Wikipedia:Today's featured article/requests/21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian)

21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian)

 * This is the archived discussion of the TFAR nomination for the article below. Subsequent comments should be made on the appropriate discussion page (such as Wikipedia talk:Today's featured article/requests). Please do not modify this page. 

The result was: scheduled for Today's featured article/May 14, 2015 by Brianboulton (talk) 23:03, 23 April 2015 (UTC)



The 21st Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Skanderbeg (1st Albanian) was a German mountain infantry division of the Waffen-SS during World War II. Composed of Muslim Albanians with mostly German and Yugoslav Volksdeutsche officers and non-commissioned officers, it was given the title Skanderbeg after medieval Albanian lord George Kastrioti Skanderbeg, who defended the region of Albania against the Ottoman Empire. It was founded on 1 May 1944, but never reached divisional strength. It was best known for rounding up Jews in Pristina, and for murdering, raping, and looting in predominantly Serb areas. Its only significant military actions took place during a German anti-Partisan offensive in the German occupied territory of Montenegro in June and July 1944. It was then deployed as a guard force in Kosovo, where it was quickly overrun by the Partisans. Reinforced by German Kriegsmarine personnel and with less than 500 Albanians remaining in its ranks, it was disbanded on 1 November 1944. After the war, divisional commander SS-Brigadeführer und Generalmajor der Waffen-SS August Schmidhuber was found guilty of war crimes by a court in Belgrade and executed in 1947.
 * Most recent similar article(s): The most recent German division to be TFA was 23rd Waffen Mountain Division of the SS Kama (2nd Croatian) on 19 June 2014, and only two German divisions have ever been TFA.
 * Main editors: and
 * Promoted: 18 October 2013
 * Reasons for nomination: Date relevance is that 14 May 1944 was the date members of the division rounded up 281 Jews in Pristina and handed them over the Germans, and 14 May 2015 marks the 71st anniversary of what has been described as "the most shameful episode in Kosovo's wartime history". The article appears in 21 languages on WP, showing worldwide interest in the topic.
 * Support as nominator. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 23:24, 27 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Oppose : I think it quite wrong that May Day, a day associated with  the struggle for workers' rights, or alternatively as a festival for traditional springtime celebrations (the maypole etc), should be marked on our front page with an article marking the 71st anniversary of a Waffen SS unit "best known for rounding up Jews in Pristina". Although there is no specifically appropriate alternative that immediately comes to mind – I am tempted to suggest Ellen Wilkinson, a doughty champion for workers' rights, but as the principal author I feel somewhat constrained – perhaps others will have suggestions? After all the ballyhoo that goes into thinking of something supposedly suitable for April Fools' Day, perhaps a little thought could be given to May Day?  Brianboulton (talk) 12:50, 22 March 2015 (UTC)
 * With due respect, Brian, strong Northern Hemisphere systemic bias is at work here. May Day does not have its springtime meaning in the Southern Hemisphere, we are well into autumn by then. May Day does not have any significance in most countries in the world, even English-speaking ones. Labour Day is in March or October in nearly all states and territories of Australia, and is based on the history of our own labour movement, not that of the UK. I fail to see why it would be wrong to remind readers of man's inhumanity to man on 1 May. Regards, Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 02:30, 23 March 2015 (UTC)

Perhaps a fair compromise would be to have this up on 14 May, the 71st anniversary of the deportations. 23 editor (talk) 03:31, 23 March 2015 (UTC)
 * I would be ok with that. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 05:26, 23 March 2015 (UTC)
 * I would have no objection to running the article as TFA on 14 May, or on another suitable date. However, sensitivity to the idea of marking the foundation of a Waffen-SS extermination unit on a day which has other traditional significance in much of Europe should not be dismissed as "strong Northern Hemisphere systemic bias". Brianboulton (talk) 10:14, 23 March 2015 (UTC)
 * I will re-nominate for 14 May when it opens. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 00:34, 25 March 2015 (UTC)
 * I'm supportive on Brian's point. It seems reasonable to me not to schedule any article on a day when a lot of people would see a disconnect between the article and what they associate that day with. - Dank (push to talk) 14:43, 25 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Re-nominated for 14 May. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 23:24, 27 March 2015 (UTC)
 * Peacemaker: I don't see the systemic bias here either, intentional or un-, because no one here wants to see any article run on a day that would create some kind of jarring disconnect for Australian readers. If you ever see an article scheduled on a day that might be a problem for Australian sensibilities, please let us know. Does that work for you? - Dank (push to talk) 16:07, 8 April 2015 (UTC)
 * I would agree if it was ANZAC Day or something. I'm not sure May Day has quite the same importance in Europe, but I bow to the consensus. Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 21:43, 8 April 2015 (UTC)
 * Thanks. - Dank (push to talk) 21:53, 8 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Support as per nom, also better to be on 14 may. --A.Minkowiski_Lets t@lk 06:18, 6 April 2015 (UTC)
 * From the article: "After the war, he was found guilty of war crimes and was hanged in Belgrade on 27 February 1947". Can someone check the source and see if he was found guilty in 1947? (If so, then I'll start the TFA sentence with "In 1947".) - Dank (push to talk) 15:52, 8 April 2015 (UTC)
 * No, the source just says that Yugoslav justice continued after the war, then lists all the generals executed and when. Cheers, Peacemaker67 (crack... thump) 21:50, 8 April 2015 (UTC)


 * Support 14 May, as co-nominator. 23 editor (talk) 11:08, 17 April 2015 (UTC)