Memorie.al publishes the telegrams sent by the communist leader of Albania, Enver Hoxha, on March 5 and 7, 1953, to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Council of Ministers, on the occasion of the illness and death of Josif Visarianovic, Stalin. As well as some unknown photos which present us with some rare images of how Stalin’s death was experienced in the communist Albania of that time, with the many ceremonies that took place on that occasion in Tirana or on his various anniversaries.
67 years ago, on March 5, 1953, after learning the “sad news” that the leader of the Soviet Union, the “glorious leader” Josif Visarionovich Stalin, was ill and in critical condition, the communist leader of Albania, Enver Hoxha, sent a telegram to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, where after informing them that: “The sudden news of the serious illness of our dear friend, our glorious teacher, Josif Visarionovic Stalin, has deeply shocked and immeasurably grieved the entire Albanian people, the Albanian Labor Party and its Central Committee “, at the end of that telegram, he wished” may the day be a thousand and heal as soon as possible “!
But only two days later, on March 7, 1953, when the Central Committee of the Albanian People’s Party and all the Albanian communists “learned the very sad news of the loss of our dear friend, our glorious teacher, the great friend Josif Visarionovic Stalin” , Enver Hoxha sent a second telegram to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the Council of Ministers where he wrote, among other things: “With our deepest sorrow, the Albanian people, our Labor Party, its Central Committee and the Government of The People’s Republic of Albania learned the very sad news of the loss of our dear friend, our glorious teacher, the great friend Josif Visarionovich Stalin “.
The death of Josif Visarianovi në in the communist Albania of that time was experienced worse than in any other place in the communist East, as Enver Hoxha was one of the “most loyal students” and one of the most obedient vassals of “Baba Stalin”, which he showed it not only with the many ceremonies that took place in those days in the Albanian capital and throughout the country (where several days of mourning were held), but also with concrete works while he was alive, imitating him in all directions and blindly following his path.
But what has remained an enigma and has never been said publicly in the official version, is the absence of Enver Hoxha in Moscow at the funeral of Joseph Stalin, where at that time went all communist leaders from around the world, even those leaders of communist parties who were not in power. At that time an official delegation headed by Spiro Koleka (member of the Politburo and Deputy Chairman of the Council of Ministers) went to Moscow from communist Albania, accompanied by Liri Belishova (member of the Politburo and secretary of the Central Committee of the ALP) and Major General Beqir Balluku (member of the Politburo and Minister of National Defense).
Enver Hoxha did not go to Moscow to attend the funeral of Joseph Stalin, some link it to the absence of the communist leader of the People’s Republic of China, Mao Zedong, who also did not go to Moscow for Stalin’s funeral. But in this connection, that is, with the absence of Enver Hoxha at Stalin’s funeral ceremony, there is another version, which states that: as a paranoid, he was afraid of the somewhat chaotic situation and power struggle that existed in the high communist leadership of The Soviet Union and mainly the power that Llavrenti Beria was taking as a competitor to take Stalin’s place.
However, all this remains only a hypothesis that was not given an accurate answer by the main actors themselves, such as Enver Hoxha, who although he wrote at length about Stalin in his books, never clarified it because he was absent from the funeral ceremonies of the “teacher” and his spiritual father.
In this article, together with Enver Hoxha’s two telegrams, Memorie.al is publishing some unknown photos from the many ceremonies that took place at that time in Tirana on the occasion of Stalin’s death, or on various anniversaries of him.
TELEGRAM SENT TO KP to KP BS ON THE CASE OF J. V. STALIN’S DISEASE
March 5, 1953
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY
Moscow
Dear friends
The sudden news of the serious illness of our dear friend, our glorious teacher, Josif Visarionovich Stalin, has deeply shocked and immensely saddened the entire Albanian people, the Albanian Labor Party and its Central Committee. Our hearts are in anguish and suffering, why does our dear father, the savior of mankind and peoples suffer, why does the glorious friend of Lenin the Great, the leader of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and all progressive humanity suffer.
On behalf of all the Albanian people, whose heart beats with love, with infinite loyalty to Comrade Stalin, on behalf of the Albanian Labor Party; on behalf of the Central Committee of the Party and my personal, we wish with all the strength of our souls a long life to Comrade Stalin, we wish a speedy recovery to our dear teacher.
In these difficult moments for the Soviet peoples and for all the peoples of the world, our people, tightening their ranks around the Albanian Labor Party and its Central Committee, will culminate in the boundless love and friendship they have for Comrade Stalin, for The Communist Party of the Soviet Union, for the brotherly peoples of the Soviet Union. All the communists of Albania, the class are workers, our peasantry, all the patriots of Albania are close to you and their heart and mind is in Moscow, it is in the Kremlin, close to the great comrade Stalin, to whom you wish a thousand days and heal as soon as possible!
For the Central Committee of the Albanian Labor Party
Secretary General
Enver Hoxha
…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
TELEGRAM OF CONDOLENCE SENT TO THE CC of the BS KP AND THE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE SOVIET UNION ON THE OCCASION OF THE DEATH OF J. V. STALIN
March 7, 1953
CENTRAL COMMITTEE OF THE COMMUNIST PARTY OF THE SOVIET UNION COUNCIL OF MINISTERS OF THE SOVIET UNION
Moscow
Dear friends,
With our deepest sorrow, the Albanian people, our Labor Party, its Central Committee and the Government of the People’s Republic of Albania, learned the very sad news of the loss of our dear friend, our glorious teacher, great friend Josif Visarionovic Stalin.
Today the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the brotherly Soviet peoples, all the communist and workers’ parties, all the progressive and peace-loving peoples of the world, as well as the people and our Party, have lost their most beloved man, their dear teacher, friend and faithful follower of the cause of the great Lenin, the leader who guided with his far-sighted hand the steely hand on the path of peace, socialism and communism.
The loss of our glorious friend and teacher is a severe blow that has deeply poisoned the hearts of every Albanian communist, the hearts of workers, peasants, intellectuals, women and youth of our country, because with the name of Comrade Stalin, liberation is associated. of the Albanian people from the yoke of external and internal enemies, because with the name of Comrade Stalin, is connected the construction of a new and happy life in our country.
In such serious cases, our Party and the entire Albanian people swear before the great comrade Stalin that they will preserve and further strengthen the friendship, the love for the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and the brotherly peoples of the Soviet Union. With the name and memory of Stalin in our hearts, the Albanian people, under the leadership of the Labor Party, will walk resolutely towards new victories, on the path set by our unforgettable teacher.
The Albanian people will tighten their ranks around the Labor Party, its Central Committee and the Government of the People’s Republic of Albania, will strengthen its moral and political unity, will increase its revolutionary vigilance and readiness to crush any intrigue of the imperialist enemies and their servants against freedom, independence, peace and its future.
On behalf of the Albanian Labor Party and its Central Committee, on behalf of the Government of the People’s Republic of Albania and all the Albanian people, as well as on my own behalf, we present to the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the Government of the Soviet Union and Soviet peoples, the deepest and most heartfelt condolences.
All the employees of Albania, today more than ever, feel united as brothers with all the Soviet employees and share with them this great sorrow and pain.
Comrade Stalin will live for centuries, he will live in our hearts, in the hearts of future generations. His gigantic struggle, his Bolshevik character, will be a school of leadership, patience and invincibility strong in the face of any danger, will be an example of victory. Long live the glory of the great comrade Stalin! Long live the peoples of the Soviet Union and the glorious Lenin-Stalin Communist Party!
For the Central Committee of the ALP and the Council of Ministers of the ALP
The General Secretary of the ALP and the Chairman of the Council of Ministers of the ALP
Enver Hoxha
Memorie.al
