By DASHNOR KALOÇI
Memorie.al / The documents we are publishing in this first part of the book belong to the period beginning in the second half of the 1930s, when Dhimitër Shuteriqi, then a young boy, continued his studies as a boarding student at the French Lycée in Korçë, from where he would later, in 1936, go to France for further studies. They continue further into the period 1943–44, when Shuteriqi had already returned from his studies and was appointed a lecturer at the “Normale” school in Elbasan, and from there, as a young communist, he first went into illegality and then into the partisan ranks in the Librazhd area.
As we will see in these archival documents belonging to the fund of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, which are found in the Central State Archive in Tirana, they shed light and speak of Shuteriqi’s engagement and activity in communist groups in the city of Korçë, where he was one of the organizers of the first demonstration held in that city, otherwise known in the historiography of the pre-1990s as the “Bread Demonstrations,” which took place on February 21, 1936.
This, among other things, is made known by a report from the commander of the Gendarmerie of the City of Korçë, signed by its head, First Captain Hidajet Kulla, who reports it to his superior command in Tirana, where in the list of 16 students, the most active in that demonstration, written at the top is: “Dhimitër Shuteriqi as the initiator at the head of the crowd,” for which, as we will see in another document below, he was arrested and kept under investigation.
This is the first archival document where the name of Dhimitër Shuteriqi appears in the archives of the Albanian state, and we believe it is quite interesting, as it refutes some myths created by the historiography of the communist regime before the 1990s, as well as its official propaganda!
Likewise, besides the document in question, the name of Dhimitër Shuteriqi will also be found in several official writings with reports, information, relations, etc., of the gendarmerie commands of the districts, questuras, prefectures, and even the Ministry of Internal Affairs with Minister Musa Juka, who in a list of about 140 names, addressed to all the prefectures of the country, stating that they “harbor Bolshevik ideas,” Dhimitër Shuteriqi appears again among already well-known names who were later killed in the War and have been proclaimed “Martyrs of the Fatherland” or “People’s Heroes,” such as: Qemal Stafa, Jordan Misja, Asim Vokshi, Teli Samsuri, etc., etc.
As well as other well-known names of culture and art, of Albanian letters, of the Anti-Fascist War and of Albanian political thought, such as: Branko Merxhani, Tajar Zavalani, Andrea Varfi, Foto Bala, Veli Stafa, Demir Godelli, Xhemal Broja, Zef Pali, Shefqet Beja, Vasil Llazari, Ali Cungu, Reshat Asllani, etc., etc., personalities who have now taken their place in official Albanian historiography.
This document quoted above, we believe has great value, as it sheds light on the past of Dhimitër Shuteriqi as a young communist during the period of the Zog Monarchy (and mainly the role he had in the “Bread Demonstration”), something that was denied by the historiography of the communist regime, because in the *Encyclopedic Dictionary* (Tirana, 1985 edition, p. 1071), the entry regarding Shuteriqi does not mention at all his engagement and activity as a young communist in that period, but begins with the words: “Prose writer, poet and literary scholar. Born in Elbasan in 1915. Participated in the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War and after liberation in cultural life….”!
Thus, as seen in one of the basic documents that was used as a reference point for years and years, Shuteriqi was denied that period of time during which he was very active as a young communist, with the first groups in the city of Korçë. This is also made known by another document, where among other things it says: “Dhimitër Shuteriqi has extremist Bolshevik ideals, of the second degree.” As above, the non-mention of Shuteriqi’s activity for that period we believe is the lesser evil, since the above document, where Minister Musa Juka identifies all the young people and persons with communist ideas in all the prefectures of the country, takes on important value, because other names do not appear in that list, e.g., Enver Hoxha himself, whom the historiography and official propaganda before the 1990s, as well as he himself (Enver), presented himself as a “member of the Communist Group of Korçë,” which is not at all true, since he does not appear in any official document of that period!
Unlike Enver Hoxha, who does not appear in any official archival document as a “communist” or “with Bolshevik convictions,” it is Mehmet Shehu, who in these documents appears as a “young communist with Bolshevik convictions” as early as 1937 (in a list with Dhimitër Shuteriqi), when the historiography of the communist regime presented that he began his activity in 1942–43, when he returned to Albania from the French concentration camps! So, everything seems to have been turned upside down, and in this vortex of deformation, distortion, and falsification of the official historiography of the communist regime of Enver Hoxha and his successor, Ramiz Alia (which unfortunately continues even today, when nearly three and a half decades have passed since the overthrow of that regime), the figure of Dhimitër Shuteriqi has not been spared either.
Given the above, it must be emphasized that, while he lived (before and after the 1990s), Shuteriqi never even mentioned his activity as a young communist, let alone with a major role during the Zog Monarchy! Nor could he have mentioned it, when that had already become a “monopoly” of the top leadership of the PPSH (Party of Labor of Albania), and it alone, through its levers and institutions, such as the Institute of History, the Academy of Sciences, the Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies, headed by Nexhmije Hoxha, etc., decided who should have a place in history and who should be erased from it. As indeed happened specifically with Shuteriqi, whom these archival documents we are publishing in this first part of this book speak of, documents which, it should be noted, Shuteriqi himself personally never had the chance or opportunity to see during his lifetime.
Document No. 3
Circular of the Minister of Internal Affairs, Musa Juka, sent to all prefectures, where Dhimitër Shuteriqi appears on the list with the names of dozens of persons suspected of communist ideas, whose passports should be forbidden for traveling abroad.
Albanian Kingdom
Ministry of Internal Affairs
Secret Office 116/1 RES
Tirana, February 8, 1937
CIRCULAR to the Prefectures
In connection with our Order No. 116 Res, dated January 26, 1937.
Enclosed we are sending you the list of names of several persons who are suspected of harboring communist ideas. If any of these persons, or any other that you may suspect harbors such thoughts, be they an official or a private citizen, presents themselves asking for a passport, under whatever pretext, a passport is not to be issued without prior authorization from this Ministry.
To avoid and ensure the delivery of passports without authorization to persons suspected of harboring communist ideas, we send you the attached list, in which are noted not only those from your district but also from other districts, as it may happen that such a person from one district asks for a passport in another district.
MINISTER
Musa Juka
Prefecture of Tirana
1 – Branko Merxhani
2 – Bedri Pejani
3 – Skënder Luarasi (Professor)
4 – Petro Marko
5 – Vangjel Marko
6 – Tajar Zavalani
7 – Ismail Petrela
8 – Mit’hat Araniti
9 – Zef Mala
10 – Asim Vokshi
11 – Vasil Kushi
12 – Skënder Rusi
13 – Gafur Çomo (At Min. of Education)
14 – Odhise Paskali
15 – Kol Berisha
16 – Andrea Vorfi
17 – Xhevat Doda (teacher)
18 – Lec Shllaku (former aspirant of the complement)
19 – Jordan Misja
20 – Hekurant Xhidi (corporal from the Complement school)
21 – Ramadan Jarani (teacher)
22 – Bedri Llagami
23 – Reshat Koleci
24 – Aleks Mavraqi
25 – Dhimitër Canco
26 – Pirush Leka (teacher)
27 – Emin Çomo
28 – Anastas Llaroni
29 – Tefik Halil Canga (from Shkodra)
30 – Qemal Hasan Stafa
31 – Spiro Llazri
32 – Andrea Stefi
33 – Nevzat Peshkopia (professor)
34 – Ali Bakiu
35 – Muharrem Përdani (teacher)
36 – Kol Xhumara
37 – Ymer Gora (professor)
38 – Hamit Gjylbegu
39 – Hashim Hakani
40 – Milto Sotir Gurra
41 – Thanas Basho
42 – Bektash Melçani
43 – Xhemal Krua (teacher)
44 – Llambi Cici
45 – Paulin Pali
46 – Mahmut Kaja (teacher)
47 – Elez Maho
48 – Petro Elezi
49 – Prokop Peshkozini
50 – Eqrem Çomo
51 – Ilia Sevi. GIRL
52 – Selma Vrijoni
53 – Daughter of Rasim Kalakula
54 – Vita Shahini from Korça
55 – Dilo’s daughter
56 – Daughter of Hasan Stafa (teacher in Tirana)
Prefecture of Korçë
1 – Gaqo Vangjeli (Director of the magazine “Bota e Re”)
2 – Dhimitër Fallo (writer for the Korçë newspaper)
3 – Teli Samsuri
4 – Selim Shpuza
5 – Llambi Dishnica (teacher)
6 – Gaqo Kosturi (former student abroad)
7 – Epaminonda Vukasi (Professor at the Lycée)
8 – Foto Bala
9 – Stefo Grabocka (detailed collector of the magazine “Bota e Re”)
10 – Lefter Kosova
11 – Pandi Frashëri (lawyer)
12 – Esat Dishnica
Prefecture of Vlorë
1 – Skëndër Muço (lawyer)
2 – Rexhep Sulejmani (peasant from Vajza)
3 – Pashko Simoni (from Shkodra, Commissioner at the Wharf)
4 – Hamdi Zoga (merchant)
5 – Minella Kol Leka (from Himara)
7 – Vasil Kaçi (from Dropulli, agent of Yugoslav steamships)
8 – Ali Kuçi (from Kurvelesh, teacher)
9 – Pilo Minga (professor)
Prefecture of Shkodra
1 – Perikli Mborja (professor)
2 – Lin Hilla (ex-officer)
3 – Kol Prendushi (high school graduate)
4 – Vasil Llazari (student)
5 – Vasil Simon Marko (carpenter)
6 – Spiro Llazri
Prefecture of Durrës
1 – Abdyl Keçi (teacher)
2 – Ali Cunga (professor)
3 – Reshat Asllani (professor)
4 – Vedat Asllani (professor)
5 – Niko Gjini (teacher)
6 – Fehmi Kazazi (merchant)
7 – Sotir Gollani (teacher)
8 – Aristofan Beu (bank secretary)
9 – Shefqet Beja (merchant)
10 – Stefan Druga (telephonist)
11 – Abdurrahman Lakra
12 – Qazim Baçi (mechanic at Agip Company)
13 – Andon Boshnjaku
14 – Reshat Këlliçi (finance official, also appears in Tirana)
15 – Niko Bozhdi
16 – Beqir Çela (teacher)
Prefecture of Elbasan
1 – Demir Godelli
2 – Shefki Miraku
3 – Gani Narazani
4 – Dhimitër Shuteriqi
Prefecture of Berat
1 – Myslim Sino (teacher)
2 – Irfan Kuçi
3 – Halim Shpuza
4 – Xhevdet Mehqeneja (lawyer)
5 – Nuri Osmani (municipal police commissar)
6 – Burhan Ruli (ex-officer)
7 – Ali Veha
8 – Andon Ziu
9 – Xhevdet Ibrahim Lloçi
10 – Haki Bilali (teacher)
11 – Tefik Sfiri
12 – Sami Jonuzi (former court secretary)
13 – Mehmet Vehu (former student)
Prefecture of Gjirokastra
1 – Dhimitër Konomi (government doctor)
2 – Haki Rushiti
3 – Ymer Kumbaro
4 – Aqif Gabeci (tailor)
5 – Skënder Topulli (dentist)
6 – Kadri Baboçi (teacher)
7 – Aqif Selfo
8 – Dine Qallimi (photographer)
9 – Selami Xhaxhi
Additional names (likely from various prefectures or general list)
1 – Veli Stafa (student in Bologna)
2 – Luigj Radoja
3 – Fahri Rusi (student)
4 – Lieutenant Forqi (in the Intendancy)
5 – Naum Gjerko (communist, sent to prison)
6 – Skënder Rusi (student)
7 – Sami Hysa (professor at technical school)
8 – Zef Pali (director of the “Skëndërbeg” school against the regime)
9 – Vasil Llazari
10 – Xhemal Broja (at high school in Shkodër)
11 – At Bevroka’s shop with his friend in Pogradec
12 – Professor Karajani
Central State Archive Tirana. Year 1937, Fund 154, Dossier 42, fl. 3 – 40 / Memorie.al
(From the book “Dhimitër S. Shuteriqi, the last renaissance figure and the communist regime” by the author Dashnor Kaloçi, “Media print” Publishing House, Tirana, June 2026)
