Albania marks the Holocaust

TIRANA, April 18 – The American media has again reported on Albania’s skillful protection of its Jewish community during World War II. Albania’s actions in saving Jews come at a time when Holocaust denial and distortion is becoming a bedrock article of faith.
In January, the Albanian parliament commemorated, for the first time, Holocaust Remembrance Day.
Immediately before World War II, Albania was a nation of rich and varied cultures נMuslims, Christians and Jews had lived together in dignity and harmony for centuries. This was the nation of Mother Teresa’s childhood. Albanians had no appetite for the racism and anti-Semitism then sweeping Europe.
In 1943, Nazi occupiers demanded that Albanian authorities produce a list of Jewish residents. While other nations cooperated fully with such demands, Albania stoutly refused.
Not only did Albania protect its own Jewish citizens, but also hundreds of Jews from Austria, Germany, Greece, Serbia and elsewhere in Yugoslavia were given sanctuary by the Albanian people.
One such hero was a farmer in Kruja, Sulo Mecaj, who fed and sheltered ten Jews in his home, placing himself and his family in great danger. As Nazis neared his home, Mecaj sent the Jews to the crawl space in his attic to hide. When the frightened Jews asked what would happen if the house were set afire, Mecaj sent his only son to hide with them. Years later, his son said he understood why his father put his life in danger נit was a matter of honor to keep these Jews safe. Albania was the only nation in Europe that had a larger Jewish population after World War II than before.