As a philatelic child I encountered most of the worlds’ stamps. Branded with the country’s name in their own language and currency it prompted me to do interesting research of far flung countries. One which particularly piqued my interest was a stamp with the country name “Shqiperia” which turned out to be Albania. At that time, the 1970s Soviet Russia and the Iron curtain was a powerful influence in the world. My reading about this small Balkan country intrigued me even further. Today the label “Hermit Kingdom” is used to describe North Korea. In those days it could have equally applied to this country. At the time I remember thinking that I would never get to this country.
For a country whose history goes back thousands of years, very little of the past remains. In common with the other Balkan states it has a long history of Roman and then Ottoman occupation but it is the 20th century that was the most turbulent and interesting. Mussolini and subsequently the German Nazis occupied Albania giving rise to a revolutionary army to gain independence. While the motivation to join was for freedom, the army was successfully led by a young Enver Hoxha, who, at the end of WW2, declared a communist state with himself as the dictator. Sham one party elections followed but with all opposition parties banned he always secured 99% of the vote. He quickly moved to seal the borders no-one could leave and no-one could enter under penalty of death. Between 1945 and his death in 1985 he ruled a brutal and repressive Stalinist state complete with secret police, torture and gulags. Tens of thousands died which on a per capita basis is every bit as heinous as Stalin’s record.
The capitol city of Tirana is quite a revelation. I expected dour Soviet era concrete blocks and basic amenities. We have an apartment in the Blloku area and are in the midst of tree lined boulevards and stylish cafes and bars. The centre is booming with new multistory largely hotel construction but in the last 30 years since the fall of communism here the authorities have built a charming city albeit bereft of any historical monuments and also cursed with crazy chaotic traffic. It is a lovely place to spend a day or two and the food and wine scene is also impressive.
