[7][8] There was also a French school in Korçë and one of its many students, and later teachers, was Enver Hoxha, the future leader of communist Albania.

[11] The Great Powers signed the Protocol of Florence and awarded the region to the newly founded Principality of Albania on December 17, 1913.

To avert the possibility of Albania taking control of the region as Greek forces were withdrawn, pro-Greek Epirotes decided to declare their own separate political identity.

After Venizelos' resignation in December however, the succeeding royalist governments were determined to exploit the situation and pre-determine the region's future by incorporating it formally within the Greek state.

[17] After the beginning of Bulgaria's engagement in First World War on the side of the Central Powers in autumn 1915, many ethnic Albanians joined the Bulgarians who gave them weapons.

However, this enthusiasm dimmed after Albanian leaders learned that "assemblies for political purposes were prohibited in districts occupied by Imperial armies", and the disarmament order given by the Austrians was widely resented and even resisted to an extent.

As a result, chetas in the area of Korçë led by Themistokli Gërmenji, Mihal Grameno and Sali Butka became interested in other alliances.

The members of this commission were: Rafail Adhami, Kostandin Nocka, Nikolla Vangjeli, Vasil Singjeli, Vasil Kondi, Llambro Mborja, Thimi Cale, Shaqir Shabani, Tefik Rushiti, Hysen Dishnica, Emin Rakipi, Qani Dishnica, Sali Babani and Haki Shemshedini.

On December 10, 1916, Colonel Descoins and the commission signed a protocol, according to which an autonomous province would be established on the territories of Korçë, Bilishti, Kolonja, Opar and Gora.

Territory under French administration was divided on two parts, north (Pogradec) and south (Republic of Korçë) of Devolli.

[37] In the following period the Greeks of the city were persecuted by the Albanian nationalist elements that aimed at acquiring control over Korçë.

[39] On the French side, the delegated governors of the Republic of Korçë were Henri Descoins (December 10, 1916 – May 11, 1917), Salle (1917–1919) and Reynard Lespinasse[40] (June 1919 – May 26, 1920).

They established a framework for a modern administrative system, which included the creation of municipal councils and the implementation of new laws and regulations aimed at ensuring justice and order.

[6] Themistokli Gërmenji was awarded the Croix de Guerre in November 1917, for his participation in the French capture of Pogradec with the battalion from Korçë.

[53] At the end of 1917 Gërmenji was accused of collaboration with the Central Powers and executed in Thessaloniki after being sentenced to death by the French military court.

[57] After the French army left Korçë, the fate of the territory that it administered was decided by the Paris Peace Conference in 1919.

On December 12, 1916, Italy demanded explanations from the French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, through its ambassador, stating that the establishment of the Autonomous Albanian Republic of Korçë violated the Treaty of London.

[58] Austria-Hungary used the French precedent in Korçë to justify the proclamation of the independence of Albania under its protectorate on January 3, 1917, in Shkodër.

[59] Because General Maurice Sarrail had demonstrated a tendency to interfere in politics, Prime Minister Georges Clemenceau relieved him of his command in December 1917.