Page 101 - Handout

Swedish officers in Ottoman Empire 1903-1906 The Macedonian Gendarmerie in the Ottoman Empire 1905 Registered letter with return receipt Macedonia - Stockholm... ...with cds “Monastir” (Bitola) May 29, 40 paras (=1 piastre), SG179, Foreign 1905 and cancel ”Recommandée” with letter in the first weight unit Jan. written “A.R No 167” (=Avis de récep- 1882 - Sep. 30, 1907. tion). Sent by the famous train service “Express of the Orient” (Constantinople 40 paras (=1 piastre), Registration -Paris). Arrival cds (Nst 48) “Stockholm fee Jan. 1882 - Sep. 30, 1907. 1” Jun. 4, 1905. 20 paras, Return receipt fee that was accounted separately by the post The sender was the Swedish Lieutenant office. -Colonel Wiktor Axel Unander from Göta Life Guards. In 19 century the great European powers of concern for the European powers eager to th became involved in the Ottomans’ affairs with guarantee the status quo and general peace. the secret hope of gaining substantial advan- In 1890s there was an escalation in violence tages. The Ottoman Empire, in second half of and led to “civil war” between several 19 century had no longer the force to cope ”insurrectionists of Macedonia” groups th with foreign interference. The risk of a gen- against the government. Several thousands eral confrontation in Europe prevented Aus- were killed on both sides. tria and Russia from benefiting from this de- cline. Following the Treaty of Berlin 1878, the In 1890s the organization of the gendarmerie Ottoman Empire’s territories in Europe were was inadequate. Officers and gendarmes reduced to Albania, Macedonia and Thrace. didn´t know how to use their weapons prop- erly, didn´t have discipline, didn´t wear their Macedonia was the three provinces of Kosovo, uniforms in many places and corruption Monastir and Salonika populated by Albani- seemed widespread. Therefore the need of an ans, Bulgarians, Greeks, Serbs and Turks as reorganization which the Swedish-Norwegian well as by Jewish, Orthodox, and Moslem officers started in June 1903. communities. These quickly became a subject Duration: Jun. 27, 1903 - 1906 Main area: Macedonia Mission: Re-organize the Gendarmerie Total Swedes & Norwegians: 2