The stories we’ve told you so far have been of patriots and ordinary citizens who fell foul of Albania’s brutal communist regime. But for this episode of the memory files, we wanted to give you a slightly different perspective.

Koco Theodosi was an elite member of the communist party and a politburo member. He held many high-ranking positions, including that of deputy prime minister.

He and his family lived in Blloku, an area of ​​the city shut off from the rest of the country. This small section of the town was heavily guarded and was home to the party elite, their families, and dictator Enver Hoxha. Here the rules were somewhat more relaxed. While the rest of the country starved and struggled, those in Blloku lived a life of relative luxury. They ate well, could dress in more western fashions, and enjoyed a level of freedom their fellow countrymen could not.

But even in this enclave of privilege, people were not entirely safe. They lived with the threat of falling out of favor hanging over them at all times. As Enver Hoxha became more paranoid and desperate to cling to power, even those closest to him suffered. He regularly purged high ranking officials, even his close friends and confidants. They were rounded up, charged with frivolous crimes, and either imprisoned or executed.

Some, like Mehmet Shehu, committed suicide in suspicious circumstances. Today, Blloku is the vibrant heart of the city. It is home to bars, clubs, high-end shops, restaurants, and various other businesses that Hoxha would not have approved of. It’s almost like after the fall of communism, the people claimed back this enclave of privilege and made it theirs, a show of defiance against their oppressor.

All of the stories we have shown you so far have been different in various ways. But the one thing, sewing them all together with a black and unbreakable thread, is the pain felt by not being able to retrieve their loved ones’ remains.  Being able to retrieve their bones, lay them to rest, and give them the funeral they deserve is of great importance to these families. Not being able to do this leaves them with a gaping wound that will not heal. Not only do they suffer from the unknown, but they feel they have failed or are prevented from giving their ancestors the dignity they deserve.  They have searched, asked questions, looked to international organisations for help, and even tried to retrieve them themselves, but obstacles are put in their way every time. Albania is home to generations of people who will never know what happened to their loved ones or where their bodies lie.  In the fourth episode of the memory files, we will hear a story that demonstrates this anguish and paints a horrifying picture of the persecution people faced during these years. When you begin to understand how the communist party treated people and how a lack of justice impacts them today, you know that while the regime has fallen, its brutal legacy continues in the minds and lives of the people to this very day.  In loving memory of Tefik Sfiri. 

With thanks to the Sfiri / Velaj family.  

Project Funded by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

Like a cat that toys with its prey before dealing the lethal blow, the Albanian communist regime liked to inflict psychological cruelty on its victims before destroying them completely.

Once they identified an enemy, they would use every tool at their disposal to crush their spirit, break down their strength, and render them helpless before condemning them to a lifetime in prison, or death. This demonstrates not only the physical brutality executed by the regime, but it shows they were cold and calculating as well.

The story you are about to read is not just tragic, it clearly shows the emotional torture inflicted upon ordinary people.

But before we begin, I want to ask you a question. Would you condemn yourself to death to protect someone else?

For Exit News

Funded by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung

Did you know that the Albanian language can be expressed in several unique scripts? The Vithkuqi Script and the Elbasan Script were created to provide a truly Albanian way to express the language. Dead and forgotten for centuries, two Albanians in the diaspora are using their combined skills in art, design, coding, and computer wizardry to revive them. In an interview with Alice Taylor, Arber Borici and Lirim Kapitaj discuss the Albanian language, the two scripts, and a passion for Albanian history and identity.

Megi Xhemali lives in New York but has partnered with a local feminist organization, the Pink Movement to work on an exciting and much-needed initiative. She and the team are providing some 10,000 books that will be used to set up libraries in schools throughout the country. In schools where there are as little as 10 books and some don't even have windows, these gifts, funded by Albanians in the diaspora are most welcome. They aim to open a network of more than 100 libraries countrywide, providing books for loan on topics like psychology, personal development, sociology, and of course, core school subjects.

Tomorr Kokona has had an extraordinary. Plucked from his class in communist Albania, he trained as a gymnast and professional dancer, specializing in ballet and Albanian folk dancing. But his journey to the stage wasn't smooth and involved an angry letter, an AK47, and a life-changing trip to Spain. He now lives in the UK and runs several successful businesses. In an interview with Alice Taylor, he talks about his life story and the importance of always having a plan.

Erina Baci is an Albanian archaeologist and a Ph.D. student at the University of Michigan. She is fascinated by her Albanian roots and is pursuing the exploration of Albania and Kosovo, trying to find out more about her ancestors lived, settled, and moved. But it isn't without its challenges; nationalism, sexism, and to an extent, a lack of funding are just some of the obstacles along the way. In her interview with Alice Taylor, they also discuss what future generations of archeologists, thousands of years from now, will say about us from the buildings we are leaving behind.

Pavol Szalai is the head of the EU and Balkan desk at the international media advocacy organization Reporters Without Borders. In a globally declining media freedom climate, he has his work cut out for him reporting on threats and violations against journalists. In this interview with Alice Taylor, they discuss the Albanian anti-defamation package, what the EU needs to do to halt authoritarian grip on media, recent developments in the Jan Kuciak murder case, and also, some of the positive developments in the region.