Memorie.al / In the cold January of 1968, from a modest apartment in Elmhurst, New York, a 65-year-old man named Harry Rondos wrote a letter that would never receive a reply. The letter was addressed to Enver Hoxha himself, with the humble tone and simple hope of a son who wanted to help his mother in the twilight of her life. “I have an old mother, over 90 years old,” Rondos wrote, “and every letter I send her with a check is returned to me!”
In the envelope, along with the letter, he had enclosed a check for 100 dollars for Sofia – the woman who had remained alone in Himara, in an isolated and frightening Albania, where connections with the outside world were considered a sin.
But the state saw neither a son’s love nor pity for a mother on the verge of death. In the official file, the “comrades of the Ministry of Internal Affairs” defined his request as “unacceptable.”
Harry Rondos could not enter Albania – he had three brothers who had escaped (fled), and one of them had been labeled a “diversionist” (saboteur). For this reason, his mother had been interned and every dollar sent to her was returned.
At the end of the bureaucratic document, a cold sentence sealed the fate of his plea:
“I believe that what he sent should be returned to the interested party through the State Bank, and no answer should be given to him.”
Today, that letter remains as a small, but poignant, testimony of that time when an exiled son sought mercy from a system that could not recognize either love or compassion.
And perhaps, somewhere in Himara, in a house that no longer exists, mother Sofia waited until the end for the postman to bring her news from America. But the letter, along with her son, never came.
THE LETTER FROM EMIGRANT HARRY RONDO, ORIGINALLY FROM HIMARA AND RESIDING IN THE USA, SENT TO ENVER HOXHA IN 1968
HARRY RONDOS (Harilaos Rondo)
85 – 14 Broadway
Elmhurst N.Y. (USA)
26 January 1968
Comrade ENVER HOXHA
Tirana, P.R.A. (People’s Republic of Albania)
Dear Comrade:
I apologize for the courage I am taking by addressing you personally for the following matter:
I have an old mother, over 90 years old, Sofia N. Rondo in Himara of the P.R.A. I have continuously sent her money for her living, but unfortunately for the past 9 months, every letter I send her with a check is returned to me, and I do not know what to do.
I hear here that a law has been passed for those who left themselves, but I am not in that category. I left Albania in 1923 and returned only once in 1937, for a 7-month visit. I have not disturbed and have not been involved in political matters.
I am enclosing a check for 100 dollars, in the name of my mother, Sofia N. Rondo, and I very much ask you, if it is possible, for it to be delivered to her in Himara.
On this occasion, I will also ask you for another matter. I have repeatedly applied through the Embassies of the P.R.A. in Paris and Rome, for a short visit to the homeland, to see my old mother before she dies, but unfortunately, I have not heard about the approval of the request.
Is it possible to instruct the Embassy in Rome to give me a visa for one month to come to Albania and reconnect with my old mother before she dies?
With the hope that you will have the kindness and consider my request, I thank you in advance and remain;
Your loyal
Harry Rondos
THE LETTER FROM ENVER HOXHA’S SECRETARY, VANGJELO SOTIRIADHI, SENT TO XHAFER SPAHIU, DEPUTY CHAIRMAN OF THE PRESIDIUM OF THE PEOPLE’S ASSEMBLY, CONCERNING THE ISSUES RAISED IN THE LETTER BY HARRY RONDO FROM THE USA
To Comrade Xhaferr
INFORMATION
REGARDING THE LETTER OF HARRY RONDOS
He is from the village of Himara and went to the U.S.A. in 1923.
In the letter he sends to Comrade Enver, he writes that he has an old mother, 90 years old, in Albania, to whom he continuously sent money for her living, but for 9 months, every letter he sends with money is returned, so he sends a check for 100 dollars to be given to her, as he claims that he is not in the category of those who fled and has not been and is not involved in political matters.
He also writes that he has applied several times to our diplomatic missions in Paris and Rome to come for a visit to Rome [Albania], but has not been granted permission.
The comrades of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who were asked about the aforementioned matter, inform that his request to come to Albania was refused in 1963, because he has three brothers who have fled, one of whom has also acted as a diversionist.
His mother, Sofie Rondo, has been interned. Also for these reasons, based on the established criteria, the money he sent has also been returned.
I believe that the money he sent should also be returned to the interested party through the State Bank, and no answer should be given to him./ Memorie.al
Vangjelo Sotiriadhi
I agree with your proposal.
3/2/1968
