Memorie.al/ publishes exclusively two rare photos from the official inauguration ceremony of the “Dinamo” stadium (which, after the National Stadium “Qemal Stafa” that had started to be built during the period of the Zog Monarchy and was completed in the years of before the war), was the second stadium to be added to the Albanian capital, Tirana. The photos in question belong to July 10, 1959, which was otherwise known as the “People’s Army” holiday, which was set in honor of the day of the formation of the General Staff of the National Liberation Army (partisan) commanded by Enver Hoxha and Spiro Moisiu, on July 10, 1943 in Labinot of Elbasan.
The construction of this stadium, which was under the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and its baptism with the name “Dinamo” (as was the team with the same name that was formed on July 19, 1950), showed the lesson for the propaganda and the priority given by the communist regime of that time to the organs of the Ministry of Interior (State Security, People’s Police, etc.), which were considered by him as “the sharp weapon of the dictatorship of the proletariat”, where as in all countries of the Communist East, were and served as the main support and guarantee of retention of power, until the late 1980s.
While the reasons why this stadium which was christened “Dinamo” and which was under the auspices of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, was not inaugurated on the commemorative holidays of this ministry (such as those of the establishment of the State Security, People’s Police, or Border Forces) were several.
First, this stadium was not completed on time according to the set deadline, as the conditions in which it was built, were extremely severe. For its design and construction, the tedious work of hundreds of political prisoners would be used, who, in addition to this stadium, in the late 1980s, would also build the famous housing complexes for the staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Interior and sports club “Dinamo”, around it.
Secondly, the performance of the “Dinamo” football team that year, was relatively poor, as they would be positioned in fourth place in the National Football Championship. In the 14th edition of the Albanian Football Championship, held in 1959, when that stadium was being inaugurated, the team of “Partizan”, which was under the Ministry of People’s Defense, would be declared the champion.
For this reason, the team that was selected to be in the match that would take place on the day of the official inauguration of this stadium, would be the same “red” of the “Partizani” team, which under the direction of coach Rexhep Spahiu, would have in her ranks the footballers who made a big name in the representative team of Albania, such as: Sulejman Maliqati, Fatbardh Deliallisi, Besim Fagu, Miço Papadhopulli, Miço Ndini, Gani Merja, Kolec Kraja, Lin Shllaku, Refik Resmja, Tomorr Shehu, Iljaz Dingu, Roza Haxhiu, Pavllo Bukoviku, etc. The “reds” of the “Partizani” team would face the champion team of East Germany (German Democratic Republic) called, FC Vorwarts, which also belonged to the Ministry of Defense of the GDR.
In the photos in question that belong to the inauguration ceremony of the “Dinamo” Stadium held before the start of the match “Dinamo” – “Partizani” (which would end in a 1: 1 draw), are seen: Major General Xhule Çiraku (holding opening speech) who at that time held the functions of Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and General Director of the People’s Police, and after him, Aranit Çela, General Prosecutor of the Republic, Llazi Stratobërdha, President of the High Court, Major General Qazim Kondi, Head of Background in the Ministry of Internal Affairs, Colonel Feçor Shehu, Director of the Directorate of Internal Affairs of Tirana, Major General Zoi Themeli, Deputy Minister of Interior and Director of Political Intelligence, Colonel-General Kadri Hazbiu, Minister of Internal Affairs, (dressed in civilian clothes and with republican hats, stays somewhat hidden by not being exposed much in public, came out a little from the main entrance of the stadium hall) Ramiz Alia, member of the Politburo and Minister of Culture and Education, (cutting the inauguration ribbon) Todi Lubonja, senior official in the apparatus of the Central Committee of the ALP for Youth, Culture and Sports, Major General Mihallaq Zicishti, Deputy Minister of Interior and Director of Counterintelligence, Major General Hilmi Seiti, Chairman of the Internal Affairs Branch of Shkodra Region, etc. Next to Ramiz Alia (from the left of the photo) are the referees of the match, Mihal Tiko. Besim Qorri and Islam Cani, while in front of them appears the captain of the “Dinamo” team, Xhevdet Shaqiri. Memorie.al
