Organized by:

Authority for Information on Former State Security Files,
in cooperation with
The Institute of History at the Academy of Albanological Studies,
the Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism and
The Institute for the Integration of Former Political Persecuted Persons Date:                           October 29-30-31, 2018
Language:                     Albanian, English
Location:                     National Historical Museum / “Shpataraku” Hall The event is supported by UNDP in Albania and the Government of Italy,
within the framework of the project “Remembering to Heal and Prevent,”
the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS),
the European Network of Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS)
the National Historical Museum

OPENING CEREMONY

National Historical Museum – October 29, 2018
6:00 PM – “Unesco” Hall 18:00 – 18:10              Participant registration
18:10 – 18:15              Ms. Gentiana Sula– Chairwoman of AIDSSH
18:15 – 18:20              Academic Prof. Dr. Beqir Meta – Institute of Albanological Studies
18:20 – 18:25              Mr. Brian Williams – UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Albania
18:25 – 18:30              Mr. Bernd Borchardt – Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania
6:30 PM – 6:35 PM             Ms. Raffaella Campanati – Representative, Italian Embassy
18:35 – 18:40              Dr. Çelo Hoxha – Deputy Director of the Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism
18:35 – 18:40              Mr. Bilal Kola – Director of the Institute for the Integration of Former Political Persecutees
18:40 – 18:45              Mr. Dorian Koçi – Director of the National Historical Museum
18:45 – 18:50              Ms. Klaudia Zerva –  Representative, Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS)
18:50 – 19:40              Screening of the film “The Silent Doors of Hell” (On internment and expulsions)
Produced by ISKK and KAS DAY ONE – October 30, 2018
National Historical Museum / “Shpataraku” Hall 09:00 – 09:15 Participant registration
09:15 – 09:30 Conference Opening – Dr. Marenglen Kasmi
09:30 – 10:00 Keynote speech:

  1. Lukas Kaminski (ENRS)  – Deportations and forced labor – the Polish experience: history and memories.

10:00–11:00    Panel 1 – “Shpataraku” Hall
Totalitarianism in Eastern Europe: A Comparative Perspective

Moderator: Academician Prof. Dr. Beqir Meta

  1. Tobias Wunschik (BSTU) Germany–Forced labor in the GDR camps (1950 – 1990).

  2. Hamit Kaba – Albanian communism: similarities and differences with other communist countries of Eastern and Central Europe 1944-1948.

  3. Klejd Këlliçi – The European Gulag: the regime of labor and concentration camps in Albania, East Germany and Bulgaria, 1946-1950.

  4. Afrim Krasniqi – Treating the past in a comparative report: Albania and Eastern Europe.

11:00 – 11:15 Discussions
11:15 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30  Panel 2 – “Shpataraku” Hall
Analytical view on Albanian totalitarianism

Moderator: Dr. Marenglen Kasmi

  1. Beqir Meta – Analytical overview of the prison system, internments and the use of forced labor during the communist regime in Albania.

  2. Sabit Syla – The installation of Yugoslav power in Kosovo and the Albanians during the years 1944-1955.

  3. Ana Lalaj – The Assembly of the Post-War (Power) State as a Tool of Violence, 1944-1953.

  4. Lori Amy – The Case of Enver Hoxha: History, Memories, and the Architecture of Terror.

12:30 – 12:45 Discussions
12:45 – 13:45 Lunch break
13:45 – 14:45 Panel 3 – “Shpataraku” Hall
The system of prisons and labor camps in Albania (1945-1990).

Moderator: Prof. Asoc. Dr. Sabit Syla

  1. Dorian Koçi – The Stalinist apparatus of violence in prisons and labor camps in Albania 1949-1953.

  2. Ardiana Topi – Typology of documents and files created by the former State Security 1944-1991.

  3. Femi Sufaj, Marinela Sota  – Denied by the regime: Prisons, the internment-deportation system and forced labor in Albania 1945-1990.

  4. Gjon Boriçi – Affirmation by the Political Bureau of the Albanian People's Liberation Army of violence against prisoners and internees by State Security organs until 1953.

14:45 -15:00 Discussions

15:00-15:15 Break

15:15 – 16:15 Panel 4 – “Shpataraku” Room
Foreigners in Albanian camps and prisons

Moderator: Dr. Dorian Koçi

  1. Marenglen Kasmi, Ermira Shtino – German prisoners of war and forced labor during the years 1944-1952.

  2. Nevila Nika – The treatment of Italian citizens after the end of World War II: from Prof. V. Lozzi to fra G. Gardin

  3. Sonila Boçi – Drawing the “face of the enemy of the people” from the communist regime.

  4. Gjon Berisha – Persecution of Catholic clergy from Kosovo, who served during the communist regime in Albania.

15:15 – 16:30 Greis Haxhiu, Arla Hoxha, Tea Kashahu, Enxhi Kodragjini, Dea Rrozhani
Redbug: The application that brings back communism through the testimonies of those who experienced it.
16:30 -16:45   Discussions – Conclusions on the conference – Closing of the first day's proceedings DAY TWO 31.10.2018
National History Museum/“Shpataraku” Hall 09.00 – 10.00  Panel 5 – Shpataraku Hall
Legal perspective and forced labor

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonila Boçi

  1. Ermal Frashëri – Regulation of labor in the construction of socialism: a legal perspective.

  2. Çelo Hoxha – Illegal deprivation of personal freedom of citizens carried out by people representing state institutions in the years ’44-’54.

  3. Etleva Smaçi – Exploitation of labor in the Engineering Departments and Military Agricultural Enterprises: discriminatory treatment of soldiers who came from low-class families.

  4. Selami Zalli – A legal perspective on the establishment of the dictatorship, 1945-1953 – Shkodra in the documents of the State Security.

10:00 – 10:15 Discussions
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee break
10:30 – 11:30  Panel 6 – Shpataraku Hall
Features of daily life in prisons and internment zones in Albania (1945-1990)

Moderator: Dr. Ermal Frashëri

  1. Valjeta Kaftalli – Daily life and human relationships in camps and internment areas.

  2. Alma Liço Mirakaj, Merita Sauku Bruci – Family internment/deportations in the Dumre area 1968-1991: testimonies and reflections.

  3. Natasha Llanaj Përpunja – The mining town of Selenica in Vlora.

  4. Fiona Todhri, Eris Dhamo – The identity and profile of women political prisoners in the communist period (1946-1979).

11:30 – 11:45 Discussions
11:45 – 12:00 Break
12:00-12:45 Panel 7 – Shpataraku Hall
Albanian Totalitarianism through Literature and the Arts

Moderator: Dr. Çelo Hoxha

  1. Agron Tufa – Sad literary and memoir topics.

  2. Agron Gjekmarkaj – “The Enemy of the People” in Socialist Realism Literature.

  3. Leonora Laçi – Albanian totalitarianism through some writers.

  4. Kejsi Ziu – Spies and saboteurs: the martyrdom of Maliqi's engineers and the involvement of the American agent mission during the communist regime.

12:45-13:00 Discussions
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 15:00  Panel 8 – Shpataraku Hall

Collective memory on prisons and internment camps

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Ana Lalaj


  1. Gjergj Sinani – Memory and history in post-totalitarian discourse.

  2. Enriketa Pandeleimoni (Papa) – Narration of life stories and memories of forced labor camps and prisons in Communist Albania.

  3. Erald Kapri – Comparative view, rehabilitation of victims of communism, Czech, German, Polish, Estonian and Romanian cases.

  4. Sara Çapaliku – Public interest and the opening of the files of the former Albanian State Security

15:00 –15:15 Discussions
15.15 – 15.30   Break
15:30 -16:30  Panel 9 – Shpataraku Hall
Today's discourse on the communist past

Moderator: Dr. Ardiana Topi

  1. Etleva Demollari –The National Museum of Wiretapping “House with Leaves” confronting the past.

  2. Roland Qafoku – Persecutors versus the persecuted after the fall of communism.

  3. Edlira Agolli – The role of the OSCE in Albania in shaping collective memory and discussing human rights violations during communism.

  4. Blerina Këllezi, Aurora Guxholli, Cliffort Stevenson – Changes after the dictatorship from the perspective of those affected.

International Scientific Conference

Those Denied by the Regime: Prisons, the Internment-Expulsion System, and Forced Labor in Albania 1945-1990.

Organized by:

Authority for Information on Former State Security Files,
in cooperation with
The Institute of History at the Academy of Albanological Studies,
the Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism and
The Institute for the Integration of Former Political Persecuted Persons

Date:                           October 29-30-31, 2018
Language:                     Albanian, English
Location:                     National Historical Museum / “Shpataraku” Hall

The event is supported by UNDP in Albania and the Government of Italy,
within the framework of the project “Remembering to Heal and Prevent,”
the Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS),
the European Network of Remembrance and Solidarity (ENRS)
the National Historical Museum

OPENING CEREMONY

National Historical Museum – October 29, 2018
6:00 PM – “Unesco” Hall

18:00 – 18:10              Participant registration
18:10 – 18:15              Ms. Gentiana Sula– Chairwoman of AIDSSH
18:15 – 18:20              Academic Prof. Dr. Beqir Meta – Institute of Albanological Studies
18:20 – 18:25              Mr. Brian Williams – UN Resident Coordinator and UNDP Resident Representative in Albania
18:25 – 18:30              Mr. Bernd Borchardt – Head of the OSCE Presence in Albania
6:30 PM – 6:35 PM             Ms. Raffaella Campanati – Representative, Italian Embassy
18:35 – 18:40              Dr. Çelo Hoxha – Deputy Director of the Institute for the Study of Crimes and Consequences of Communism
18:35 – 18:40              Mr. Bilal Kola – Director of the Institute for the Integration of Former Political Persecutees
18:40 – 18:45              Mr. Dorian Koçi – Director of the National Historical Museum
18:45 – 18:50              Ms. Klaudia Zerva –  Representative, Konrad Adenauer Foundation (KAS)
18:50 – 19:40              Screening of the film “The Silent Doors of Hell” (On internment and expulsions)
Produced by ISKK and KAS

DAY ONE – October 30, 2018
National Historical Museum / “Shpataraku” Hall

09:00 – 09:15 Participant registration
09:15 – 09:30 Conference Opening – Dr. Marenglen Kasmi
09:30 – 10:00 Keynote speech:

  1. Lukas Kaminski (ENRS)  – Deportations and forced labor – the Polish experience: history and memories.

10:00–11:00    Panel 1 – “Shpataraku” Hall
Totalitarianism in Eastern Europe: A Comparative Perspective

Moderator: Academician Prof. Dr. Beqir Meta

  1. Tobias Wunschik (BSTU) Germany–Forced labor in the GDR camps (1950 – 1990).

  2. Hamit Kaba – Albanian communism: similarities and differences with other communist countries of Eastern and Central Europe 1944-1948.

  3. Klejd Këlliçi – The European Gulag: the regime of labor and concentration camps in Albania, East Germany and Bulgaria, 1946-1950.

  4. Afrim Krasniqi – Treating the past in a comparative report: Albania and Eastern Europe.

11:00 – 11:15 Discussions
11:15 – 11:30 Coffee break
11:30 – 12:30  Panel 2 – “Shpataraku” Hall
Analytical view on Albanian totalitarianism

Moderator: Dr. Marenglen Kasmi

  1. Beqir Meta – Analytical overview of the prison system, internments and the use of forced labor during the communist regime in Albania.

  2. Sabit Syla – The installation of Yugoslav power in Kosovo and the Albanians during the years 1944-1955.

  3. Ana Lalaj – The Assembly of the Post-War (Power) State as a Tool of Violence, 1944-1953.

  4. Lori Amy – The Case of Enver Hoxha: History, Memories, and the Architecture of Terror.

12:30 – 12:45 Discussions
12:45 – 13:45 Lunch break
13:45 – 14:45 Panel 3 – “Shpataraku” Hall
The system of prisons and labor camps in Albania (1945-1990).

Moderator: Prof. Asoc. Dr. Sabit Syla

  1. Dorian Koçi – The Stalinist apparatus of violence in prisons and labor camps in Albania 1949-1953.

  2. Ardiana Topi – Typology of documents and files created by the former State Security 1944-1991.

  3. Femi Sufaj, Marinela Sota  – Denied by the regime: Prisons, the internment-deportation system and forced labor in Albania 1945-1990.

  4. Gjon Boriçi – Affirmation by the Political Bureau of the Albanian People's Liberation Army of violence against prisoners and internees by State Security organs until 1953.

14:45 -15:00 Discussions

15:00-15:15 Break

15:15 – 16:15 Panel 4 – “Shpataraku” Room
Foreigners in Albanian camps and prisons

Moderator: Dr. Dorian Koçi

  1. Marenglen Kasmi, Ermira Shtino – German prisoners of war and forced labor during the years 1944-1952.

  2. Nevila Nika – The treatment of Italian citizens after the end of World War II: from Prof. V. Lozzi to fra G. Gardin

  3. Sonila Boçi – Drawing the “face of the enemy of the people” from the communist regime.

  4. Gjon Berisha – Persecution of Catholic clergy from Kosovo, who served during the communist regime in Albania.

15:15 – 16:30 Greis Haxhiu, Arla Hoxha, Tea Kashahu, Enxhi Kodragjini, Dea Rrozhani
Redbug: The application that brings back communism through the testimonies of those who experienced it.
16:30 -16:45   Discussions – Conclusions on the conference – Closing of the first day's proceedings

DAY TWO 31.10.2018
National History Museum/“Shpataraku” Hall

09.00 – 10.00  Panel 5 – Shpataraku Hall
Legal Perspective and Forced Labor

Moderator: Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sonila Boçi

  1. Ermal Frashëri – Regulation of labor in the construction of socialism: a legal perspective.

  2. Çelo Hoxha – Illegal deprivation of personal freedom of citizens carried out by people representing state institutions in the years ’44-’54.

  3. Etleva Smaçi – Exploitation of labor in the Engineering Departments and Military Agricultural Enterprises: discriminatory treatment of soldiers who came from low-class families.

  4. Selami Zalli – A legal perspective on the establishment of the dictatorship, 1945-1953 – Shkodra in the documents of the State Security.

10:00 – 10:15 Discussions
10:15 – 10:30 Coffee break
10:30 – 11:30  Panel 6 – Shpataraku Hall
Features of daily life in prisons and internment zones in Albania (1945-1990)

Moderator: Dr. Ermal Frashëri

  1. Valjeta Kaftalli – Daily life and human relationships in camps and internment areas.

  2. Alma Liço Mirakaj, Merita Sauku Bruci – Family internment/deportations in the Dumre area 1968-1991: testimonies and reflections.

  3. Natasha Llanaj Përpunja – The mining town of Selenica in Vlora.

  4. Fiona Todhri, Eris Dhamo – The identity and profile of women political prisoners in the communist period (1946-1979).

11:30 – 11:45 Discussions
11:45 – 12:00 Break
12:00-12:45 Panel 7 – Shpataraku Hall
Albanian Totalitarianism through Literature and the Arts

Moderator: Dr. Çelo Hoxha

  1. Agron Tufa – Sad literary and memoir topics.

  2. Agron Gjekmarkaj – “The Enemy of the People” in Socialist Realism Literature.

  3. Leonora Laçi – Albanian totalitarianism through some writers.

  4. Kejsi Ziu – Spies and saboteurs: the martyrdom of Maliqi's engineers and the involvement of the American agent mission during the communist regime.

12:45-13:00 Discussions
13:00 – 14:00 Lunch break
14:00 – 15:00  Panel 8 – Shpataraku Hall

Collective memory on prisons and internment camps

Moderator: Prof. Dr. Ana Lalaj

  1. Gjergj Sinani – Memory and history in post-totalitarian discourse.

  2. Enriketa Pandeleimoni (Papa) – Narration of life stories and memories of forced labor camps and prisons in Communist Albania.

  3. Erald Kapri – Comparative view, rehabilitation of victims of communism, Czech, German, Polish, Estonian and Romanian cases.

  4. Sara Çapaliku – Public interest and the opening of the files of the former Albanian State Security

15:00 –15:15 Discussions
15.15 – 15.30   Break
15:30 -16:30  Panel 9 – Shpataraku Hall
Today's discourse on the communist past

Moderator: Dr. Ardiana Topi

  1. Etleva Demollari –The National Museum of Wiretapping “House with Leaves” confronting the past.

  2. Roland Qafoku – Persecutors versus the persecuted after the fall of communism.

  3. Edlira Agolli – The role of the OSCE in Albania in shaping collective memory and discussing human rights violations during communism.

  4. Blerina Këllezi, Aurora Guxholli, Cliffort Stevenson – Changes after the dictatorship from the perspective of those affected.