Dashnor Kaloçi
Memorie.al publishes the unknown story of Zalo Xhomaqi from Kolonja district, who after graduating from the French High School in Korça, during the period of occupation, served as secretary at the law firm of the Kokalari brothers in Tirana and then joined as a member. of the nationalist Balli Kombëtar detachments in the Kolonjë area, taking part in many battles against both Italian and partisan occupying forces. Zalo’s departure after the German occupation of the country to escape the revenge of the communists and work as a secretary in the Court of Prizren, from where he then returned to Tirana and with the help of his friend, Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Colonel Myftar Tare was able to start working as a technical secretary in the judicial panel of the Military College in Tirana. The rare testimony of his brother, Sybi Xhomaqi, about how Zalo helped anti-communist prisoners when they went to trial and the tract he threw in Tirana, after the trial of 10 high school students in Tirana: Islam Lleshi, Viktor Dosti, Haziz Jareci, Besnik Duro, Petrit Toto, Bujar Doku, Kujtim Koculi, Ylber Gimjani, Adem Petrela and Mikel Popa, who were accused of anti-communist activities. How Zalo was discovered as he was the author of that tract that alarmed the communist regime and his shooting on July 17, 1947 on the river bank, where his last word was “Long live Albania”.
“At around 6 am on July 18, 1947, in the Tirana investigation, where Zalo was being held for several months under torture, Prosecutor Captain Petrit Hakani left his office and went into the narrow corridor where some of the prisoners were sleeping. of that group that had been tried in those days. At the end of the corridor, he kicked Abdulla Berberi, who was asleep, and said, “Does it occur to you where I went this dark morning?” I am going to kill with my own hand, your friend, our traitor and deconspirator, Zalo Xhomaqi ”.
Sybi Xhomaqi testifies for the first time for Memorie.al, who tells the whole story of his brother, Zalo Xhomaqi, or as he is otherwise known by the surname Bejkova. He was a former member of the Nationalist Nationalist Troops of the National Front, and then technical secretary of the military panel of the Military College in Tirana, in 1945-1946, who was later arrested, tried and sentenced to death, being shot in April and in 1947, after throwing anti-communist content tracts into the capital’s gymnasiums. But who was Zalo Xhomaqi, from what family did he come from and how did he manage to work as a secretary in the Military Court of Tirana, since he had previously been a member of the National Ballist Nationalist factions ?! What was written in those tracts that Zalo threw in the high schools of Tirana, and what were the last words he said before the Prosecutor ?! Regarding these and other events and facts from his life, we know the testimony of his brother, Sybi Xhomaqi, who testifies exclusively to Memorie.al.
Who was Zalo Xhomaqi?
Zalo Xhomaqi was born in 1921 in the village of Bejkovë in Kolonjë, where his family originated from. He was the first of four children of Vait Xhomaqi, who in that province was well known for his stance on the Italo-Greek war in 1940, when he was interned in Mytilene, Greece. As a child, Zalo associated with Sali Butka and recited Naim Frashëri’s poems to him. After graduating from high school in Tirana in 1942, Zalo returned to Kolonjë and worked as the secretary of a lawyer in Ersekë. After some time, he returned to Tirana, and worked as a secretary for the Kokalari brothers (originally from the city of Gjirokastra), who at the time had a well-known law firm. To the Kokalars, he worked until 1943, and returned to Kolonjë, where he joined the nationalist Balli Kombëtar detachments operating in that province. Qazim Prodani, who was one of Balli’s top leaders, appointed Zalon as secretary in the center of that political organization, in the Propaganda sector. In that sector he spent a lot of time preparing various tracts and writings. He later volunteered for the Sefedin Duma (Petrit Duma’s cousin’s) gang, which at the time was one of the most prominent ballist leaders in the province. In this regard, his brother Sybiu testifies, “As part of a gang, Zalo took part in several battles against the Italian, Assyrian and partisan forces operating in that province. After the capitulation of the Italians and after the arrival of the Germans, Zalo left Kolonja where his life was endangered by the communists and started working as a court secretary in the Court of Prizren in Kosovo. When the Albanian partisan brigades entered Kosovo, Zalo met with his friend Myftar Tare, and the latter helped him return to Tirana and start working as a technical secretary in the Military Court of Tirana “, testifies Sybi Xhomaqi, for to his brother.
Helps anti-communist prisoners
Although Zalo Xhomaqi began working at the Tirana Military Court, he did not change his nationalist beliefs, and during that time he tried and helped some of the anti-communist prisoners who were on trial in that court. In this regard, Sybiu testifies “In April 1945, the State Security arrested a large group of students from high schools in Tirana, who during the war years, were involved in the organization of the National Front and Legality. Some of them were: Abdulla Berberi, Baftjar Kokona, Riza Kosova, Xhevat Alimerko, Asllan Cenaj, etc. One of them, Abdullai, told me that during the court hearings that took place from 5 to 26 July, Zalo addressed one of them, Rudolf Eiberi, who was handcuffed, saying: I am a friend of your anti-communist like you. These days they will bring you to be tried in this courtroom, and I will be the one to handcuff you. I think we should keep in touch, and I will let you know everything because I am your collaborator “, testifies Sybi Xhomaqi, Zalo’s brother.
Throw tracts in Tirana’s gymnasiums
At that time, in addition to that group of young anti-communists, which included Abdulla Berberi, in April 1945, another group of young high school students from Tirana was arrested, among whom, Islam Lleshi, Viktor Dosti, Haziz Jareci, Besnik Duro, Petrit Toto, etc. Also, the young people of this group had been participants in the National Ball and Legality, or belonged to well-known families that had joined these political formations since their creation.
The main purpose of their arrest was to force them through the trial to consider the National Ball and Legality as treasonous organizations. Even in this trial, Zalo would serve as secretary, and in this regard, his brother Sybiu testified: “During the court hearings that began on April 10, 1946, Zalo was indignantly indignant at the injustices and false accusations leveled against him. were made to those young men by that mounted trial. Unable to bear it, as he saw his ideal comrades with whom he had fought during the fascist occupation, Zalo decided to print a tract and distribute it throughout Tirana. He printed the tract with his typewriter, denouncing the lawsuit and the communist regime that staged it. In this tract, he defended his comrades, whom he called “10 eagle chains.” After he printed the tract, Zalo gave it to the relatives of the people who are being tried, and the latter were involved in distributing it in Tirana’s gymnasiums,” Sybiu testified.
Arrest and shooting
The distribution of that tract in Tirana caused a great stir and alarmed the State Security, which after many attempts, managed to identify and arrest “their man” who was exactly Zalo Xhomaqi. His brother Sybiu testified about this event: “Since the court hearings of the anti-communist groups where Zalo was the secretary of the court, suspicions had arisen about him. And that’s because Zalo was the impulsive type and expressed what he thought. Seeing his completely gentle behavior towards political prisoners, he was transferred to the city of Shkodra, with the same task. During the time he had thrown the tract, the State Security continued to search for its perpetrator. Zalo was in Shkodra, where on December 23, 1946, he was arrested. During the investigation, he was confirmed that the tract had been crushed by his typewriter, and he confirmed this. The trial against him took place in Tirana, behind closed doors, and he was accused of: “had been in the ranks of the National Front, had violated the legal actions of the Military Court, and had posted a tract in which he spoke against People’s Justice”. As a result, Zalon was sentenced to death. At that time, as we learned the news of his death sentence, the mother left Cologne for Tirana, and met with the Minister of the Interior, Lieutenant General Xoxe. She begged him to spare Zalos’ life. After hearing this, Minister Xoxe told his mother to go without worry, because Zalos would be spared his life. The same day, the mother came to the village and gave us the good news that Zalos had been spared. A few minutes later, the village courier arrived. However, the joy we felt after the news brought to us by our mother did not last long, because the courier gave us a telegram, which our uncle had sent to us in Tirana, where he informed us about Zalo’s shooting. Before he was shot, the prosecutor asked Zalo about his last wish. And he had said to her: This government calls itself strong with my execution, makes it clear that even just for a swearing, it sheds human blood. I know I’m guilty of it myself and I know I shouldn’t do it. Long live Albania and Democracy “, recalls Sybiu, the last words of his brother, before he was shot, that morning of July 18, 1947, on the bank of the river of Tirana. This place in that period would become the “last home” for dozens of anti-communist political opponents of Enver Hoxha’s regime.
Zalo Xhomaqi’s tract that was distributed in Tirana
He who started the government with bloodshed and terrorism is fatally forced to continue it as he started it, he cannot go back, he goes deeper and deeper than himself and he is doomed to drown in the pool of blood that he himself created.
April 10, 1945, midnight.
In Tirana, 8 houses surrounded, each of a dozen partisans led (cursed) by cursed patriots, who, with their lightning bolts, wake up from the sweet April sleep, 8 students, 8 sprouts, without finishing their adulthood, then i they tie them up and snatch them from their mothers’ breasts, to put them in the terrible prison of Tirana, which was built by fascist imperialism and which Koçi Xoxe enlarged. After a few weeks, two other young men were added to the 8 young men in prison.
April 10, 1946.
After 365 days of imprisonment, 10 young people are being tried in front of the Military Court of Tirana, before the trial of the blackest terror that the history of mankind has seen, of the red terror. But why are these 19-year-old students being tried? What did they do wrong? Why are Besnik Duro and Viktor Dosti, Bujar Doku and Islam Lleshi, Kujtim Koculi and Ylber Gimjani, Adem Petrela and Haziz Jareci, Mikel Popa and Petrit Toto, the youngest, kept in chains?
Why are 10 daughters of Albania, 10 young people who remained faithful to their most precious ideals, want freedom, with their boyish spirit, keep clean and unadulterated, the feeling of nationalism. Because two days before his arrest, these young people were chosen by the students of the Tirana Lyceum, chairman and head of the class councils, and not Stalin’s Sons, as the agents of G.P.U. call themselves.
10 accused stars, after them 10-15 guards of Koçi Xoxa with a machine gun in their hands, after the automatic weapons, the sisters, mothers and relatives of the accused and a random sehirxhinjë. In front of the blood tribune, in the tribune of the greatest shame that the pages of the history of Albanians will write. The bell rings. Judgment begins, 10 your souls, young student, how calm and fearless they are.
Your eyes sparkle, your face shines, your consciousness shines. And here is the apology: “My father Hasan Dosti cannot be judged, in my person, I did not look at the fratricidal war with good eyes – Viktor Dosti answers.
-You are not judging me as a saboteur, but differently – says Ylber Gimjani.
-We were elected class leaders by fellow students. If we had not participated in the Councils, they would have called us saboteurs. Even though we got it, you are making the same accusation against us. I am not a communist – answers Bujar Doku.
-We don’t know why we were arrested. The people are with nationalism and this fact will be confirmed, declares Aziz Jareci.
– The fascist occupation on April 7 found me in Saranda, I was small 10-11 years old and I had nothing to do – Petrit tells the savages fearlessly. We went to Kosovo to protect the borders of the homeland, I call it a sacred duty, I went to fight against Serbian chauvinism and not against the partisans, because I had them in Dajt, – he tells the Yugoslav puppies.
Bihori is the place where Serb Chetniks massacred thousands of Albanians in 1942 – Islam Lleshi tells the trial panel that Meladini has not yet shown Bihori to the bastards of the Albanian Nation. The cold-blooded Islam continues: – I have not accused you of reporting the affairs of others. I have done nothing wrong to understand harm or guilt. If the task of a member of the class council assigned to me is a crime, I accept it. But I took on this burden to serve the order of the class.
-The fascist occupier found me on April 7 in the second grade of the Lyceum of Korça, and like any honest Albanian, he made me sad, and I welcomed him with hatred. At the time of the occupation, I also wanted to contribute against the occupiers for the good of the homeland. He replies to the Prosecutor that Balli Kombëtar also had the slogan of war against the occupier: and it destroyed me from there, – this is how the bright face of Besnik is expressed.
This is how you, the 19-year-old idealist, responded that you were inspired by the ideals and works of Oso Kukës, Çerçiz Topulli, Ismail Qemali, Petro Nini and Naim. And after the apology, the testimony of the accusation: “I saw Petrit Toto, with the red and black flag on his forehead (communist witness Spiro Naço) and I said: He still holds that flag, he is immersed in betrayal, throw it down”, But Petrit replied: this one distinguishes me as an Albanian, what do you have that star in your head? ”
-These have fought the borders of Albania, against Tito-accuses the second communist witness. Sun and Moon, Heaven and And why don’t you turn around, why don’t you go back? How can you bear to have people so blindly conscious, so sold out, so soulless and bloodthirsty?
Kastriot’s land, why don’t you break it down, it’s still under the hoof of Genghis Khan and the Timurids of the twentieth century? They do not collapse – the Albanian land is shaking – because I am proud that I gave birth to dragons and eagles that want to protect me, that will save me forever.
Keep your hearts high, O 10 sons of Albania, O Doctor Stokanet of Albanianism, that you speak with a clear conscience, you are screaming the steppes of Siberia to terrorize our people today, even in the highest seats, in “Dajt” and in “Continental”, even when having fun with their friends, they hug Marshal Tito, the shadow of Macbeth does not leave them alone, while the sword will fall on your neck.
Be proud, Albanian mother, that you gave birth to sons like the 10 eagles of April 10. They will be sentenced, imprisoned in a prison built by cursed fascism and exacerbated by the criminal freedom of Koçi Xoxa. But the hour of reckoning is approaching, and the day of salvation, the day of National Freedom, will soon dawn, and the birds, nettles, and thorns, the eagles will peel. It is the voice of a martyred people. ”
“Koha”, Tirana. April 1946
Memorie.al
