The damage of the war and the establishment of the communist regime in Albania

• Author: Jonela Canaj
• Position: University of Tirana
• Pages: 180-187

180

Vol. 3 No. 3

January, 2018

Balkan Journal of Interdisciplinary Research

IIPCCL Publishing, Graz-Austria

ISSN 2410-759X

Acces online at www.iipccl.org

The damage of the war and the establishment of the communist regime in

Albania

Jonela Canaj

University of Tirana

The Damages of War

With the end of World War II, the Albanian state is in a very dicult situation in

political, social and economic life. Numerous political and military events of August

1944 diminished any economic activity and made it dicult to produce statistical

data. State Oces were not able to provide ocial records; during this month with

the deterioration of the situation they could not even give general notes. So the

economic information of August was entirely based on the sayings of traders and

buds. But later, the Department of Statistics began operations to carry out a general

war damage census (April 1939-November 1944) 1. Wheat harvesters were good,

albeit smaller than last year. Forecasts on maize production were good. Constant

bombings and machine guns throughout all of Albania's main roads have made

trade completely banned2. The most active was the sale of retail goods. Foreign

trade (import and export) ceased to operate. Unemployment began in all areas of the

country. The industrial sector considerably reduced its activity. The main cause of this

information is the lack of electricity distribution. Market prices remained constant one

month earlier. Wholesale prices had an additional 3.6% while retail prices fell by 2.6%

compared to the previous months3. The gold market has been quite active. The price

of napolon gold changed on average from a maximum of 548 francs to a minimum of

the Albanian franc 5194. In a telegram addressed to the Presidency of the Council and

the Presidency of the Council of Ministers, the worsening situation of the Prefecture

of Gjirokastra is reported on the urgent need for food of the population5. In Fier and

the districts, the Italian army massacred and grabbed6. The Italian gendarmerie was

terried by arresting the population of Mallakastra and Fier merchants in the middle

of the bazaar, leaving a very bad taste to the people7. On September 12, 1944, when

Italian power was established in Fier, even though it was rumored that the Italians

had come as friends rather than invaders, the situation of the people was dicult,

causing fatality, horror and sadness8. In the Prefecture of Durres on the functioning

of the general administration there was a lack of sta and there was also a massive

closure of the schools. The situation was worsening in dierent districts such as Vlora,

Korca, Fier, Tirana etc9. According to the information, the lessons in the central and

1 HistoriaePopullitShqiptar,Vol.IV,Tiranë2009,P.35-40.

2 AQSH,F.BankaKombëtareeShqipërisë-DrejtoriaQendrore,D.Nr.88,V.1944,Bankëssështetit,P.1.

3 Idem, P.2

4 Idem, P.3.

5 AQSH, F.Këshilli iShtetit, Ekonomi,Financë, D.Nr.269, V.1944, MinistriaePunëve tëBrendshme

Tiranë1944.

6 AQSH,F.MinistriaePunëvetëBrendshme-ZyraPolitike,D.Nr.175,V.1944.

7 Idem, P.2.

8 Idem, P.3.

9  AQSH, F.Ministria e Punëve të Brendshme-Zyra Politike, cit, D. Nr. 175, V.1944, Shteti Shqiptar