Italian occupation and antifascist war of Albanian People...

1939 April 7th, King Zog I and his family flee into exile to Greece the Turkey. Italian occupation. Vittorio Emanueli III is appointed by Italy as the King of Albania. During the World War II, Zog lives in Buckinghamshire, England, later settling in Cannes, and dying in Paris 1961.

1941 November, Meeting of the Korçe, Shkoder and Youth Communist groups in Tirana to establish the Communist Party of Albania.

1942 September 16th, Conference of Peze was called to organize all antifascist forces in one single front. The Conference decided on the creation of the Antifascist National Liberation Front.

1943 Enver Hoxha is appointed as Party Secretary.

1944 September 11th, Occupation of Albania by Nazi Germany. May 24th – 28th, Enver Hoxha is appointed Commander of the Armed Forces.



Liberation of Albanian and Communist Period



1944 November 28th, Independence Day. Liberation of Shkodër. November 29th was celebrated as the Day of Liberation until 1992. When Democratic Party came into power the November 28th was celebrated as the day of liberation. When the Socialist Party came in power in 1997, November 29th was celebrated as the liberation day. There are still discussions between historians about the Liberation Day.

1946 January 11th, The constituent Assembly proclaimed Albania a People’s Republic, thus resolving the issue of the form the Albanian State would have. March 14th, The Assembly approved the first Constitution of Albanian state.

1946-1947 Britain and U.S.A. break diplomatic relations with Albania.

1948 November 1st, At the first Communist Party Congress, the name of the Party is changed to the Party of Labor of Albania. All other parties are banned.

1949-1953 Various British attempts to overthrow Hoxha’s regime are made, however they are thwarted by Kim Philby’s espionage information to the Soviets (see My Secret War, 1968).

1955 December 14th, Albania enters the U.N.O. unhindered by the U.K. and USA who abstain rather than use their veto.

1957 Albania’s first University opens in Tirana, “The State University of Tirana”, with 3.600 students and 200 staff. Later growing to 19.000 students and 800 staff. In 1991 other Universities were set up in Shkoder, Vlore, Gjirokastra, Elbasan and Tirana.

1960 December 3rd, Albania breaks off diplomatic relations with former U.S.S.R. (Soviet Union). Diplomatic relations between China and Albania are strengthened.

1967 Churches, mosques and other religious institutions are closed. The people are prohibited to pray legally.

1970 October 25th, Electricity officially reaches all Albanian settlements.

1978 The diplomatic relations with China are very tensed, mainly on ideological grounds.

1981 November 1st, Rejection of China’s “Socialist Imperialist” policies by the Albanian Government.

1985 April 11th, Death of the Party leader, Enver Hoxha, aged 76 years old of heart failure aggravated by diabetes. April 13th, Ramiz Alia is elected as the new Party leader.

1987 September, Diplomatic relations are established with Canada and West Germany.

1989 August 1st, Visit to Albania by Mother Teresa, an Albanian national.

• First steps of Democratic Society in Albania
• Italian occupation and antifascist war of Albanian People (1939-1944)
• Albania gets Indipendent
• Ottoman conquest and Albanian-Ottoman War
• Ancient times - The Illyrians
• Famous Albanians
• Albania

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