gjendet në mes dy zgjedhjeve, vazhdimi përmes traditave dhe hakmarrja apo veprimi sipas asaj që atij i duket e përshtatshme (por që domosdo bie në kundërshtim me familjen dhe rrethin e tij)
Ky ballafaqim që ndodh mes antarëve të familjes besoj e fuqizon librin pasi që kjo haset shpesh nëpër familjet shqiptare - mospërputhja e mendimeve/mentaliteteve.
Një pjesë shumë e preferuar e librit:
- Abaz, po a nuk diqe, a?!
- Paj, û moti jam dekë, o Mustafë!…
- … Po kur ke kjo moti?!…
- Me qat ditë qi e kam luejtë s’pari herë gishtin edhe e kam lanë ni nanë t’verbueme e tre thmi pa krye, te gurët e votrës!… Po, bjerma do ujë, mik t’paça, se u dogja eti!…
- A nuk ta hoq gjaku t’eçtit, a?
- O, mallkue koftë ai qi ja nisi i pari me pi gjak tue pasë ujë boll!
Pra gjakmarrja duhet të mbetët vetëm në histori, të mësohet nëper breza si pjesë e kulturës sonë që ka ekzistuar me vite (pra të jemi të informuar), por asesi të shihet si zgjidhje e problemeve e të praktikohet.
March 25, 2026
I really struggled to get through the book due to my somewhat limited reading ability in Albanian, but the work itself is aesthetically striking, and Adem Demaçi’s writing style is deeply enjoyable, provided you have an appreciation for lyricism. It’s quite unfortunate that it hasn’t been translated into more languages (aside from German), as it truly serves as a time capsule of post-war Kosovo. Demaçi’s form of progressive nationalism also evokes something reminiscent of a kind of springtime of the People.
September 5, 2020
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews