By Msc. Xhorxhina Seferi
Part Four
-The PLA (Party of Labour of Albania) Policy against Religious Beliefs: Legal Measures and the Propaganda Campaign in 1967-
Memorie.al / immediately after the liberation from the fascist occupier, a communist regime was established in Albania, based on the dictatorship of the proletariat and the class struggle. The government led by Enver Hoxha, in the first years after liberation, presented itself as a government with a vision, having drafted projects for the educational, cultural, economic, and social development of the country. In its beginnings, the communist state did not affirm itself publicly as an atheist state, but as a secular state. However, this would not prevent the state from beginning the struggle for the eradication of religions as an opposing ideology. Developed in a closed society with a low cultural level, communist propaganda managed to denigrate the clerics and undermine the integrity of religious services.
The communist regime, seeing the positive results of the measures it had taken against religious beliefs and customs, reached the conclusion that the Central Committee and the Party had well-studied the spiritual state of the masses and had launched the war slogan at the right moment. Even the letter of February 27, which Enver Hoxha had sent, had played a helpful role, because he had given important guidelines for the successful development of the struggle against religion, prejudices, and backward customs.
Number of Places of Worship and Clerics of the Muslim Community by Districts, in 1965
In Albania, as seen from the data, the Muslim Community alone, together with the Sufi orders under its jurisdiction, possessed 1,225 places of worship and 1,235 clerics serving in them. The Bektashi community possessed 76 places of worship and 150 clerics, while the rest, about 944 places of worship, belonged to the Catholic community.
During the years 1945–1966, these cult objects were destroyed or taken over by the state. At the beginning of 1967, only 7 mosques and a small number of churches were functional in Albania, while a few months later, in that same year, the complete destruction of religious objects and the persecution of imams, priests, and dervishes occurred.
Demolished or Repurposed Mosques
Mosques that were functional but were demolished or repurposed by mass organizations to be turned into culture houses, warehouses, etc., are classified as follows by districts and cities:
Shkodër (City):
- “Ura Maxhar” Mosque: In the “Partizani” neighborhood of Shkodër city, it was seized by the neighborhood council, taking even its physical inventory and turning it into a nursery. The mosque in question was frequented by the believers of the neighborhood and had a regular imam. This action was taken on May 7, 1966.
- “Garucit” Mosque: “Kongresi i Përmetit” neighborhood. For this mosque, the leadership of the Front of this neighborhood, via letter no. (none), dated June 5, 1966, informed the Muftiate of Shkodër that the people of the neighborhood in their meeting had decided to take over the mosque to use it as a sports ground for children. The mosque was functioning properly, with an imam paid by the neighborhood believers. It was rumored that in the city of Shkodër, the “Kirasit” Mosque (for a nursery) and the “Dudasit” Mosque (for a school) would also be seized.
Shkodër (District):
- Vrakë Village Mosque: The People’s Council wanted to turn the place of worship into a nursery, attempting to prevent the performance of religious acts (September 8, 1965).
- Shtoi Mosque: The People’s Council had laid hands on the mosque of this village, transforming it into a nursery and taking the keys from the imam. This action occurred in September 1965. Several others were turned into warehouses during 1964–1965.
- Kuç Village Mosque: Occupied two years ago by the agricultural cooperative for use as a warehouse. The mosque in question did not function regularly.
Elbasan (District):
- Xibrakë Village Mosque (Belsh locality): Demolished by the youth on May 14, 1966. This mosque was functional and had a regular imam.
- Muriqan Village Mosque (Cërrik locality): On May 15, 1966, it was demolished by the youth organization. The mosque was functional and had an imam decreed by the Muslim Community.
- Tërbaç Village Mosque (Kërrabë locality): Turned by the youth into a cultural center, taking the keys from the imam. The mosque functioned with a regular imam. It was seized and locked by the youth on May 13, 1966. The people of Tërbaç village showed readiness to build another culture house through voluntary labor.
- Lleshan Village Mosque (Gjinaj locality): Demolished by the People’s Council and the youth on June 29, 1965.
- Shtepanj Village Mosque (Cërrik locality): Its 497-year-old minaret was demolished by the People’s Council, and the place of worship was turned into a residence for teachers.
- Shënavlash Village Mosque (Cërrik locality): Demolished by the head of the cooperative. Its minaret and the place of worship were turned into a bakery. This action was taken in 1965.
- Selvijas Village Mosque (October 10, 1965): Demolished by the chairman of the People’s Council and the secretary of the village youth organization.
- Shalës Village Mosque (Belsh locality): Demolished in July 1965 by the respective locality. Similarly, the Rrasë Village Mosque was turned into a bakery.
- Kajan Village Mosque (Kajan locality): Demolished by the cooperative and the locality (July 1965).
- Dëshiran Village Mosque (Kajan locality) and the Dragot-Dumre Village Mosque were demolished by the locality and the cooperative.
- Gostimë Village Mosque (Cërrik locality).
- Mollas Village Mosque (Mollas locality).
- Dragot-Sulovë Village Mosque.
- Darëza Mosque: These were demolished by local government bodies last year. All the aforementioned mosques were functional.
Korçë (District):
- Bozhigrad Village Mosque (Bilisht locality): Demolished on April 18, 1965, by the chairman of the agricultural cooperative.
- Menkulas Village Mosque (Bilisht locality): Demolished by the government bodies of that village last year.
Tirana (District):
- Ndroq Locality Mosque: Demolished by the agricultural cooperative, which also took the materials without an agreement from the Muslim Community? This action was taken in June 1966. Before being demolished, the mosque had served as a warehouse./Memorie.al
