Bedri Spahiu
Encyclopedia
Bedri Spahiu was an Albanian politician and Lieutenant-General and of the most prominent figures of the Albanian Communist Party up to 1956.
, he completed his education in 1923 in Shkodër
, and then continued his further education continued at a school run by Italians in Istanbul. After his return to Albania, he joined the Albanian army in 1927 as a soldier in the artillery school of Tirana and was in military service until his dismissal for alleged subversive behavior in 1935.
In 1941 he joined the newly founded Albanian Communist Party and became a member of the Provisional Central Committee, on whose behalf he took over the party organization in his home town of Gjirokastër
. During World War II, he was one of the main communist leaders of the partisan forces of the Albanian National Liberation Front. For his deeds and bravery he was awarded numerous orders and medals.
He belonged to the 118 persons consisting of Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation, which was in May 1944 by the Congress of Përmet selected as the interim parliament and helped the Communists to take power. After the founding of the People's Republic of Albania on 11 January 1946 he was deputy of the People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor) and this was one of the first term until 4 February 1955 on. At times he was also a member of the Presidium of the People's Assembly, and thus the collective state presidency.
First, he became minister for reconstruction, but was shortly thereafter promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Attorney General. In this position he was first for the organization of special courts and soon thereafter in charge of cases against high-ranking party officials such as Koçi Xoxe
.
On 1 Congress of the PPSh he was elected in November 1948 as a member of the Politburo and was until this March 1952.
On 24 July 1953 he was Minister of Education and Culture in the government of Prime Minister Enver Hoxha
and has held this position until his replacement by Ramiz Alia 1955th
Together with another prominent communist figure Tuk Jakova
, he requested for a slowdown of the industrialization of Albania, of the process of collectivization of agriculture, and the "democratization" of Albanian communist party
For his standing he was the accused by Enver Hoxha of being a "revisionist" and was released from his executive and Party roles. Two weeks later came his arrest and expulsion from the party and after the internment with his family in Elbasan.
In the Albanian communist party conference in Tirana in 1956, the opponents of Enver Hoxha, requested information on the fate of Koçi Xoxe, Tuk Jakova, Bedri Spahiu and other prominent party members and asked for their rehabilitation.
These actions sealed the fate of Bedri Spahiu and his friends in the eyes of Enver Hoxha. On 1 June 1957 Spahiu was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, which he served first in Kanina and January 1958 in Tirana. Shortly after his release in October 1974 he was again arrested and was subsequently interned in Selenica until 10 May 1990. After the collapse of communist regime he returned in Tiranë where he died on January 11, 1998.
Life
A follower of the Bektashi Dervish OrderBektashism
Bektashi Order or Bektashism is an Islamic Sufi order founded in the 13th century by the Persian saint Haji Bektash Veli. In addition to the spiritual teachings of Haji Bektash Veli the order was significantly influenced during its formative period by both the Hurufis as well as the...
, he completed his education in 1923 in Shkodër
Shkodër
Shkodër , is a city located on Lake of Shkoder in northwestern Albania in the District of Shkodër, of which it is the capital. It is one of the oldest and most historic towns in Albania, as well as an important cultural and economic centre. Shkodër's estimated population is 90,000; if the...
, and then continued his further education continued at a school run by Italians in Istanbul. After his return to Albania, he joined the Albanian army in 1927 as a soldier in the artillery school of Tirana and was in military service until his dismissal for alleged subversive behavior in 1935.
In 1941 he joined the newly founded Albanian Communist Party and became a member of the Provisional Central Committee, on whose behalf he took over the party organization in his home town of Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër
Gjirokastër is a city in southern Albania with a population of 43,000. Lying in the historical region of Epirus, it is the capital of both the Gjirokastër District and the larger Gjirokastër County...
. During World War II, he was one of the main communist leaders of the partisan forces of the Albanian National Liberation Front. For his deeds and bravery he was awarded numerous orders and medals.
He belonged to the 118 persons consisting of Anti-Fascist Council of National Liberation, which was in May 1944 by the Congress of Përmet selected as the interim parliament and helped the Communists to take power. After the founding of the People's Republic of Albania on 11 January 1946 he was deputy of the People's Assembly (Kuvendi Popullor) and this was one of the first term until 4 February 1955 on. At times he was also a member of the Presidium of the People's Assembly, and thus the collective state presidency.
First, he became minister for reconstruction, but was shortly thereafter promoted to lieutenant general and appointed Attorney General. In this position he was first for the organization of special courts and soon thereafter in charge of cases against high-ranking party officials such as Koçi Xoxe
Koçi Xoxe
Koçi Xoxe was the Defence and Interior Minister of Albania for some time under Enver Hoxha. According to different sources, he was an ethnic Macedonian or ethnic Bulgarian from Aegean Macedonia and was initially a tinsmith....
.
On 1 Congress of the PPSh he was elected in November 1948 as a member of the Politburo and was until this March 1952.
On 24 July 1953 he was Minister of Education and Culture in the government of Prime Minister Enver Hoxha
Enver Hoxha
Enver Halil Hoxha was a Marxist–Leninist revolutionary andthe leader of Albania from the end of World War II until his death in 1985, as the First Secretary of the Party of Labour of Albania...
and has held this position until his replacement by Ramiz Alia 1955th
Together with another prominent communist figure Tuk Jakova
Tuk Jakova
Tuk Jakova was an Albanian politician. He served as Chairman of the Assembly of the Republic of Albania from March 25, 1946 until later that year.-References:*...
, he requested for a slowdown of the industrialization of Albania, of the process of collectivization of agriculture, and the "democratization" of Albanian communist party
For his standing he was the accused by Enver Hoxha of being a "revisionist" and was released from his executive and Party roles. Two weeks later came his arrest and expulsion from the party and after the internment with his family in Elbasan.
In the Albanian communist party conference in Tirana in 1956, the opponents of Enver Hoxha, requested information on the fate of Koçi Xoxe, Tuk Jakova, Bedri Spahiu and other prominent party members and asked for their rehabilitation.
These actions sealed the fate of Bedri Spahiu and his friends in the eyes of Enver Hoxha. On 1 June 1957 Spahiu was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment, which he served first in Kanina and January 1958 in Tirana. Shortly after his release in October 1974 he was again arrested and was subsequently interned in Selenica until 10 May 1990. After the collapse of communist regime he returned in Tiranë where he died on January 11, 1998.