Year 1979: Life, oh life...

What are the events that marked Albanians and the world in 1979?

It is said that this was the time of the Kosovar Albanians. The university was functioning and the cadres were developing. There was a job for someone, child allowance for someone else, food for someone, a bond for someone and the opportunity to go abroad... There was security, radio and television, newspapers and magazines in the Albanian language as much as you want, people were free, everything flowed for our good…

During the Youth Day demonstrations, or Josip Broz Tito's birthday, it was the Albanian Sanie Hyseni who handed over the baton that was carried throughout Yugoslavia. In the most climactic moment that was followed by millions of people, she spoke in the Albanian language: "Dearest friend Tito. Through the hands of hundreds of thousands of young people, this baton was carried to you. Through our beautiful homeland, our most heartfelt wishes and wishes for you were fulfilled - from the youth, the pioneers, the workers, from all the nations and nationalities of Yugoslavia, who live as one and all as one from one heart to wish the birthday of 87th: in the name of freedom, in the name of socialism, in the name of self-government, in the name of equality, in the name of peace. And, we speak with the language of your heart. Nothing can kill this country and this people. Not today, not tomorrow, not ever. Happy and happy spring of your life and work".

The year 1979 will also be remembered for the death of Eduard Kardel, Tito's right-hand man. Former "analysts" of the odes and cafes said that even if Tito lived longer, without Kardelin he will fail! And it "failed", because a year later he also dies. And, with his death, the blacks come again for Kosovo.

Kosovars continued to invest in culture. All parts of Kosovo are buzzing with cultural-artistic societies. In the last pages of "Voice of Youth", in color, mainly published photographs of the most popular cultural personalities of that time. Yugoslavian rock stars occupied an important place, but there were also photos of Vera Oruçaj, Shpresa Gashi, Sherine Morin, etc. There was a lot of talk about culture, exhibitions, literature, but also about the emancipation of women, "atheist education" and "unwanted children". So it is about abortions and illegitimate children.

In 1979, from a Zagreb magazine, and later from many magazines from Belgrade, it was found out that the winner of the second place in the 1978 edition of the Italian festival "Sanremo", Anna Oxa, is actually Lliriana Hoxha of Albanian origin. What great joy!

But in 1979, rock was no longer considered "hostile" or "degenerate" music by the older masses. In "Voice of Youth" the rock music column was standard. In a text of that time, it was said about Kosovar rock groups that "they arise and die quickly". This is the time when Kosovar rock starts to be profiled and advanced. The groups that marked the rock scene at that time were: Marimangat, Modestët, Tonik, and especially TNT. Gazmend Pallaska, Haki Misini, Irfan Blakçori, Nazmi Belica were also heard...

That time is also remembered for the youth actions for planting seedlings, harvesting grapes, etc.

On April 15, 1979, a powerful eight-point earthquake occurred in Albania. The sources of the time reported on the shaking that in a few seconds took the lives of 35 people and injured 176 others in the districts of Lezha and Shkodra. The earthquake was the next evil that hit the Albanians after the crisis caused by the secession of Albania. This is because the former Chinese brothers established full diplomatic relations with the United States of America and became revisionists!

In 1979, Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi leaves Iran. Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returns to Tehran after 15 years in exile and Iran becomes an Islamic republic. This political development will damage US-Iran relations, which until today remain at a hostile level.

In a ceremony at the White House, Egyptian President Anwar Sadati and Israeli Prime Minister Menachem Begin sign the Egypt-Israel Peace Treaty that angers the entire Arab world. After 179 years of presence, the last British soldier leaves Malta. Meanwhile, after the defeat in the war with Tanzania, one of the most morbid people in history, Idi Amini, left Uganda.

Another important event is the visit of Pope John Paul II to his native Poland. This moment is regarded by many as the beginning of the end of communism in Eastern Europe.

The films that mark the year 1979 were: "Alien" (The Alien), "Apocalypse Now" (Apocalypse today) and "Mad Max" (Max furious). Yugoslavian films with the "partisan-German" theme were still relevant here, but also Indian cinematography, in particular the film "Reshma and Shero". It is also worth highlighting the films of Kosovar cinematography: "Wind and Oak" and "When spring is late".

The world at that time was vibrating with the rhythms of disco music, but also of the new wave (New Wave). The most popular of that time were: Glorya Gaynor, ABBA, Grace Jones, Blondie, Boomtown Rats, Police, etc.

The year 1979 also belongs to the band Pink Floyd and their album "The Wall" (Wall). While the Albanian humanist, Mother Teresa, won the Nobel Peace Prize. "Through this award and through all of us here united, we are announcing the good news to the poor, telling you that God loves them, that we love them, that they are someone for us, that they are created with the same loving hand of God, to love and be loved. Our poor people are wonderful people, they are very loving people, they do not need our pity and pity, they need our understanding love. They need our respect; they need us to treat them with dignity.", she said at the award ceremony.

And, another great discovery will make listening to music more enjoyable... even, it will be considered as another blow to the communist world: Walkman Sony (Sony Walkman). Because, as the satirist and journalist PJ O'Rourke said: "72 years of communist indoctrination and propaganda were drowned out by three ounces of Walkman Sonny."

In 1979, the star of western movies, John Wayne, dies. Meanwhile, in Brazil, the doctor Josef Mengele dies, who performed cruel experiments on prisoners in Nazi concentration camps. His name will be part of many conspiracy theories, especially after the movie of the year "The Boys from Brazil" (Boys of Brazil) where it is said that he allegedly managed to clone Adolf Hitler. /Telegraph/