Tirana in the Seventies’. The most Shakespearean ritual of Albanian society in the Second Half of the 20th Century was the rise, the brilliance and, later on, the downward slide into the depths of the abyss of the majority of central political figures and of the regime itself. Particularly at the beginning of the Seventies’, the blood thirsty teeth of this mill were very busy, constantly being thrown a fresh supply of victims. I recall one of them today, Beqir Balluku. 25 years in the time of the War, later on he was to become a partisan, a Brigade Commander, a Division Commander, a triple-star Colonel-General (the only person to reach this rank), Chief of Staff, MP, 22 years Minister of Defence, Deputy Prime Minister, member of the Political Bureau of the PLA and he ended up being a sworn enemy of the Party and the Albanian people.
This photograph in military uniform was taken around about 1963-64 and shows Beqir Balluku in the uniform of a Colonel-General. The three star General’s golden epaulets can be clearly discerned, while insignia of fourteen decorations and medals decorate his chest, evidence of what he had accomplished up until then in the ranks of the Albanian Armed Forces. Although relations with the SU had been interrupted for several years, the Albanian uniforms were still entirely Soviet.
In the other photograph, Comrade Beqir happily has his photograph taken at the side of the Legendary Commander, whose eyes shine with kindness and softness, while only 2-3 years later he was to order the execution of the dear friend standing beside him, like the execution of a street criminal. Beqir has slipped his arm through that of Enver Hoxha who is wearing a thick overcoat, like the coats the elderly women of Kor衠used to call, “Great Coats.” Beqir has gained weight and does not wear military uniform any longer.
The third photograph is the more tragic. This was taken somewhere in the first months of 1974, which can be understood by the slogan in the background, “Let’s forge ahead to fulfill the targets of 1974.” 1973 ended with the annihilation of a dangerous, hostile group of enemies in the domain of culture; the sentencing of its leaders-Fadil Pa賡mi and Todi Lubonja, while in 1974, Hoxha released the first signals of the existence of criminal and hostile activity in the ranks of the Armed Forces. Beqir Balluku, at that time Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister senses that something is being prepared and tries to escape the peril by renewing his vows devotion to the Party and Comrade Enver; he is even more severe in penalizing enemies than anyone else in any other field, he endeavors to bury himself in work so that he may be perhaps passed over, but everything is in vain. Comrade Enver, with his usual farsightedness comprehends all this “trickery” of the enemy. No way, no-one can ever throw him off the scent!!
In this photograph, Beqir Balluku, in the company of Adil ȡr袮i and Ramiz Alia, are participating in a local festivity. From the winter attire and the bouquets of Mimoza, it is probably around March. The top party and state leaders walk along amidst the people who look at them beaming, joyous, happy to be able to at least shake hands with them once in their lifetime. Let alone if they manage to have their photograph taken with them, which would then be lovingly encased in a frame and hung in a place of honour in the home, only to be thrown into the rubbish when one of the leaders turns out to be an enemy. Whilst all of them are buttoned up in heavy coats and scarves, off into one of the corners of the photo you can see a few children (Pioneers), shivering from the cold in the shirt sleeves of their uniforms. They are all trying to attract attention as close to the leaders as possible, seizing this as an occasion that may never occur again in a lifetime. Comrade Adil appears to be focused on the ceremony and the meetings, while Comrade Ramiz, in this photograph too, appears in the role he played for many years and which he was still playing in 1985: the role of a person who never stood out: “Go on ahead Comrade Beqir and you too Comrade Adil, don’t worry about me, it is you the Party is thankful for.” A war veteran wearing the typical cap approaches to shake hands with Comrade Beqir who appears to be miles away, in another world. Physically he is there, but his eyes gaze into the distance. His cheeks and lips sag, his face reflects the alarm and worry. “What ever is going to happen is going to happen, and I can’t stop it. What am I doing here!! At the least people show love for me, they applaud me. Ramiz gives way to me; everyone treats me with fear and respect, so why is Enver so busily digging my grave, where did I go wrong?” Immersed in the applause, and, most likely strains of folk music, everything has a very empty and hollow ring to it, nothing is actually for him. He no longer hears or sees anything.
Two months later, the major upheaval of the Ministry of Defence began. Four months later Beqir Balluku was to be dismissed from all functions and arrested. This marked the opening of the protracted inquiry process which was to endure more than one year. Then came the sentence of the People’s Court and execution, the obliteration of the family, close and removed, and of everything else built during a lifetime.
