Warren Miller: Albania a country of cultural pluralism

Warren Miller, Chairman of the Commission for the Protection of American Heritage Outside the Country says that with the protection that Albania extended to the Jews during WWII, Albania showed that it is a country that embraces cultural pluralism. In an interview he had with VoA, Mr. Miller said that the world has a great deal to learn from the Albanian tradition of treating a neighbour like a brother. Americans are really impressed on learning that almost no Jews at all were handed over to the Germans during WWII. Here in Washington, those politicians or other personalities who know this interesting fact, all consider this a very noble and dignified act. One of these officials is Warren Miller, who chairs the Commission for the Protection of American Heritage outside the country. “Albania has a very long laic history of cultural and religious tolerance. I think this had a major bearing on the fact that the Albanians wanted to protect the Jewish and other citizens who ended up in Albania, seeking refuge,” Mr. Miller says, a lawyer in Washington and the voluntary Chair of the above Commission. His family, of Jewish origin, did not experience a single member persecuted or annihilated by the Nazis. Mr. Miller says that he does this work because he feels so much sorry for those Jews wiped out concentration camps of WWII. He says he is quite intrigued by a fact that is linked with the Albanians. In Albania, there exists a special Code that is known as “Besa”. I believe this is something truly historical, in other words the way they defended these Jews who sought refuge. No one else in Europe rose to these heights that the Albanians did in this sense. The Danes also did a great deal and showed huge heroism to save the majority of their Jews, there were other isolated cases, but nothing near what Albania did for the Jews. It deserves every praise and gratitude.
(Courtesy of VOA)