Albanian Fascist Party

The Albanian Fascist Party (Albanian Partia Fascist Shqipërisë -- PFSh) was a fascist movement which held nominal power in Albania from 1939, when the country was conquered by Italy, until 1943, when Italy capitulated to the Allies. Afterward, Albania fell under German occupation, and the PFSh was replaced by the Albanian Nazi Party.

Related Topics:
Fascist - Albania - 1939 - Italy - 1943 - Capitulated - Allies - German - Albanian Nazi Party

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The PFSh was a puppet movement of the Italian Fasci di Combattimenti, with Benito Mussolini and organized along the same lines and principles, with their own paramilitary Black Shirts. It was never a mass movement, with membership reported at 13,500 in May 1940; however, during the PFSh's time in power, it did realize the vision of Greater Albania, expanding the borders of Albania into modern-day Epirus and Kosovo; it also engaged in some anti-semitism, with Albanian Jews forbidden from joining the party, and therefore excluded from some professions such as education; future communist leader Enver Hoxha also lost his job as a teacher for refusing to join the PFSh.

Related Topics:
Puppet movement - Fasci di Combattimenti - Benito Mussolini - Black Shirts - Greater Albania - Epirus - Kosovo - Anti-semitism - Jews - Education - Communist - Enver Hoxha

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The party was founded by Tefik Mborja, an Albanian collaborator and friend to Italy's foreign minister, Count Ciano. In early 1943, Maliq Bej Bushati, an anti-monarchist nationalist, reorganized the PFSh as the Guard of Great Albania and worked to distance Albania from Italy, striking fascist symbols from the flag and asserting Albanian autonomy in many spheres. However, the Italian surrender led to the country's occupation by Nazi Germany and changed the political situation in the country.

Related Topics:
Tefik Mborja - Collaborator - Foreign minister - Count Ciano - 1943 - Maliq Bej Bushati - Monarchist

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Upon the German takeover, SD leader Ernst Kaltenbrunner reorganized the Guard of Great Albania into the Albanian Nazi Party, which had formal control of Albania. German control over Albania was looser than in other territories; the Albanian Nazi government did not expand systematic persecution of Jews to deportation or killings. Albanian volunteers did, however, form an SS division, the 21 Waffen Gebirgs Division der SS "Skanderbeg" (Albanische Nr 1).

Related Topics:
SD - Ernst Kaltenbrunner - SS - 21 Waffen Gebirgs Division der SS "Skanderbeg" (Albanische Nr 1)

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After the fall of the Third Reich, Albania descended into civil war; some members of the Albanian Nazi Party fought against the communists both in Albania and in Kosovo, with the last of these reported to have ceased fighting in 1951.

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Ministers Secretaries of the Partia Fascist Shqipërisë

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• 1939-1941 - Tefik Mborja
• 1941-1943 - Jup Kazazi
• 1943 - Kol Bib Mirakaj

Ministers Secretaries of the Guard of Great Albania

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• 1943 - Maliq Bej Bushati
• 1943 - Eqrem Bej Libohova
 
Albanian Fascist Party: See also ►