Demir Hisar (town)

Demir Hisar (Macedonian: Демир Хисар [dɛˈmir‿xisar] (listen)) (formerly Murgaševo until 1946) is a small town in North Macedonia. It is the seat of Demir Hisar Municipality. This small settlement has an absolute Macedonian ethnic majority. The name of the town translates to "Iron Castle" in Turkish, and dates back to the time when Macedonia was ruled by the Ottoman Empire.

Demir Hisar

Демир Хисар (Macedonian)
Village
Flag
Coat of arms
Demir Hisar
Location within Macedonia
Coordinates: 41°16′0″N 21°12′0″E
Country North Macedonia
MunicipalityDemir Hisar
Government
 • MayorMarjance Stojanovski(SDSM)
Population
 (2002)
 • Total2,593
Time zoneUTC+1 (CET)
 • Summer (DST)UTC+2 (CEST)
Area code(s)(+389) 047
Car platesDH
ClimateCfb

Etymology

Due to the richness of these mountains with iron ore, the area was named either Zeleznik or Zeleznec, depending on the ruler. This area is also known as "Demir Hisar" a name that the Ottoman Turks gave this area which means "Iron Mountain". That name remained till today. However, the official name, until 1946 was Murgaševo; the Albanian name of the town remains Murgashovë.

Region

The settlement is situated along the main road between the important Macedonian cities of Bitola and Kičevo. It is made up of smaller villages, including Barakovo.

Demographics

In statistics gathered by Vasil Kanchov in 1900, the village of Murgaševo was inhabited by 240 Muslim Albanians.[1] In 1905 in statistics gathered by Dimitar Mishev Brancoff, Murgaševo was inhabited by 240 Muslim Albanians.[2] The Yugoslav census of 1953 recorded 902 people in Demir Hisar of whom 449 were Macedonians, 412 Turks, 27 Albanians and 14 others.[3] The 1961 Yugoslav census recorded 1129 people of whom 1047 were Macedonians, 39 Albanians, 24 Turks, and 19 others.[3] The 1971 Yugoslav census recorded 1828 people of whom 1731 were Macedonians, 34 Turks, 30 Albanians, 4 Romani, 1 Bosniak and 28 others.[3] The 1981 Yugoslav census recorded 2283 people of whom were 2145 Macedonians, 75 Albanians, 19 Turks, 17 Romani and 27 others.[3] The Macedonian census of 1994 recorded 2447 people of whom 2336 were Macedonians, 9 Albanians, 4 Turks and 98 others.[3]

According to the 2002 census, the town had a total of 2593 inhabitants.[4] Ethnic groups in the village include:[4]

The Albanian population of Demir Hisar (Murgaševo) are Tosks, a subgroup of southern Albanians.[5] In the 2010s, only three Albanian families remain in Demir Hisar and nearby Albanian villagers from Obednik are assisting the community in efforts to repair the dilapidated old village mosque.[6]

  • Old mosque of Murgaševo (Demir Hisar)
  • Couple of Demir Hisar, dressed in folklore costume, photographed in the studio of the brothers Manaki in Bitola, 1916

References
  1. Vasil Kanchov (1900). Macedonia: Ethnography and Statistics. Sofia. p. 238.
  2. D.M.Brancoff (1905). La Macédoine et sa Population Chrétienne. Paris. pp. 172-173.
  3. Sherafedin Kaso (2005). The settlements with Muslim population in Macedonia. Logos-A. p. 74. ISBN 978-9989-58-155-7..
  4. Macedonian Census (2002), Book 5 - Total population according to the Ethnic Affiliation, Mother Tongue and Religion, The State Statistical Office, Skopje, 2002, p. 230.
  5. Indogermanische Gesellschaft (1929). Indogermanisches Jahrbuch, Vol. 13. Karl J. Trübner. p. 183.CS1 maint: ref=harv (link) "Monastir (Bitol) auch für das Studium des Alb. geeignet: Ostrec (11 km von Monastir), Zlokućani haben geg., Dihovo, Bratindol, Magarevo, Ramna, Kažani, Dolenci, Lera, Crnovec, Drevenik, Murgašovo tosk. Bevölkerung. Die tosk."
  6. Hasani, Qenan (30 July 2011). "Obednikasit ndihmojnë xhaminë e Murgashovës, I shpëtoi 2001-shit, rrezikohet tani [Obednik villagers assist the mosque of Demir Hisar, it escaped the events of 2001, though now is endangered] Archived 2017-08-03 at the Wayback Machine". Koha. p. 7.
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