By Hysen Selmani
Part sixteen
Memorie.al/ European and American press have often addressed the subject of the memories of the Albanian King, Zogu i-r, which he wrote and dictated during his exile from Albania. Considering the notes and syntheses that his assistant, Colonel Hysen Selmani, compiled over the years in his service, – always, next to the King of the Albanians, both at home and in exile, these notes, more or less with parts of detached, without strictly following the usual criteria of memoirs, and without having the definite, final form of an edition, they are prepared by Hysen Selmani himself, who has dedicated most of his life, as in Albania, as well as during the exile, serving the First Zog, the King of the Albanians.
Continues from last issue
Then I went to the Hotel. When I got back to the Hotel it was 1pm. The whole commission was there. We went to the bread hall and I said to you, “Would you like a drink?”
“Yes,” Himce Kaba told me laughing, “Haxhiu and I drink it, while these others don’t know.”
“Not me either – said Professor Gjinishi, – laughing, we called the waiter, and he brought them all kinds of drinks. But they didn’t drink, they just said it as a joke. After we ate bread, I sent Avni Deralla to buy two gold wristwatches.
One for the major of the Army Command and the other, for a police commissioner, that they had left at my disposal. At this time, I and the people of the priory went to a cafe on the banks of the Vardar for a while. There, it was a very good flower garden. I even told Captain Avni, “that they would find us in that flower garden”. We have been there long enough.
Skopje, June 23, 1939
After the announcement of the departure of Colonel Husein Selman for Turkey, more than 600 people, officers, ensigns and other officials, had come to Skopje from Gostivar and other places. For this purpose, all the salons of the hotel and the gardens around it were filled. As for a part, which I had not seen before, I was forced to take them inside, in the hotel lounge. “At 12 o’clock of the day, the Governor, the Commander of the Army, general, Nedel Kolic, the Chief of Staff of the Army, general Kovačević and the Police Commissioner came to the hotel. They came to say good-bye to me, the adjutant recalls, and paid me a visit. And, when we entered the hotel lounge, all its premises were filled with Albanians. We saw them and received them very well, and full of friendship”.
Immediately, Colonel Selmani left the Albanians and led you. They went to a private salon and, laughing, told the Governor that: “Here we are feeling ourselves, like in our country.” When, the Governor answered me: “We wish you with all our heart, that as soon as possible, we will see you in your free, independent Motherland, with your Glorious and beloved King, Zog I, at the helm.”
Below, the Governor added: “I am very pleased with your generous behavior towards your countrymen, because your efforts have made their needs met. And they sympathize with you very much, and love you very much. It seems that you had a close relationship. , with the people in Albania. This, too, gives us a sense of longing”.
And, he came back talking to Akif Lleshi, that they knew each other well. Then, they told me that: “We wish you a good journey! Here, whenever you want, you are a valuable friend. Feel yourself at home.”
Then, with full sincerity, they told me that: “We wish His Majesty, Zog I, the King of the Albanians, the completion of all the activities, realizing these with the liberation of the Motherland.” Then they hugged me. Of course, we escorted them to the car.
Everyone surrounded them with a full sympathy of love and went. After the authorities of Skopje left, we went inside and wanted to go to the salon, but we were prevented by the fact that there were a large number of people there. I only took 100 people to lunch. While the others were distributed in restaurants. It wasn’t expensive, but I was getting ready to go to Istanbul.
Skopje, June 23, 1939
“Now I am with the Heads of the Centers, talking about the operation of the messengers and their appointment, as well as talking with Akif Lleshi, Himce Kaba and Haxhi Lleshi”, the adjutant remembers about this day. That, as soon as I leave, they will also leave for Dibër. They have to operate the messenger center in that area, which is most important.
After I had finished all the talks, adds the adjutant – as with Llešaj and the other leaders, I went out to the flower garden of the hotel, talking with all the immigrants. This, giving you courage, as well as advising them, to behave very well with each other, as well as with complete obedience and discipline, towards their superiors.
“Do you want to be an example before the country’s authorities?! Don’t be upset, because I have to come back here and we have provided you with everything from the country’s authorities. Only from you, I want a manly and obedient attitude, before authorities and superiors, that they honor you and eventually fulfill all other needs”.
At 4 o’clock in the afternoon, we all gathered at Hotel “Bristol”, Prince Xelal Zogu, with the whole family, Murat Kaloshi, Myftar Kaloshi, Dan Kaloshi and two other members of Murat Kaloshi, lieutenant Sefedin Çollaku and lieutenant Hajredin Hallulli, Ismail Shema of Nezir Biba. All of them wanted to come with me to Istanbul. There were almost 600 senior officers, professors, clerks, students and everyone waiting to accompany me to the station.
Colonel Husein Selmani remembers that he told Prince Jelal Zog and others, as well as Murat Kaloshi, to go to the station: “It will be better to take a seat on the train in time, because I will come later, with the captain Avni and the Yugoslav major, and the police commissioner. They have received orders to accompany me to the Bulgarian border. And I, together with them, will come.” They all went and the prince with his family.
At this time, I told Captain Avni to call the Foreign Minister of Yugoslavia, Loitić, to greet him and talk to him a little. Immediately came to the phone and more sympathy and friendship, said to me: “Order dear friend.”
I told him that: “Now I am leaving for Istanbul, I just want Milio Ilici to come within this week, because His Majesty, King Zog I, is leaving for France. This forced me to leave quickly, as on the 25th, I should be in Istanbul”.
He told me: “Very well, now I’m communicating to Ilic. Because he also wants to leave as soon as possible. And I’m waiting for him there, to come directly to the Hotel ‘Pera Palace’.” He wished me a safe journey, all the best. And at this time, he asks me: “One minute because the minister, Cincar Markovic, will greet you.” He told me that: “My friend, we have been very satisfied, in friendly talks, and I tell you the truth, that here you have left the best memories, as a noble man, and whenever you have the opportunity, here you are just like in your homeland.
We have ordered Ilic and tomorrow he can leave for Istanbul, by plane and talk there. I wish you a good journey and the fulfillment of all that you want. And with a free Albania with King Zog I at the head”. After that we parted. After I finished with Belgrade on the phone, I telegraphed our minister in Istanbul, Asaf Xhaxhuli, that I was leaving for Istanbul.
Skopje, June 23, 1939
At 5:30, Colonel Selmani left the hotel for the Shemendifer station, on foot with all the Albanians who had come to greet him: officers, flag bearers, professors, clerks, students, immigrant soldiers.
“After I went to the station, the adjutant remembers, I grabbed them all by the neck one after the other, but they wouldn’t let me go. So, when the time came for the train to leave, that Yugoslav major, who was available, stopped the train, until the colonel was done with them. And so he entered the train, with Captain Avni Deralla and the Major of the Police Commissioner, who would accompany us to the Bulgarian border”.
As soon as Colonel Selman entered, the train started to leave and the colonel stood at the train gate, greeting and hugging all his compatriots. There was a shout “Long live King Zog I”, “Long live Colonel Hussein Selmani”, “Long live Yugoslavia, our friend”, and others. This continued, until the train was gone and out of sight. After the train left, the colonel, together with Avni Deralla and the Yugoslav major, and the commissar, went to their rooms in the wagon. They immediately went to the salon to get a coffee, and Captain Avni Deralla was also sent there to take Prince Xelal and Murat Kaloshi to come to the salon. The Prince and his Lady and Murat and Miftar Kaloshi came. There, they talked and took some coffee, some a small drink and spent almost an hour.
After that they dispersed. Colonel Selman first visited the prince, then Murat Kaloshi, they were not well. “We would like you to change rooms,” the colonel told them. But they didn’t listen, because they wanted to stay in those rooms, because they were cheaper. And they didn’t want to be separated from each other. The prince was with the Lady and the children and with a nurse. There was a total of 7 people. They wanted to stay together and Murat Kaloshi was the fifth himself. He also did not want to separate his friends. So, they remained in that room and did not want to come to Vagonli.
Colonel Husein Selmani, with Captain Avni Deralla and the Yugoslav major and commissar, were the wagons. And when dinner time came, Avni was sent to take the Prince and the Lady, as well as Murat and Miftar Kaloshi, to eat bread. But the Prince was naked, and he didn’t want to take bread with him and he didn’t want to be separated from the children. Also, Murat Kaloshi had that usual illness, and he was still not in his mind.
So, they didn’t come. There was only Colonel Selmani, Captain Avni Deralla, Army Major, Yugoslav Police Commissioner, Lieutenant Sefedin Çollaku and Lieutenant Hajredin Hallulli. Everyone went to the bread hall and stayed there for an hour and a half, talking and eating bread and drinking coffee. That is until they passed Nishin.
“When we arrived at the Bulgarian-Yugoslav border, the adjutant remembers, – the train stopped there and the Yugoslav major and the commissar were going to stop here, to return to Skopje. I took them to the saloon and ordered a small drink each In the ongoing conversation, I told you that: “We drink this for the good future of our friend and neighbor Yugoslavia, as well as for the health of my friends in Skopje, the Governor, the Commander of the Army, the Chief of Police, and others”.
I said to the Major: “Give those my most friendly respects to the Commander, General Nedel Kovic. Tell him that; I always maintain the most precious friendship, in return for his incomparable generosity and manliness, and I gave him a gold watch. Also, I also gave the commissar, a gold watch. Then I left and said goodbye.
Caribrod, June 24, 1939
At 7 o’clock in the morning of this date, we reached the Yugoslav-Bulgarian border, in Caribrod, the adjutant continues in his memoirs. “Here, after I spoke to you and gave you all my gratitude, for General Nedel Ković and I was presented with a golden wristwatch as a souvenir, and when I was hugging them, they burst into tears. They stayed until the train passed, and was seen again, paying respects, and of course I too, saluting them at the train window”.
Then we left for Istanbul, when Captain Avni Deralla comes to me and informs me that Murat Kaloshi is very sick: “I immediately went and saw him. He had improved and this was the usual illness. I took him alone, like Murat and Miftar we went to the salon with a cup of coffee. He improved completely and seemed to be fine there. I then told him: We will also have lunch here, because they make good bread.” Then I said to Avni: go a little to the prince, that if I want to come with the whole Lady here, that; “we better see this whole panorama and drink a coffee, pass the time”.
Avni went and after a while they came with the Prince and the Lady. They enjoyed themselves there, while the prince took a coffee, and the Lady took a tea. Talking, a lot of time passed. When lunch time approached, I told Avni to book us a good place, for 8 people, in the bread hall, because there were the Prince and the Lady, Murat and Miftar Kaloshi, Sefedim Çollaku, Hajredin Hallulli and me and Avni, 8 people.
We ate such a good lunch there, and laughing at this also made Murat Kaloshin fat, and he doesn’t even hear about that disease anymore. Satisfied, he ate well, smoking and drinking coffee. We spent a lunch, so much so that we did not leave the bakery until we arrived in Edrene, the Turkish border. Then, we got up and went to the rooms, to prepare, that within an hour and a half, we would reach the Turkish border.
“If you want, we can have dinner together,” I said. Murat said: “I will have dinner with you.” So, they dispersed to rest a little. At 8.30 in the evening, I again sent Avni to pick them up. But the Prince had fallen asleep, and Murat and Miftar Kaloshi came. Then we laughed that Miftari and Hallulli wanted a drink of shlivavice, and they brought it to you. But they also brought you good appetizers, and we ate from the appetizers. They didn’t want us to eat your appetizer. Then an evening passed, a very good one. We ate bread until 12 o’clock at night, there we went to rest, but very satisfied, both from the dinner and from the fact that we spent the time very well.
Istanbul, June 25, 1939
It is the moment of arrival in Istanbul, after a long tour of talks in Yugoslavia, about the future of the resistance in exile. Here’s what the King’s adjutant, Husein Selmani, remembers: “At 8 o’clock in the morning, on this same date, we arrived at the Sekerrci station, Istanbul. There, we sent Prince Jelal to a hotel near Sekerchiu. Meanwhile, Murat Kaloshi and his friend’s others, in another hotel. This is where the minister, Asaf Xhaxhuli, Sotir Martini and Hiqmet Delvina, and some others, where he had booked these hotels.
Avni with Ismail Shema and Nezir Biba went to my apartment. Meanwhile, I took Sefedin Çollak and Hajredin Hallulli with me. I, Minister Xhaxhuli, Sotir Martini, Hiqmet Delvina, went directly to the “Pera Palace” Hotel. At the same time, the Albanian Consul, Hajrullahi with Sefedin Çollaku and Hajredin Hallulli, come back in a car. When we entered the “Pera Palace” Hotel, there in the salon was the King with Prime Minister Kota.
I showed up. The king got up and took me by the throat, saying: “It’s good that you came, Colonel and your friend Iliçi, he came yesterday and I talked a little with them. I praise you a lot for everything you have developed in Yugoslavia.” After this thank you, I said goodbye to the Prime Minister. He also told me: “Well done, Colonel, you have done a great job because, myself, I had no chance to accomplish anything in Greece.”
The king asked me long and wide about General Nedic and General Nedel Kovic. There I explained a little that General Nediçi is the Minister of War, but he has lost all sympathy in the army. “He told me this himself, but as a friend, he is what he used to be. Meanwhile, the commander of the Skopje Army, General Nedel Kovići, is very strong, a leader against this Government and very hostile to General Nedić. He has almost all the sympathy, the greatest in the army and is a leader, a true friend. This will also appear in the report that we will present to you.”
The king turned to Kotta saying: “Look, the colonel did a lot of work in Yugoslavia, so much so that he has gained the full trust of friends and enemies in the Yugoslav Government. This was confirmed to me by Milo Ilici. Also, the way he managed to provide aid for immigrants, the best. It is 30 dinars per day, per person, as well as students, he arranged them with scholarships, etc. The officers, for their part, have the same right as the Yugoslav officers, in the Officers’ Club and are free, to walk everywhere.
And, moreover, – continued the King – one thing I did not believe, that he has organized three operation centers in Yugoslavia: One for officers, one for professors, one for Kreshniks. You yourself will see later the program, which is a great work, and four security centers have been provided for the messengers: one in Struga, one in Dibër, one in Topajan i Luma, one in Prizren and one in Podgorica. labeled Yugoslavian. And then he told us, – we will talk about these in detail in a day”. Memorie.al
The next issue follows
