6 July 1943 / The Borovë massacre: The wound that does not heal

July 6, 1943 is one of the darkest days in the history of Korçë and all of Albania. On this date, the Borovë massacre took place—a grave crime committed by Nazi German troops against the civilian population of the village of Borovë, as retaliation for an ambush organized by partisan forces.

On the morning of that day, Albanian partisans attacked a German military convoy on the road passing near the village. In response, the German army marched towards Borovë and carried out a horrific act against innocent civilians. They executed and burned alive women, children, the elderly, and young people, sparing no one.

In this massacre, 107 villagers were killed, among them 7 children aged between 4 and 14, pregnant women, and elderly people who had no connection to the war. Houses were set on fire, the village was almost completely destroyed, and a heavy silence settled over it for decades.

Every year, on July 6, Borovë commemorates this tragic event with deep sorrow. The monument built in the village and the testimonies of the survivors remain a living reminder of the tragedy that occurred. The Borovë massacre stands as evidence of the cruelty of the Nazi occupation and as one of the deepest wounds in Albanian history during World War II.

This date is not merely an anniversary, but a call to never forget the past, to honor those who were sacrificed, and to ensure that such a tragedy never happens again.

“KORÇA BOOM”