Part six
Memorie.al publishes a voluminous archival file issued by the institution of the Authority for Information of Former State Security Files, where there are hundreds of documents with the logo “Top secret” belonging to the former political prisoner, Xhavit Qesja, originally from the city of Kruja, whose family during the period of occupation of the country, 1939-1944, was closely associated with the Anti-Fascist Movement, being one of its main bases and made available all the wealth it had, as Xhavit was one of first member of the Albanian Communist Party for the Kruja district, leading the Kruja-Ishëm partisan battalion and the 22nd Assault Brigade. Xhavit Qese’s political career after the end of the War, where he was appointed and served in senior positions in the Albanian Army, the apparatus of the Central Committee of the ALP, and several districts of the country, from where he was sent to study in the Soviet Union, where stayed until 1957, when he was announced to return to Albania urgently, after openly expressing his views in favor of the political line followed by the main Kremlin leader, Nikita Khrushchev, condemning the Stalin cult. Enver Hoxha’s conversation with Xhavit Qesen in his office in the Central Committee, where he sharply criticized him for the wrong views he had shown during his studies in Moscow, urging him to reflect and make self-criticism, but Xhavit rejected the suggestion of the first secretary of the Albanian Labor Party, which caused him to no longer be allowed to go to the Soviet Union to complete his studies, but to be sent to work as deputy chairman of the Elbasan Executive Committee, from where a year later, he was expelled from the Party and exiled to Zvërnec Island, where the communist regime kept isolated some of the former senior party and state cadres whom he had condemned for their anti-party views. Xhavit Qes’ long ordeal and persecution from 1957 to 1990, where he spent a full 32 years in prison and internment, being one of the few Burrel prison convicts to go on long hunger strikes in protest of the treatment and savage attitude of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha towards him. The complete form, investigative and judicial file in charge of Xhavit Qeses, which is published for the first time by Memorie.al, which contains the documents of the former State Security that reflect the prosecution and wiretapping against him, the reports of Security collaborators with pseudonyms their correspondence with the letters he sent to the highest party and state instances, as well as the top leaders of the ALP, until 1991 when he was released from prison!
Continued from the previous issue
Report-information of the Lieutenant Colonel of the State Security, Shim Kolli, with the data of the Security collaborator, with the nickname “Applicant”, regarding the pursuit and surveillance of Xhavit Qeses
Before Zhukov made his visit to Yugoslavia and Albania since Xhavait was in the Soviet Union, it was rumored that Bulganin would be removed and that Zhukov would take his place. Zhukov was portrayed as Yugoslavia’s closest friend holding one of Yugoslavia’s biggest medals. When Zhukov visited Yugoslavia, Xhavit told me that this is a good fighter and that he will solve jobs, he is a friend, he wants a way to the Mediterranean in the relations that exist between us and the Yugoslavs, Zhukov’s way is closed, so he will tell you does not collect these (our leadership), he does not know one by one do two.
When Zhukov was dismissed from the post of Minister of Defense, Xhavit told me that: Radio Bari had said that Alla Zhukov had expressed dissatisfaction with Tito and that Tito had informed Khrushchev that this was Tito’s contribution. When Koniev wrote about Zhukov’s shortcomings, which were published in the newspaper, Xhavit condemned Konjev’s attitude, calling it dallkauk and why he is doing it now and why he has not done it before! Later no comment on Zhukov.
On Panayot’s escape, Xhaviti remarked that, after Panayot’s escape, he had been surveyed by an officer, and considered Panayot’s escape an act of bravery and an important political act, that Panayot would explain from Belgrade, the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and to tell our Party’s nonsense, to show that Panayot was the head, told me that Enver Hoxha himself, described him as the Communist who studied all the works of Lenin, after Panayot’s escape, told me that in Yugoslavia a radio station (‘Socialist Albania’), this radio station corrected the Party’s policy.
Specifically, he told me that: the measures taken for the celebration of November 28, were as a result of harsh criticism made by this radio station, on the evening of the Consumer Cooperative, had to quarrel with a girl who emigrated from Yugoslavia. I tell Xhavit about this the next day, and how stupid you are, he tells me, why do you have to quarrel with the Yugoslavs, you do not even understand what is being done against the Yugoslavs, that now there is no talk of ballists!
One day Xhavit says to me: These are sadists, I was walking calmly, and he knows what to say Sadista? No I answer and start telling me the origin of this word and that the end says to me: Sadista d.m.th., criminal, the expression these are sadists has told me several times.
He did not consider the execution of Dali and Liri Gega regular. He said that they should not be shot, their work and their fight against fascism should be taken for granted, and these cannot be considered more evil than the American agents who live today. Again he said these are sadists.
Xhavit agrees with the position taken recently by the Yugoslav delegation at the Moscow conference. Regarding the non-participation of the Yugoslav delegation, he said to me with pleasure: “Ah, they played the punch. They did very well not to participate, so yes, first to sit down, and talk to him to settle the issues “.
I was told that the Soviets treat women very badly because men have no respect for women, that there are men who, in the eyes of a woman, take another woman home to have fun, and she summed these up with the word that there is no has family.
The imperialists propagandize that they found the cure for crises and unemployment, but Xhavit says that unemployment is felt in the Soviet Union, here is how he told me: he did not determine my person, when Xhavit was in the Soviet Union, a Soviet man stops a person and asks for something ( cigarettes or some other thing) talk and this Soviet, the dance told him that there is no job, where to find a job, as soon as he had not changed, they say that there is no job, where to find a job, that if he had not changed his name, he would not have found the job he had worked for until then, Xhaviti told me that unemployment has started to be felt in the Soviet Union as well, that you have as many unemployed people there as you want. In addition, it turns out that changing the person’s name, personifies differences between nationalities, told me that if you are Russian you will find a job.
Koniev had given an interview to the body of the Central Committee of the Czechoslovak Party “Rude Pravo”, “Borba” had protested because Konjev had not mentioned in this article the role of the Yugoslav partisans. Koniev was forced to respond to “Borba”, as follows: “My original article was about the war of the Yugoslav peoples, about the war against Fascism, but the cuts were made by the editorial office of” Rude Pravos “, here is how they cut!
In the active meeting of the Elbasan District Party, I was not when I refer to comrade Hysni Kapo. After dinner I went to the discussions and asked Xhavit what happened in the morning, he answered that all the work is in the Yugoslavs. I ask him if Comrade Hysni met him, no, he answers me, but if he meets you and says: You took Comrade Xhavit, what do you say, do you agree? I will say that you agree, but I will thank him for putting me under the surveillance of Shim Kolli. One night while walking, Xhaviti was stopped by a police officer and asked for the documents, Xhaviti made this issue to his friend Josif Pogaçe. On this occasion, it is not the first time I am surveyed by Shima.
He sent a letter to Comrade Enver asking him to send him to the Soviet Union and that he could attend state schools in the country. With all my heart, I say to Xhavit, why not continue an institute? Are you even a scholar? “What do I need a school for?” He says.
We talked about transferring to Tirana, I give him the letter to read, but he quickly returns it to me, saying: Yes, stupid, he still does not know that you were interned in the Elbasan camp, he constantly tells me: Where are you? Chairman of the District Plan, (District) Elbasan, “with ridicule”!
I told him to address Comrade Enver and make him self-critical, he replied that: I do not write a letter, I do not worry, even if they take me to Gramsh, I decided not to worry, nor for physical extinction. One day, he tells me that he had decided to write a letter to Comrade Enver (I think he would have talked to his wife) and he wrote to him, when he was in the assembly, but he told me that I did not do self-criticism, but that he asked to be transferred in Tirana and that he was not treated well.
From the beginning, as soon as I met him, I noticed that Xhavit, as Vice President, did not show interest in the work, I often came to his office, but forwarded it to my subordinates, signed papers without reading them. I tell him he had to work better, I used some ways, I put him in seder, I told him that employees make fun of him, that he does not appear serious in tasks and in facts seeing that I was talking to him for his own good, he turned in terms of work.
I think that Xhaviti with his gentle attitude, not demanding accountability, going to circumcision, as in Met Dylgjeri, wanted to win sympathy, told me that different people greeted him and told him not to be upset , they shook his hand and told him not to get upset, because that’s how they do things. As after him, these people agreed with Xhavit’s condition.
In November 1957, in my room I made one as evening, were Xhaviti, Mihal Dodbiba, Nazmi Batalli, Aleko Koleci, Mihali sent Abedin (husband of Hope), to call Agim Bejten. The evening continued with brandy, but in a special way, Agim Bejtja ordered the orchestra to perform Yugoslav songs, while Xhavit, who did not hear the music, raised his head and listened to them with gas and a smile. Lekua says to me: more, what is being done like this?! What do you have, I tell him, here we have the chairman of the District Party, I noticed that Xhavit was walking with Agim Bejten, that they both were in a school in Moscow, they had an affinity (I think my deduction) Xhaviti must have had a conversation with Agim as well.
One morning in November-December, I came from Tirana to Elbasan with the car of Kombinat Drurit. I was in front with the driver, while Xhavit and Nazim were in the back. I heard Xhavit talking to Nazim about the administration of S.M.T.s and the pay system regarding the quality of work. I noticed that Nazmi Batalli tried to avoid meetings with Xhavit. I know that Xhaviti got on the phone to get the car to Tirana, but Nazimi did not give it to him, I even know of a case where he was told that: I do not go to Tirana, he even went, there were places and he did not have it informed Xhavit.
Xhavit has tried to have conversations where there is no third person. One day at Agron Frashërti’s house, he saw a book by Zini Sako. “How much I hate this dallkauk,” Xhaviti told Zini Sako. Agron told him that: Ziniu and other writers of the country have realized good and other works. But Xhavit said: do not waste time reading works like Zini.
At 5 o’clock, when the train returns from Tirana to Elbasan, a girl comes out and waits at the Durrës station, I saw that they have met 4-5 times. I thought that she was not an old acquaintance, because they talk to other people, while Xhaviti told me that this is an old friend, she met him during the war, and she knows his mother. As after Xhavit, this girl took care of him, giving advice to stay well, one Sunday this is looking for her and she appeared a little worried because she is not finding Xhavit. This girl had been in Elbasan the same day and had not met Xhavit. This girl is called ………. the revisionist dog and not a friend, as Xhavit told me.
In Tirana, in “Volga”, Xhaviti meets Petro Lalana (Rarely) I asked him in January 1958, how his schoolmates treat the Party in Moscow, like Petrua and others, he told me that they respect him and accompany it, a kind as before. Njazi Jahoja was spending a day on a walk, I tell him that this one seems washed out to me, no more Xhaviti tells me, this is a man, do you know what he said in the Tirana asset, when they asked him to do self-criticism? And he continues: Njaziu answered, which does not make him autocratic, because the Party has not taught him to humble himself, but to be steadfast in his thoughts.
Elbasan 16 / IV / 1958 “Applicant”
Report-information of the State Security officer, Lieutenant Colonel Shim Kolli, with the data of the Security collaborator, with the nickname “Skëndi”, regarding the pursuit and surveillance of Xhavit Qeses
Taken from Shim Kolli
Given by B.p. “Skëndi”
R A P O R T
The source informs that on 17/5/1958, he had gone to Durrës for work reasons. Here I meet Sadik Sadedini, with whom he went at lunchtime at 1.30 am to eat at the restaurant where fish is cooked, opposite N.SH.M.I.-s. Sadiku told him that he had given some materials, he asked him how he knew Xhavit Qesen and Sadiku told him that: he had introduced Xhavit’s brother, correspondent of “Zeri i Popullit” in Durrës, whom Sadiku has, friends. Sadiku then told him that he was sorry for Xhavit, who had been sent to the Municipal with a discount.
Xhavit’s work started the conversation about the treatment of the staff and Sadiku continued: The job is bad, you have to have a friend to get a job, or to secure the place you have, because for the slightest mistake, the person is fired and there is no insurance. The old element is not treated well, I see very dark my avenir and many of my friends, who do not have the craft of firing and being left on the streets. Here in my company, a friend from Gjirokastra, who worked in the Executive Committee of Gjirokastra, was next to the director.
There he went out of the organic and refused to come to the place assigned to him. He was informed that the position of director in N.SH.SH.M.I was vacant, he intervened with Haki Toska, whom he has a friend, and he fixed it. While in Durrës, there are full of competent directors, who could be set up on this occasion, while the son of the world is set up from Gjirokastra, while in Durrës, housing work is also a problem. Here is what it means to have a friend and to say that it is not so! Why the bad frame is Zihni Muça, well if there is no one to shake his hand, they look at him with a bad eye and he remained in the number one place. He passed the conversation, asking him if Nesti Kerenxhi had come to Durrës, whom he had not seen for a long time, telling him that: Nesti settled well in Tirana.
Nesti said Sadiku, he has not been to Durrës for a long time, Nesti deserves more, in the place where he came he was not satisfied; he preferred to be better in the Enterprise Building in Elbasan. Passing from one conversation to another, he told her: That it was very bad, after his radio was broken and he had not heard any news from the outside world, especially about the development of the 7th Congress of the League of Yugoslav Communists, with exceptions to the news of our press and expressed the opinion that: he did not agree with the position of the Yugoslavs, it is not as our press says.
The Yugoslavs have their views that time will prove, they are brave and convinced in their thoughts. Why do we as communists accept the changes that Lenin made to Marx, was Lenin called a revisionist? Marx said that: revolution will explode immediately all over the world, while Lenin, elaborating on Marx’s thoughts, brought out that revolution can triumph and in a single place and his thesis won, opening to humanity the prospects for the victory of socialism.
Why not accept that the Yugoslavs and any other good man can give his views on the current situation, is the issue of Marxist theory a monopoly of only a few people? Kardel is a profound theoretical man and a great Marxist and was adding new things to Marxism and revolutionary movements in the world. We should not be afraid and we should look at things right.
Take for example the economic organization of enterprises, there really is the worker today in the factory, where the worker has an interest to produce as much as possible, because the surplus profit belongs to the collective, as well as the director of the enterprise and not to us, who no one asks at all about the director. Here the discussion was interrupted and did not continue, because Llambi Sotiraj, head of Sharrave Puka, came to Durrës, he left to leave, after Sadiku would go home, because he had a sick wife.
Elbasan on 20/5/1948 “SKËNDI”
DUTY
To find the opportunity to go to Durrës again and meet Sadik Sadedini.
Do not forget to meet with Xhavit Qesen according to the orders we have made. Memorie.al
N / COLONEL
(Shim Kolli)
The next issue follows
