Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al/ publishes the unknown memoirs of the former political prisoner, Gëzim Peshkëpia, originally from Gjirokastra and living in Germany, where he recalls and describes in detail some of the events and stories of his accomplices in the camps and prisons of Enver Hoxha’s communist regime, such as: Professor Ismail Farka, Shefqet Kau, Eqerem Kavaja, Shaban Reçi, Halil Laze, Seit Bathorja, etc., with whom he spent years serving his sentence, as well as investigators, officers, captors and police officers serving in those “re-education wards.”
“Seit Bathoren was called out to the prison command offices where after being informed of the news of his release, after his sentence had ended, Commander Sami Kamberi told him:” From now on, Seit, you are free. Since it is late and there is no train, “I will escort you to Ballsh to sleep at the hotel and leave for Tirana early tomorrow with the first train. Do you have anything to say?” Usually this was done to crochet the formula required by the case, where the political prisoner being released had to reply: “Thank you to the Party that put its hand on my heart for me.” But Seiti did not utter that word, he looked the commander in the eye and said, “I have a prayer, Mr. Commander, but I do not know if you will be able to fulfill it.” “Speak,” replied the commander, and Seiti said, “Mr. Commander, if you want, let me stay here today in prison with my comrades, because I want to talk and get upset with them.” “Commander Samiu, originally from Peshkopia, stepped down, as he had a life to do with that job and had never been forced to ask any convict to stay in prison longer than the sentence he had.” The above is an excerpt from Gëzim Peshkëpi’s memoirs, which belong to the period when he was serving his sentence as an “enemy of the people” in the camps and prisons of Enver Hoxha’s communist regime, which Gëzim describes as one of the most interesting of his cycle of memories, (which he intends to title: “Humor in prison”) where he described some of the strangest characters he knew during the years of serving his sentence, he offered it exclusively for Memorie.al
Follows from the previous number
Memories of Gëzim Peshkëpi?
When asked about the unmasking social trials that Seiti had attended as a member, he said: “What a trial I got! It’s a vain job. I was elected assistant judge. to the assistants, and then you turn to the courtroom: The trial panel decided Val! God, I had said a word or a friend. psh-psh and shook my head.
Let me come out and the prosecutor would tell me: no bullets like that and not like that. Come on, father, let me plow the fields! Stay oj ocë, I told her, that you are not aware of the bullets! The bullets were for German rifles. That I had twenty kinds of bullets! (Seit was also convicted of illegal possession of weapons). But I had a couple of English booms, yellow gold! They had tried them, the mayor told me, and they both had cracks. I did not feel bad I or friend. They said to him: A handful of gold, or a cobra, which one does Seit take? – gun tucked mre, she saves your honor, whiten your face! ALL does not eat even a dog!
When Zogu left, the whole millet rushed inside the palace and stole what they could. Even today he finds in Sauk and Bathore biluri plates with the hat of that time. And I take a rifle. Each path of 6 pieces I took to the forest. I spend my whole life with guns in my hands, and they punish me with weapons with the permission of Haxhihason (agitation) without a program (propaganda)! Fuck big tight! See more, they have put this inside too! Seiti stretched his injured arm towards a devollite. Does anything come from the one who left telling me that they eat his hands for work?
Give him the circus in his hand, he is well on his way! Seiti worries about his 16-year-old daughter that he “had a bad mind.” I’m afraid some of the witnesses are killing me. Dylberja is like a boy, he gets blood on his eyebrows! After a pause, he added: How can I not marry Refin (Estref Kërçikun). He is a capayev! “Seiti was referring to Estrefi who, among other things, had said bad things about one of the main leaders of the Party.
Seiti was alarmed when he heard Estref’s accusation, so he said to me: “By God, they were very serious talk. “You see this,” said Refi, pointing to Tonini. “This was the office of one of the main members of the Politburo. you did not believe even ask Takun (Spartak Ngjela) the son of the minister Kiço “.
Taku came into play and our laughter had not ceased. They often said: Our mothers cry day and night for us, and here they laugh as if we are on the stage. We were of different professions. There were engineers, officers, professors, lawyers, economists in a word from different fields.
We also had Halil Lazen (writer) but there were also craftsmen and even illiterates like Seiti who had no knowledge of politics at all. In May we parted ways in the camps. At first, Seiti fled, tied to Shaban (Reçi), who was still wearing officer’s clothes without a spatula. Seiti you feel angry because he was separated from many friends. A week later we were seen again in the same ward, but Seiit was so desperate that they had not brought Refin.
Additional prison camp
The Ballsh camp impressed you because it had taken on the appearance of a shipyard. You are adding a row of silos. This is a bad sign according to the old prisoners. Construction meant the continuation of the wave of arrests. The speeches of the dictator and his clan were harsh and threatening. They hurled curses at enemies of any color and called for vigilance. The class struggle was taking place with an unprecedented burst in all spheres even within the party. Seiti stared at each other, to fish for any hope, no matter how small, but in vain…!
Propaganda tense. Albania will be declared a Socialist People’s Republic. The hope for amnesty for prisoners is not extinguished. The prisoners were divided into two parties: the optimists and the pessimists. Seiti was one of the ardent militants of the optimistic party. All the “news” he collected came and told Nexhos (Nexhmi Ballkë) of Shaba. If you do not shroud him with any positive news or comment about an opportunity for forgiveness, he would get seriously angry. One evening I was walking with Shaba and Malin (Ismail Farka). It was the time between dinner tea and the last appeal of the day.
Seiti was walking with one of the former ministers of Enver Hoxha, a former member of the Central Committee of the Labor Party. Seiti looked him straight in the eye and shook his head in approval. This walk lasted for about an hour and a half. Meanwhile the chunk fell and the usual mess was created because everyone was looking for their turn and the companion of the appeal. Seiti was led by the three of us. “Hey- said Ismaili- do we have anything?” – What more do you have, Seiti waited, by God, I wonder what idiots we had at the top!
What confused me the simpleton: cork, cork, cork (it was about stages). Now that the Party (Albania meant) is becoming socialist! We will be released, frend, I know what they told you. “Seit was often teased with wartime memories. at the Peza Conference. Here is what he said about him: “Who put a fart on Enver or byrazer! “Only Abaz Kupi heard the word there, he was both mouth and finger.”
Volunteer in prison?
Days and weeks rolled by. Every time Seiti had a meeting he was the epicenter of all the prisoners. His words were commented, analyzed as if they belonged to a philosopher because he had told Myslym Peza with whom Seit’s family had not severed relations. The words of Myslym Peza were taken for granted, his position as vice-president of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly is taken as true.
This was done by smart and intellectual people, whose prison had stripped them of their consensus. Finally came the long-awaited pardon for the former partisan (from the People’s Assembly) and what happened had never happened in the prisons of Albania, and maybe even further…!
Seit was called out to the command offices. They communicated the news. Then the prison commander “simplified” the content: From now on o Seit you are free. Since it is late and there is no train, I will take you to Ballsh to sleep at the hotel. Early tomorrow, departed with the first train to Tirana. Do you have anything to say? Usually this question is asked to crochet the formula required by the occasion: “Thank you Party, which put its hand on the heart…”! Seiti looked the commander in the eye and said: I have a prayer, comrade commander, but I do not know if you will fulfill me.
– Speak! – Comrade Commander, if you would like to please let me stay here in prison tonight with friends. I want to talk and share with them. Commander Sami Kamberi, originally from Bishopric, stepped down. He had a life dealing with these jobs. He had never heard such a thing, yet he said to him: “If incident did anything to your o Seit, do you know that I am responsible especially now that you are free”!
No, Mr. Commander, he will not do anything because I did not meet here. “Seiti, being free, slept in prison that night! Albania and outside the prison, was equally surrounded by wires. camps and prisons, the former partisan with a big heart, the illiterate peasant convicted of (… what he could not say) Agitation and propaganda against the popular power!/Memorie.al
