Moscow, March 23, 1949: Notes from Stalin's secret conversation with Enver Hoxha

What interest did Stalin express on the situation in Albania and how did he interpret Yugoslav trends? Who participated in the talks and what did Enver Hoxha say? Why did Enver Hoxha complain to Stalin about Yugoslav pressure? Telegrafi brings you the paper from the archival documents of the historian Agim Zogaj.

Moscow, March 23, 1949, 22:00 p.m.

SECRET

Present:

From the Soviet side: AJ Vishinskij, the envoy of the USSR in Albania, DS Chuvakin and VI Erofejev (interpreter);

From the Albanian side: Spiro Koleka, the chairman of the State Plan Commission of Albania Spiro and the Albanian envoy to the USSR M. Prifti

After exchanging mutual greetings, Comrade Stalin asks if the Albanian delegation arrived well in Moscow. Hoxha says that the Albanian delegation arrived very well, adding that it has been charged, first of all, to convey to Comrade Stalin, on behalf of the party and the people of Albania, the deepest feelings of love and gratitude for everything that is done and is being done for Albania.

Comrade Stalin thanks Hoxha and asks if he has achieved everything that was promised in Albania. Hoxha answers in the affirmative.

INTRIGUE WITHIN THE ALBANIAN PARTY!

Comrade Stalin asks what Hoxha has to say. Hoxha answers that, first of all, he would like to make an overview of the situation created in the country and in the party, then move on to presenting some demands of an economic nature, as well as talk about the Albanian army and its needs . In addition, he would like to ask some questions, for which the Albanian comrades would like to receive clarifications from Comrade Stalin. In conclusion, Hoxha would like to briefly present the situation at the borders of Albania.

Comrade Stalin says that Hoxha can ask any question, without limitation.

Hoxha says that the Bolshevik party's letters addressed to the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Yugoslavia and the Resolution of the Information Bureau saved Albania from the inevitable catastrophe. Comrade Stalin asks if this catastrophe could happen. Hoxha answers that the Yugoslav nationalists pursued certain goals, directed against the USSR, against the anti-imperialist democratic camp, against Albania itself.

Comrade Stalin adds: "Even against Muslims." Hoxha agrees with this.

Hoxha declares that the Yugoslav nationalists, of Tito's group, have developed their mining activity in Albania since the moment of the country's liberation.

The Albanian communists could not help but see that the economic and other relations between Albania and Yugoslavia were developing in an unsatisfactory manner. However, the revolutionary vigilance of the Albanian party was not sharp enough. The biggest responsibility for this falls on him, on Enver Hoxha. The fact that the Albanians were used to trusting the friendly relations of the Yugoslavs during the war also played a certain role. All these, taken together, made the Albanian leaders not notice that, as the people say, that the fish was stinking from the head. The Yugoslav Trotskyists engaged in all sorts of intrigues within the Albanian party, trying to divide it.

THE YUGOSLAVS INTENDED TO OVERTHROW THE ORDER IN ALBANIA!

In this mining activity, they relied on the support of their partisans, represented by Koçi Xoxe, Pandi Kristo, etc.

Comrade Stalin asks if the mentioned persons are Slavs. Hoxha answers positively, saying that Koçi Xoxe is from Macedonia, while Pandi Kristo is from Korça. Comrade Stalin asks what religion these people have. Hoxha answers that these are Orthodox.

Hoxha declares that the letters of the KQ of the KP (b) of the BS, unmasked the hostile attitude of the Yugoslav Trotskyists. If it weren't for these letters, honest Albanian communists would have to, sooner or later, go back to the mountains to fight a new war. Analyzing its work, the Albanian party came to the conclusion that everything that is said in the letters of the Central Committee of the KP (b) of the BS belongs to it as well, except for the fact that the Albanian communists have never lost their feelings of love and loyalty to the Soviet people, to the Bolshevik party and to Comrade Stalin.

Comrade Stalin says that not all issues were illuminated in these letters, because we did not know everything at that time. We later found out, for example, that when the Yugoslavs wanted to send a division of theirs to Albania, they did not have the goal they were talking about, not the goal of defending Albania from a Greek aggression, but another goal: to subvert the order that exists in Albania. We found out about this later. Comrade Stalin says that not only the Albanians were not alert enough, but we also did not understand everything.

WHY WAS STALIN INTERESTED IN THE ETHNIC COMPOSITION IN ALBANIA?

Hoxha says that the Albanians have been in close relations with the Yugoslavs and they were the ones who had to understand the attitude of the Yugoslavs first. Hoxha adds that when he found out about the Yugoslavs' plans to send their division to Albania, he thought that the Yugoslavs had coordinated this issue with the Soviet government.

Comrade Stalin replies that the Yugoslavs were preparing to send their division secretly from us, but it is very likely that they let the Albanians understand that this was done with the consent of the USSR. We found out about the Yugoslav plan only by chance from Hoxha's announcement. When we cheated the Yugoslavs, they apologized and said it was a mistake.

Comrade Stalin asks what percentage non-Albanians occupy in the national composition of Albania. Hoxha answers that Greeks and Jews live in Albania, but they are few. In addition, there are about 6-7 thousand Macedonians in Albania. They live in the southernmost border of Albania. Comrade Stalin asks if there are many Albanians in Macedonia. Hoxha answers that nearly 1 million Albanians live in Yugoslavia. Comrade Stalin asks what kind of Albanians these are, from the point of view of religion. Hoxha answers that these are all Muslims and partly Catholics in the northern districts of Albania. Comrade Stalin asks if there are many Orthodox in Albania. Hoxha answers that the Orthodox in Albania make up 30-35 percent of the population, while the Catholics make up 10-15 percent. Catholics generally live in the north of the country, Orthodox in the central and partly in the southern districts, while Muslims mainly in the south. Comrade Stalin asks what language the Orthodox and Catholics speak in Albania. Hoxha answers that all of them speak the Albanian language.

CRITICISM AGAINST PRO-YUGOSLAVIC ELEMENTS!

Hoxha declares that after the Bolshevik party's letters and the resolution of the Informburo, the Albanian communists have taken decisive measures against Yugoslav nationalism, both within the party and in the field of economic life. It was difficult to immediately make a complete analysis of affairs in the party and in the country. This was explained by the fact that one of the main partisans of the Yugoslav Trotskyists, Koçi Xoxe, made a big stand and hid many things from the party. It took a considerable amount of time to clarify what a great job of sabotaging the country's popular economy and what subversive activity within the party the Yugoslav Trotskyists and their sycophants had done in Albania. Country came to the party congress already having an idea about the activity of the Yugoslav Trotskyists in Albania and their intrigues within the party. Many serious mistakes were made in the party.

Internal democracy in the party was almost non-existent. The organizational structure of the party, completely copied by the Yugoslavs, was flawed. The party was under the complete control of the state security agencies. Laws and provisions for economic problems in the country were not enforced. The reaction in Albania regarding the betrayal of Tito's clique was very great. The fight against the Yugoslav Trotskyists and their supporters went outside the framework of the party and all the people in this fight united around the party. Hoxha emphasizes that the feelings of the Albanian people towards the Yugoslav people were not weakened by all this. But the party took care of this. The party congress showed that in the struggle against the Yugoslav Trotskyists the party was healed and became even stronger. The Congress also showed that the party, though young, has great strength and energy in the struggle for the right line. The harsh criticism against the activity of the pro-Yugoslav elements was made before the eyes of the entire Albanian people. The mistakes made by the party were recognized and the ways to overcome them were shown.

THE CASE OF KOCI XOXES AND KRISTO THEMELKOS!

The party did not use repressive measures on a large scale and acted in this direction with great care, starting from the fact that many comrades, walking on a crooked path, believed that the line suggested by the Yugoslavs was the right one. Therefore, comrades who recognized and criticized their mistakes were given the opportunity to correct themselves. Only Koçi Xoxe, Pandi Kristo and three others were arrested. Kristo Themelkua, one of the people most responsible for implementing the line harmful to Yugoslavia and who has more than once expressed an unsympathetic attitude towards the USSR and the Soviet comrades working in Albania, was not arrested. Kristo Themelkua presented at the meeting of the Bureau all the facts related to his activity and he made a harsh self-criticism regarding his attitude. Self-criticism was evaluated as quite honest and objective.

Comrade Stalin asks what position Kristo Themelkua held. Hoxha answers that he was a general and held the position of political director of the army. Comrade Stalin asks where Kristo Themelkua is and what he is doing now. Hoxha answers that he is in Tirana, that he is away from work and that he is not dealing with anything at the moment. Comrade Stalin asks what nationality Kristo Themelkua has. Hoxha answers that Kristo Themelkua is a Slav. Hoxha adds that in his time the Albanian Government addressed the Soviet Government with the request to allow Kristo Themelko to come to Moscow for studies at the military academy "Lenin". Comrade Stalin asks if the Albanians received an answer regarding this request. Hoxha says that at first the answer was positive, but then the issue stalled. Comrade Stalin asks: don't the Albanians, by sending Kristo Themelko to Moscow, want to get rid of him? Hoxha replies that they would like to send Kristo Themelko to study in the USSR, hoping that he will be able to rehabilitate himself.

ELECTIONS IN ORGANIZATIONS - BASIS OF THE PARTY!

Hoxha says that the party continues to hope that Kristo Themelkua will be able to improve, but it cannot have full political trust in him. Comrade Stalin says that the Albanians do not need Christo Themelkua now. Hoxha answers positively. Comrade Stalin declares that the Albanians don't need Kristo Themelkua, but we don't need him either. Comrade Stalin asks: Do the Albanians want to send Kristo Themelko to the USSR for reasons of their own security? Hoxha answers that Kristo Themelkua has always wanted to study at the USSR Military Academy. Comrade Stalin declares that if the Albanians wish, we will accept Kristo Themelko in the USSR.

Hoxha says that after the congress, measures were taken to clean up the party. A group of comrades, who had compromised themselves with ties to the Yugoslav Trotskyists, were removed from leadership positions in the party and the army. Measures were taken to strengthen the internal democracy of the party, all the provisions and instructions made under the influence of the Yugoslavs were cancelled, etc. At the congress, a Central Committee was elected, in the composition of which new comrades, loyal comrades, were introduced. In addition, measures were taken regarding the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in which distortions and injustice were allowed and a lot of dirty work was done. Fresh forces have now entered this ministry. Elections are now being held in the party's base organizations in the cities and across the country, as well as in the district party committees. As a result of these elections, experienced and loyal comrades come to the leadership of the party's basic organizations. In correcting the mistakes allowed in the country's economy, a very good help was given by the Soviet comrades working in Albania.

CRISIS IN THE ALBANIAN ECONOMY!

Hoxha points out that the events that took place also had a negative impact on the situation within the party. A decline in discipline is observed in a number of party organizations. Among the weak elements appears the tendency to anarchy. In addition, at the present moment, when the class struggle has intensified, the opportunistic tendencies of some party members have become more visible. Hoxha says that during the period when the party was working on the fight against Yugoslav nationalism and its supporters within the party, it was to some extent drawn into the issue of the fight against kulak elements in the countryside. This withdrawal was made in order not to complicate the situation in the country too much. However, this meant that the state, due to the activity of the kulaks, could not get the sufficient amount of grain in the village. Serious economic difficulties arose in the country.

Another cause of these difficulties was that, when the Yugoslavs were preparing their assassination attempt against Albania, they did not give anything to Albania for 8 months. Economic chaos was born in the Albanian market. Peasants stopped putting their goods on the market, which raised prices significantly. Only the help from the USSR made it possible to start easing the created situation. Hoxha declares that despite all the difficulties, the Albanian people have full faith in their state leadership. The Albanian people have always suffered, many disasters have fallen on their backs, but they are not afraid of difficulties. /Telegraph/