-Archival documents on the sensational murder of the leaders of the Bektashian Grand Duchy in 1947. What opinions were there on this event, in Elbasan, Kukës, Tirana, Skaapar, Berat, etc.?
Memorie.al / How and to what extent did the killing of Baba Faja Martanesh and Baba Fejzo, who according to the official version of the time, were killed by the great grandfather Dede Baba Abazi, affect the population? The sensational event of March 1947 spread immediately throughout Albania. A day after the event, on March 19, 1947, the newspaper “Bashkimi” had given exactly this news about the event: “Yesterday afternoon at 3 o’clock in Kryegjushata, a vile and ugly crime was committed. The patriot Baba Faja and Baba Fejzua were killed by Dede Baba Abazi, who after the vile crime also killed himself”.
The official version was that Dedei had first killed Baba Fajja on the steps of the Grand Duchess, with a pistol bullet, and at the moment when Baba Fejzo came out, he had killed him with the same bullet and, in the end, he had also killed himself.
Numerous comments, especially in the circles of Bektash believers, had immediately raised doubts about this version, not believing at any moment, that the Great Grandfather would cause such bloodshed in the Great Grandmother, against every Bektashian belief and norm.
Some voices even said that senior Bektash leaders were no longer killed by a pistol bullet, but by machine gun fire. However, still today no expert document or photo has been published that would testify more clearly about this event.
On this sensational event of 1947, still shrouded in mystery, yesterday we published a part of the documents stored in the Central State Archive on this event. In yesterday’s documents, it was witnessed the propaganda fields that the regime was developing in all the regions of the country, to spread the official version of this event.
Even in one of the documents, instructions were openly given on how to make propaganda for this event, so that opponents of the regime would not use the murder of Baba Faja and Baba Fejzo to criticize the communist regime.
In the second part of the documents on this organized propaganda campaign directed by the highest dome of the regime, data are reported on the perception of this event, in the districts of Elbasan, Tirana, Berat, etc.
REPORT – INFORMATION FROM THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE OF ELBASAN, SENT TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, REGARDING THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THAT CIRCLE, ON THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN THE CAPITAL
ALBANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY
DISTRICT COMMITTEE
Elbasan
Elbasan, on 2-4-1947
No. Extra
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF P.K.SH.
(Organo-Instructive Section)
T i r a n e
Wire gauge No. 175/3 dated 31-3-47.
The Bektashian clergy here, for the most part, disapprove of the reforms, especially that of marriage. The killing of Baba Faja and Baba Fejzo by Dedei has produced some bad whispers.
Dede’s act is condemned as a criminal, but on the other hand his attitude against these reforms is called right; so it turns out that they don’t like the reforms, but Dedeji’s attitude is also considered inappropriate.
There are some clerics who maintain an indifferent attitude and agitate to appear in the form of one or the other side, to see how interested the Government is in the attitude of the majority of the clergy.
Among the Bektashis who are located in the city and in some villages of Čermenika, the killing of Baba Faja, especially whom they knew, affected them. Even if it is dominated for the most part by the opinion of the clergy. They do not call the reforms appropriate. It’s a small percentage that approves.
The murder and the attempt to carry out these reforms did not create the current to make these changes of views felt here, to make a war of thoughts between them.
It should be noted that there are some opinions that the government is responsible for not killing. But this opinion is only an opinion and has not found credit among all Bektashis.
Also, the murder is commented by the most conservative part of the old, as an act that was done by the legal power, to clear the ranks of the clergy, but this opinion does not find credit either.
Until now, we have information that for the most part the Bektashis do not approve of the reforms, they consider Dede as a protector of religion and only condemn the way in which, as a reactionary, he committed the crime.
Later we will send you a letter with information that we will have.
P/Circular Committee
P/(Thoma Deliana)
REPORT-INFORMATION OF THE DISTRICT COMMITTEE OF SHKODRA, SENT TO THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, REGARDING THE COMMENTS THAT WERE MADE IN THAT CIRCLE, FOR THE EVENT THAT HAPPENED IN THE CAPITAL
ALBANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY
DISTRICT COMMITTEE
Roscommon
No. Prot. 29/II-Res
Shkodra, 2-4-1947
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF P. K.SH.
T i r a n e
Regarding the letter No. 158 Res. Dt. 25-3/47.
Regarding the murder of Baba Faja and Fejzo, our people have been discussing it for the first few days and are curious to know more about how their murder was like, since later I am not interested in knowing more, but it is left yes say completely in silence.
In our region, we don’t have Bektashishe churches, i.e., there is no organization. There are about 2-30 people who belong to this tariqat, but who are detached and without organization. We have a teqe from the Rifai tariqat and this is in the center, but since these are completely disconnected and without organization, most of the muips are a talkative and uncredited element in the people, funny people.
The reaction in this measure wanted to use the opportunity and issued slogans, but rather attacking the Party. Father Faja and Fejzon have been presented as elements sought by the Party to implement new reforms such as removing the beard, dressing in civilian clothing, and marriage. These slogans have no place among the people and they are not even interested in knowing anymore.
I heard that Dedaj has been constantly bad with them and in opposition on Party issues, and because of this they have been in conversation and she has betrayed and secretly killed them.
I heard at first that father Fajo and Fejzon were killed by the Communist Party, and they were not killed by Dedaj.
Among N/Prefectures such as Koplik, Mirdita, the reaction tried to appear the complete opposite, they said that there were guns in the middle of the government people, three generals were killed in the midst of each other and the government is now in bad shape, etc. .
Among the conversations that the comrades had with people of the Bektashi tariqat, I noticed that they did not view the issue of reforms with a bad eye, it turned out that now is not the time to be suppressed in fanaticism for appearances and on the other hand, to waste, for example, regarding marriage, on the issue of wearing civilian clothes, they commented on this saying that; even if you don’t wear this, it’s okay, because as leaders they are also distinguished by their beards.
Some others say that Father Fejzo and Faja wanted to force Dedej to make reforms with the authority of the Government. The mass in general, as we pointed out, has not commented much, but has approved that Father Faja and Fejzo are honest patriots and that they fought and led the gangs. Partisans from the beginning and especially for Baba Faja, during the war.
The unmasking of Dedej for the criminal act he has committed, as pointed out by Party members everywhere, since clarifications have also been sought from the people, among conversations among close circles, the vile deed of Dedej and the presentation of Baba Faja and Fejza, as a patriot.
Party District Committee
(Adil Carcani)
REPORT-INFORMATION OF THE DISTRICT OF KUKS, FOR THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, REGARDING THE COMMENTS ON THE EVENT IN THE CAPITAL
No. 93/4/
3/IV/47.
Koçi Xoxe
There are no Bektashians in our district. The murder of Baba Faja and Baba Fejzo has not yet been reported in the entire District. Baba Faja, here is known more as a warrior leader of the movement, than a religious one. From the known circles, there has been talk of regret for their murder. One sees a reactionary from Bicaj, he talked to his circle, that they were killed because they had left the religion. No other comments have been heard from the people.
Veis Gjebero
REPORT-INFORMATION OF THE DISTRICT OF KUKS, FOR THE CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY, REGARDING THE COMMENTS ON THE EVENT IN THE CAPITAL
ALBANIAN COMMUNIST PARTY
DISTRICT COMMITTEE – BERAT
Death – Fascism
Liberty – To the people
No. 6/151 i prot.
Berat, on 3/4/947
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF P. K.SH.
(Organo-Instructor Section)
T i r a n e
According to your radiogram no. 175/3 dated 31/III/947.
The murder of Baba Faja and Baba Fejzo was heard late in our district, and especially in Skrapar, where there are many Bektashin. Earlier we found out that he died for Baba Fejzon and not for murder.
Before the murder, I circulated a slogan that came out of Dëshnica and spread throughout Skrapar, that Baba Fejzua got married and they were talking bad about him, saying that they have lied to us so far and now they want to get married.
This was not a general mischief of only some reactionaries who did not love Baba Fejzon and some fanatical elders. While some other young elements and people related to the war, have approved it and said that those people are also, should get married.
Better to get married than to do it illegally. In Skrapar, there are also some Fathers who are reactionary and in recent times, they have made Myhyp many people without taking the usual Myhypllek taxi.
These fathers are mostly those who fought Baba Fejzon, of course in their fanatical circles. Now with the murder of Baba Fejzo, in these districts of these Fathers who are based there from Tomorrica and Potomi, they have spoken against these two and are trying to present Dede as a Saint.
Baba Bektashi killed them, they say, because he could no longer bear the sins they wanted to commit. From the side of the Çepan Center of Therepel, nothing has been felt, only in small cases.
But the people of these provinces have felt sorry for Baba Fejzo, because Baba Faja is not known, and have spoken a lot against Dede. We know him, they say, he was Baba Kamber’s cub, bloodthirsty and he, like Baba Kamber.
Party comrades, who work in those places where there are Bektashin, are working to unmask the bloody deed of Dede and the advantage we have in this is that Baba Abazi is well known in these parts, as a close friend of the war criminal, Baba Kamberit and that Baba Fejzo, is known because he fought in those areas.
It is more difficult from Tomorica and Potoni where there is a lot of fanaticism, and where the higher Fathers are. These Fathers are quite corrupt and from this side we are caught in our agitation. Memorie.al
District Committee
(Reis Malile)
Taken from Kujto.al
