Part Two
– The unknown history of the anti-communist Hamit Toshi (Saiti), from Shkodra, who parachuted into Albania in 1949 –
Memorie.al / Many years ago, my friend, former political prisoner, Viktor Luka, while viewing the rich collection of photographs (an archive dedicated to anti-communist martyrs), spoke to me one by one about the names in the historical photos of the paratroopers in military uniform, who had dropped by parachute for secret anti-communist missions in Albania. They had all been trained in military camps in Italy by American and Italian personnel, and were sent on a mission to Enver Hoxha’s communist Albania, in cooperation with the “Free Albania” Committee, headquartered in New York. The original photos were kept as a rare relic by the Shkodran Zef Luka, Viktor’s brother.
The Treason of Double Agent Kim Philby and the Killing of Hamit
In the interest of reality, it must be pointed out that even some right-wing newspapers often fall into the position of left-wing communist newspapers in Albania, referring to authors who were in the communist Security dome, so much so that they often portray the Albanian State Security as the most perfect in the “failure” of plots against them.
By leafing through the pages of the book: “La missione tradita” (Come Kim Philby sabotoge l’invasione dell’ Albania) by Nicholas Bethell, anyone understands how fake and comical the communist propaganda films have been and remain, which are being re-shown today as “masterpieces” of “Albanian” cinematography.
The group led by Hamit Toshi fell into a trap from the beginning, due to the double play of the agent Kim Philby, about whom “Gazeta Shqiptare” has never written, as if there were not enough sources and literature to treat how he acted against Albanian and foreign paratroopers in many other Western European countries.
When the group led by Hamit Toshi landed by parachute, they had been betrayed since the air, and not as a result of the Security’s capability. The paratrooper Rifat Zyberi was seriously wounded, and, in order not to fall alive into the hands of the Security, he killed himself. Furthermore, the other three paratroopers were surrounded, and after breaking the encirclement, they fled along the slope of Mount Cukal and then set off for Dukagjin.
Upon reaching Dukagjin, tired, hungry, and sleepless, they went to stay at the house of their fellow combatant friend, the Dukagjin paratrooper Dedë Hila, in the village of Kir. Their arrival was discovered by a local Highlander spy who worked as an informant for the State Security. After the espionage, after a few moments, over 800 effectives from the Pursuit Forces units appeared like ground flies in the cliffs of Dukagjin. Surprisingly, these were also led by a commander who was a local from the Dukagjin area.
Immediately, shots were fired between the determined paratroopers aiming to fulfill their mission and the Security forces, which fought under the symbol of Tito and of proletarians without faith, homeland, ideology, or fighting purpose. After two hours of bloody fighting, the determined brave man Azis was killed heroically, and after 6 more hours, Hamit Toshi was killed. Finally, after 8 hours of fighting, alone against hundreds of soldiers and officers of the Pursuit Forces, Dedë Hila from Dukagjin was killed.
Even in that severe state and macabre scene, in front of the mountains of Dukagjin, Dedë’s sister-in-law, a brave and noble woman of the Kanun of Lekë Dukagjini, without fear of the consequences that might arise from her action, asked the communist commander to allow her to take the lifeless bodies of the three killed men for burial.
Later, when the Pursuit Forces and the Internal Branch forces left, she buried all three. After many decades, in 1991, their bodies were found to be reburied by their relatives with ceremony, as the woman had marked the name of each of them, keeping it a secret until they were reburied by fellow sufferers.
Other Events in the Family of Patriot Hamit Toshi
Hamit’s closest friend, Zef Luka, also writes about Hamit’s great anti-communist activity. When he went from the USA to Albania in 1992, he made a brief visit to his relatives, emphasizing once again that he had had a very loyal friend and comrade, and that he had truly been a determined anti-communist.
The late Zef Luka, in one of his book chapters, also mentions the great betrayal committed by the KGB agent Kim Philby, who, for his personal ambition and money, cost Albania its best and bravest sons of the Albanian people, and furthermore, the sons of the most anti-communist city in Albania, Shkodra and its surroundings—sons who today honor the city and their families for their determined anti-communist activity, with the lives they gave for the cause of the homeland.
The Toshi Family’s Calamity
The Toshi family, and especially Hamit’s brothers, would be followed and surveilled by the State Security at every step and persecuted without mercy. Thus, in 1956, Muhamet Toshi was released from prison (having served time in the most terrible camps in Albania, draining swamps), after having been in the camps of Maliq, Vlorë, and Beden in Kavajë.
Finally, he was released from the Rinas camp. He had known Prof. Arshi Pipa, Ragip Loja, Hajdar Rusi, Muharrem Sahiti, Muhamet Fejzo, Prof. Sami Repishti, and many clerics of various religious faiths in Albania.
Immediately after being released from prison, he escorted many people out of the “great prison” of Albania, as he knew the border area very well. One beautiful day, after the last day of the Bajram holiday, he crossed the border and went for Bajram to his sister’s house in Vladimir, Ulcinj. He was recognized by a local person, who immediately informed the UDB (Yugoslav Secret Service), and they immediately contacted the Albanian State Security. During his return to his birthplace, he was ambushed, and without warning, bursts from the “Kalashnikov” automatic rifle were fired upon his body (leaving him dead on the spot). He was known throughout that area as a devout Muslim believer.
The Geography of the Ordeal and the Years of Prison for the Toshi Family
Immediately after the killing of Muhamet Toshi, the Security forces, like raging devils, attacked his family’s home and raided it, creating a mess of every material value acquired through toil and survival sacrifices. The family was immediately exiled (interned) for three years to the village of Gradishtë in Lushnjë.
After the end of the assigned internment period, they returned to their birthplace in 1956. That same year, Muhamet’s son, Xhemali, fled abroad, being threatened for his life by State Security spies, and he lives in New York, USA, from that time until today.
After this, his family was re-interned again, but this time in the village of Hajmel in Shkodra (near Vau i Dejës), serving their sentence there during the years 1955-1970. After enduring a full 15 years of internment in that village, they were released from internment in 1970.
In 1973, Hamit’s brother, Isufi, was sentenced to political imprisonment under the infamous Article “55” for Agitation and Propaganda, with the accusations highlighted in court that he; “kept Ramadan,” said that “Chinese goods are bad,” said that “the satellite has gone to the moon, while we don’t even have bread,” and said “how big the minaret is, in Vladimir, Ulcinj.”
In the infamous trial against him, five people testified, who were ordinary condemned individuals, who, as the people said, were spies for 1200 lek ($12). Isuf spent his prison years in the terrible camp of Spaç and in Ballsh, together with Dom Nrekë Kroqi, the courageous and brave man, Fadil Kokomani, Spartak Ngjela (today one of the well-known lawyers defending democracy), Ylber Merdani, Pjetër Loro, Pashuk Loro, Zeqir Ceni, etc.
On April 2, 1990, Isuf was released from prison, while the Toshi family was also interned in the village of Lumas in Berat, where they served their sentence from June 25, 1980, until 1985, staying there for five years, with the note that: “they did not have the right to return to their birthplace.”
The Tragic Conclusion of the Toshi Drama
The Toshi family has two people executed by firing squad: Muhamet Tosha (Toshi), killed on May 29, 1961, and Hamit Toshi, killed on August 16, 1951; those imprisoned: Muhamet (8 years), Isuf (8 years); internment: Isuf (5 years), Menja Tusha (5 years), Xhevahir, his son (5 years, 1980-1985); Muhamet’s family: First internment 1960-1963, after Muhamet’s killing: Zadja (3 years, 1960-1963), his daughter Nadirja (1960-1963); Xhemali, his son (1960-1963); Melihaja, when she was 2 years old (1960-1963).
After fleeing, the 19-year-old son, Xhemal Fusha, came to New York, where he still lives today. The entire ordeal of the Toshi family includes 42 years of internment, 16 years of prison, and 2 savagely killed by the Pursuit Forces and the State Security.
The Survival of the Toshi Family
The history of our people, in all Albanian ethnic territories, will never be accurate unless it is written with the precision and truths of the time, for the best sons of nationalism – the patriots of pure freedom-loving, progressive, democratic ideals – for which values they even sacrificed their lives and are today a mirror of honor and pride for the noble mission of separating Albania from the clutches of black communism. Memorie.al
Literature:
- Zef Luka, “Njiqind shqipe që erdhën me prue lirine” (One Hundred Eagles Who Came to Bring Freedom), USA, 1950.
- Tomë Mrijaj, “Historia e parashutistit Alush Leshanaku (1913-1950)”, ‘Jeta Katolike’ magazine, pp. 13-14, 2008.
- Alush Leshanaku: “Gjendja e Shqipnis në Prill 1949”, “L’Albanie Libre”, Organe du Bloc National Independent, December 20, 1954, p.4.
- “Alush Leshanaku – Lajmtar e Fatos i Liris” (Alush Leshanaku – Herald and Hero of Freedom), “L’Albanie Libre”, Organe du Bloc National Independent, November 28, 1951, p.2.
- “Me histori në dorë” (With History in Hand), “L’Albanie Libre”, Organe du Bloc National Independent, November 28, 1952, p.3.
- Kolë Çuni, “Ditët e fundit me Alushin” (The Last Days with Alush), “L’Albanie Libre”, Organe du Bloc National Independent, December 20, 1954, pp. 6–7.
