One of the biggest massacres of the communist regime, the punishment and collective killing without trial of 14 prominent figures of the Albanian nation and culture. On the orders of Enver Hoxha and the executors of his orders, Kristo Themelko, an agent of the Yugoslavs, was shot without trial and without fault by communist guerillas near the “Bristol” hotel in Tirana: Ismail Agë Petrela, Muntaz Kokalari, Vesim Kokalari, Syrja Kokalari, Nebil Çika, Reshat Stërmasi, Muharrem Lleshi, Rifat Tërshana, Lluka Jumari, Ali Panariti, etc. Ismail Agë Petrela, one of Albania’s major figures, who was shot at midnight on November 12, is said to have told the executioners at the time of the shooting: “Shoot, men die once!”. The members of the Kokalari family from Gjirokastra, Muntaz, Vesim and Syrja Kokalari were shot in the recesses of the “Bristol” hotel. Muntazi and Vesimi were pioneers of national education, founders of the publishing house “Mesagjerite Shqiptare“, which published major works of our and foreign literature, intellectuals of the first class. That same night, Nebil Çika, personality in journalism, who ran the newspaper “Arbëria” and the magazine “Minerva“, was shot. His writings resonated, qualifying him as a high-level writer for the rise of democracy. Armed soldiers entered the courtyard of the Lleshi family’s house at midnight on November 12 and called the name of Muharrem Lleshi, who as soon as he appeared on the doorstep, was immediately executed. Reshat Stërmasi, another victim of that night, part of the Albanian National Army in April 1939, as a sign of protest against the Italian occupation, had resigned in order not to serve the fascists. He participated as early as 1942 in the National Front Organization and in 1943 he was appointed commander of the Tirana Front Youth, which he led in the war against the Italian and German invaders. Rifat Tërshana, from Dibra, participated in the opening of the Congress of Dibra (1909) and in the opening of Albanian schools in the area of Dibra. He sheltered Enver Hoxha’s family in his house during the war years, but then he was killed on November 12. Lluka Jumari, from the city of Durrës, completed the technical school in Italy. They shot him in the ruins of the “Bristol” hotel, because he was a man of business, of free initiative, of the market economy and a successful investor. The days of communist terror, when people were killed by guerillas in front of houses and in the streets of cities, started as early as October 28, 1944 and continued until November 16, 1944. (In the photo: City of Tirana, 1944.)
Text: National Museum “House with leaves”, Tirana.
Photo: © https://www.albanianews.al/cultura/storia/17-novembre-1944-liberazione-tirana
Graphic processing: AHCF
