German embassy opposes restoration of his house, but who was Xhafer Deva

Germany's ambassador to Kosovo, Jorn Rohde, has reacted with concern after news of the restoration of the house of Xhafer Deva, indicating that he had been an associate of the Nazis who committed the Holocaust, the genocide of Jews during World War II.

Between 1941 and 1945, Nazi Germany and its associates systematically killed about six million Jews throughout their conquered Europe, about two thirds of Europe's Jewish population.

In 1944, Xhafer Deva was the Minister of Internal Work in Albania's government. In the spring of that same year, he had commissioned one of Prizren's second-born “leaders, Bedri Peyan, to create the SS “division. Scanderbeg”, which according to some historians, strongly contributed to the commission of crimes against Jews.

On the other hand, Albanian task supporters of Xhafer Deva link his role mainly to the formation of the “Prizren Second Link”. Xhaferr Deva is considered by these as the prominent founder and chairman of this military and governing formation in defence of Albania's borders.

Despite both sides, whose attitudes were already known, the Deva house is considered a special monument from Kosovo, which now plans to restore that object for years. The restoration has been launched this month under the “Cultural Heritage programme as a boost for intercommunist dialogue and social cohesion”. Project compiled by “CHWB Kosovo” is co-financed by the European Union's Office for Stability and Peace and the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sports. Implementation is done by the UNDP.

The cost of restoration is meant to be 300 thousand euros.

The former owner of this interesting house in Mitrovica, Xhafer Deva, remains a polarizing figure of history. He was a member of the Albanian government who targeted a Greater Albania for some historians, and for others he was simply an accomplice of Nazi invaders.

Jafer Deva died on May 25, 1978.