– Ramiz Alia, 1988 –
Excerpt from Our Enver
…Comrade Enver spoke about the great work that awaited us in connection with the reconstruction of the country devastated by the war, the organization of the state apparatus, the restoration of the economy, the development of education, etc.
“But,” he turned to me suddenly, “you will continue the war!”
And without leaving me time to imagine how I was going to continue this war that had ended, he added:
“The Party has appointed you political commissar of the 5th Division which is now in Kosova.”
For me this was quite unexpected. All through the war I had worked as a youth cadre. Therefore the task of political commissar of the division, which was a task of great responsibility, almost frightened me, both because of my lack of experience and because of my age at that time.
Apparently Comrade Enver guessed my state of mind, although I was speechless and could not say good or bad, yes or no. He added: “The Party is confident that you will perform this task well. The brigades that make up the 5th Division — the 3rd, 5th and 25th — have capable cadres. Rely on the comrades and work with them to ensure that the organizations of the Party and the Youth, the commands and the staffs perform the great mission which has been entrusted to them with honour.”
After this, Comrade Enver explained to me the importance of the decision of the Party to assist in the liberation of the peoples of Yugoslavia too.
“The decision to send two divisions of the National Liberation Army to pursue the German army in Yugoslavia has special political importance,” he said. “In this way we assist the fraternal Yugoslav peoples in their heroic struggle for national liberation. On the other hand, with this act our people show that they are consistent in their anti-fascist war and that they will never cease it until the Hitlerite military machine is finally destroyed.”
By now I had pulled myself together and was listening attentively to the Commander’s instructions. They constituted the political and military platform for as long as we would continue the armed struggle beyond the borders of the Homeland.
“At present, the 5th Division is in Kosova and after the liberation of that zone you will continue the war in those directions that will be decided in cooperation with the command of the Yugoslav forces,” he instructed me. “In Kosova you must maintain contact with the Kosmet staff and pay attention to relations with the people, our brothers of one blood. As you know, in Kosova, in the past, there was very severe national oppression and exploitation by the Serbian bourgeoisie. This has created distrust between Albanians and Serbs. Reaction, both Ballist and Četnik, has used this against the National Liberation Movement. You must collaborate with the comrades of Kosova and those of the Yugoslav National Liberation Movement so that the situation in Kosova develops normally and our brothers understand that, in the conditions of the people’s power which is being set up as a result of the victory over fascism, they will gain all the rights which they were denied in the past.”
Enver Hoxha was a true Marxist-Leninist. By ordering the divisions of the Albanian National Liberation Army to continue the war in Yugoslavia, he expressed in deeds the internationalist feelings of our Party. Irrespective of the fact that Albania had been liberated, he regarded the anti-fascist war as not yet over, perceiving it as a common cause of the peoples. Hence, our aid for the liberation of the peoples of Yugoslavia from fascism, our collaboration with the Yugoslav partisan forces to this end, reflected our anti-fascist ideals and the spirit of friendship with the neighbouring peoples.
Likewise, he judged the question of Kosova, too, like a principled communist. There was no undertone of nationalism in his instructions. But certainly he had a profound affection for our brothers of Kosova and a deep desire that, through their war against fascism, they would gain their freedom and realize their aspirations for the elimination of any kind of national oppression and social exploitation.
The partisan forces of the Albanian National Liberation Army fought for almost six months outside our state borders. As is known, the 3rd and 5th Brigades had crossed into Kosova in October 1944, and, in collaboration with the local partisan forces, had taken part in the fighting for the liberation of Prizren and Gjakova, and later of Ferizaj and Drenica. Upon the formation of the 5th Division, the 25th Brigade joined them. The forces of this division fought together with the partisans of Kosova and units of the Yugoslav National Liberation Army for the liberation of the whole of Kosova, Sandžak and southern Bosnia. Thus our partisans fought their way, through battle after battle, to Prishtina and Mitrovica, Novi Pazar and Sjenica, Prijepolje, Nova Varoš and beyond, as far as Višegrad. Meanwhile, the 6th Division, which set out from Shkodra at the beginning of December 1944, pursued the Germans through Montenegro to reach Rudo in southern Bosnia.
In the fighting which our two divisions waged beyond our borders, more than 600 partisans fell as martyrs. Through the sacrifice of their young lives, with the pure blood they shed, they displayed the internationalist spirit of our people, their love of freedom, their desire for friendship with the Yugoslav peoples, and expressed their resolute anti-fascist sentiments.
The stand of our partisans in the fighting in Yugoslavia was exemplary. The people in Yugoslavia knew the Albanian fighter as heroic and indomitable in fighting the nazis and the Cetniks, correct and kindly with the people, whether the Albanian brothers of Kosova and Montenegro, or the Montenegrins, Serbs and Bosnians. During the whole time they stayed in Yugoslavia, the Albanian partisans, with their correct behaviour and friendly actions, gave nobody cause to catch them in errors or to try, subsequently, to sully their name and accuse them of nationalist, anti-Serb or anti-Yugoslav chauvinist sentiments.
Everywhere our brigades won the love of the people who, for their part, spared nothing to give them generous assistance. Our forces were welcome with special affection in Kosova. Enver Hoxha’s instructions and teachings regarding the stand towards the brothers of Kosova and the correct and careful implementation of them yielded fruit. Within a short time, through the work of our forces, together with the local organizations and cadres, thousands of young people from Kosova joined the partisans to continue the fight against the Hitlerites and the Cetniks. More than 2,000 sons of Kosova were incorporated in the brigades of our division. Thousands of others were incorporated in the Kosova units and those of other divisions of the Yugoslav National Liberation Army.
These are eyewitnessed facts, experienced in the war and sealed with blood. They raise high the name of our Party and are in its honour. They raise high the figure of Enver Hoxha and are in his honour. The stand of the Albanian partisans in Yugoslavia, their heroic struggle and exemplary behaviour are a reflection of the justness and correctness of the directives and the Marxist and internationalist stands of our Party and the Commander-in-Chief of the Albanian National Liberation Army, Comrade Enver Hoxha. They refute the slanders, insinuations and accusations which anti-Albanian chauvinism has made it fashionable to level against our Party and its glorious founder, against socialist Albania and Albanians in general.
During the war and after, our Party, with Enver Hoxha at the head, always pursued a correct Marxist-Leninist line in regard to the national question, just as it has consistently worked to have friendly, good neighbourly relations with Yugoslavia. This is the standpoint from which it has considered the question of Kosova and the Albanians who live on their own lands in Yugoslavia, and it has been guided by these principles in dealing with it.