– Sulo Gradeci –
Memoirs
Editor: Spiro Dede
Reviewers: Leka Skurti, Haxhi Kroi
Cover: Françesk Ziri
“The name of Albania and the name of Enver Hoxha are inseparable. Its recent history bears the whole imprint of his distinguished personality, his theoretical insight and his political actions. When our people say they are faithful to Enver, they express the great fact that their character and traits, their way of thinking and acting, their ideals and goals, have been shaped in the school of his revolutionary struggle. The figure of Enver Hoxha is the figure that symbolizes and embodies fiery patriotism and devoted revolutionary militancy, people’s wisdom and the enlightened mind of the cultivated man, the simple son of the people and distinguished man of the state.”
RAMIZ ALIA
Introduction
Even if I were to live for 300 years, the last 30 years of life and work in the service of Comrade Enver Hoxha would undoubtedly remain the most unforgettable and precious.
In every Albanian family, among the first words parents teach their children are: Party, Enver. With the word of the Party on their lips, with the name of the beloved leader in their minds and hearts, with his deeds in the service of the people, the Homeland and communism, entire generations of fighters and builders of the new Albania have grown and are growing.
As Comrade Ramiz Alia has said: “The life and activity of Comrade Enver Hoxha is the living history of the Albanian people in these last 50 years… It has been a great fortune for the Albanian people that in those moments they had a consistent communist revolutionary leader, a fervent patriot and a distinguished statesman like him. In him, he embodied the strongest virtues of our ancient people, that warrior and noble character, those bright and heroic traditions, that rebellious and generous spirit, which have been forged and passed down through countless struggles and sufferings, monumental efforts for freedom and independence, for light and knowledge, for land and bread.”
For about five decades, our entire people have been spiritually connected to Comrade Enver Hoxha, so each one, just as they have a thirst and passion for studying, implementing and defending the work of the Party, his work, has let their heart speak and sing throughout their lives for Enver Hoxha. Each one had a burning desire to cheer and embrace him when they had him near at a meeting, gathering, demonstration,or visit; to smile at him when they saw him on television or in a film, to send him a letter or heartfelt birthday wishes. And among the happiest of all have been and are those who have had the opportunity to meet the leader up close, to appear in a photograph with him, to hear a word, a piece of advice and a lesson from him, to feel up close how his heart beat for the Party, the people and communism. There are thousands of such people throughout the country of different ages and professions, who have known Comrade Enver over the years, through times and events of various kinds. When they start recounting their encounter with Comrade Enver, even if this meeting took place 30, 40 or 50 years ago, each of them describes it with such detail and liveliness that it seems as if everything happened yesterday or today.
This has happened to me as well. However, since my work in his service provided me with the opportunity for more frequent and continuous contacts, many years ago I decided not to rely solely on memory. I began to take notes on events of various kinds, sometimes in diary form, sometimes in the form of memories, for two main purposes — to serve me in my work, but also to have them fresh for a conversation with comrades, with young men and women.
The great interest of the people in knowing as much as possible about Comrade Enver, from his childhood and youth until our days, about his method of work, how he spent his leisure time, how he faced that tremendous workload, how he behaved with his family, with comrades, with acquaintances and strangers, how he walked, what he liked most in nature, in the habits of the people, in the seasons of the year, in literature, in the arts, etc., etc., encouraged me even more to put my impressions into writing as much as I could.
At the beginning of 1983, the comrades of the Archive of the Central Committee of the Party, within the framework of the 75th anniversary of Comrade Enver’s birth, asked all veterans, employees and cadres who had had the opportunity to get to know Comrade Enver up close to write their memories and impressions. This very good and important initiative encouraged me even more to engage in the work of organizing and completing the notes and memoirs I had been keeping for years.
So I started working in a more focussed manner and with a more defined objective, with the thought that, in the large volume of memories that hundreds of comrades from all over the country would hand in, I would contribute something as well. However, within the framework of the 75th anniversary of Comrade Enver’s birth, I could not finish them. My experiences, impressions and memories were not only extensive and spread over a period of 30 years, but they were continuously enriched in the process of daily work. Therefore, even what I have managed to put down is an ongoing work, a work that not only motivates me to complete it with the past but to continuously enrich it with the boundless experiences and impressions created during my work with Comrade Enver Hoxha.
30 years with Comrade Enver!
Even if you say this much, it opens up an entire history. These 30 years have been years filled with events of the greatest importance in the history of our Party, people and Homeland. During these years, the guiding principle of our Party has shone in all its greatness, the vital spirit, courage and industriousness of our people. The great personality of Comrade Enver Hoxha shines brightly in all fields.
For all that has happened in these 30 years, an entire history has been written. It has been faithfully carved into Comrade Enver’s work, in the documents and materials of the Party, in a whole series of studies, monographs and literary works published or being written.
It is difficult, very difficult, to have such a pen that can write and fully convey the wisdom, courage, far-sightedness, proletarian simplicity, deep humanism and high qualities of Comrade Enver, as a great leader and rare individual. But it is a duty, an honour for everyone who has known him, to sit down and write as much as they know. The heart speaks about the figure and incomparable historical contribution of our dear leader. I will attempt to fulfil this duty towards our leader, Party and people, this heartfelt commandment, with these modest memoirs.
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