Forsaken Albania

By Artan Lame
Tirana, June 1939. Its two months since the invasion of Albania by Italy. Italy has established a new regime in the country and work is in full swing to establish institutions to replace those of the Zog Monarchy. In this context, the “voluntary offer” was made of the throne of Albania to the the Monarch of Italy, King Viktor Emanuel III, the formation of a new Albanian Government led by Shefqet V쳬aci, the functioning of the General headed by the former Italian Ambassador in Tirana Francesco Jacomoni and so on. Giving Albania a new Constitution, or Statute, as it was called at that time, was also part of this effort. Naturally the Italians had drafted it, whilst all that was left for the Alkbanians to do was to approve it. This Statute, which came into force on 3 June 1939, experienced its demise together with fascist Italy. In October 1943, with Italy’s capitulation and the occupation of the country by the Germans, the Statute, with all the consequences arising from it, was no longer in force. A little later, the King of Italy also officially renounced the Crown of Albania.
In the bigger photo, you can see the closing page of the Statute, the original copy of which was hand written on parchment. One underneath the other, you can clearly see the signatures of King Viktor Emanuel, followed by those of the Albanian Council of Ministers; Shefqet V쳬aci Prime Minister, Tefik Mborja Secretary-Minister of the Albanian Fascist Party, Xhaferr Ypi Minister of Justice, Maliq Bushati Minister of the Interior, Fejzi Alizoti Minister of Finance, Andon Be衠Minister of the National Economy and Ernest Koliqi Minister of Education.
In the other photo, you can see Prime Minister V쳬aci accompanying King Viktor Emnauel, during a visit by the latter to his new Kingdom, in May 1941. The King is in military uniform, as Commander Supreme of the Armed Forces, while V쳬aci wears the black uniform of the Albanian Fascist Party.
Viktor Emanuel had never nurtured any particular feeling towards Albania and Ciano, in his diaries writes that when Mussolini was preparing to give the King this monarchy, the King had said, “Non lo voglio quel mucchio di sassi!” (I don’t want that pile of rocks)!