Haxhi Lleshi

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Haxhi Lleshi
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Minister of Internal Affairs of Albania
In office
22 October 1944 – 23 March 1946
Succeeded by Koçi Xoxe
Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly
In office
1 August 1953 – 22 November 1982
Preceded by Omer Nishani
Succeeded by Ramiz Alia
Personal details
Born 19 October 1913
Dibër County, Independent Albania
Died 1 January 1998 (aged 84)
Tirana, Albania
Political party Party of Labour of Albania

Haxhi Lleshi (October 19, 1913 – January 1, 1998) was an Albanian military leader and communist politician.

As part of the anti-Zogist movement, Lleshi's family fled to Kingdom of Yugoslavia where they settled in Debar, and later in Banjishte near Debar.[1]
With the Italian invasion of Albania, Lleshi and his émigré friend Myslim Peza were sent to Albania. Lleshi received financial aid from the Yugoslavs, part of which went to sponsor the scattered anti-Italian activities in Albania, mostly notorious was the guerrilla unit known as "Çeta of Peza" (Albanian: Çeta e Pezës).[2][3]
At the eve of the German invasion of Yugoslavia, several paramilitary units (mostly Albanians) backed by the Yugoslav army crossed the border and attacked the Italian positions, badly organized and prepared, in two directions: near Shkodër and near Pogradec (Qafë Thanë). Haxhi Lleshi in lead of 200 men together with his uncle Aqif Lleshi in lead of 100 men, both reporting to colonel Gojko Jovanović, crossed the border and positioned from Ostren i Vogël to Bllatë.[3] The fast advancement of the Nazi army caused the Yugoslav insurgency to fail; the units retrieved to Yugoslavia where Lleshi was involved and fought alongside the Yugoslav army in the failed short attempt of stopping the Germans from entering Debar.[3][1]
Lleshi was one of the top commanders in Albania's fight against the Italians and Germans during World War II and is still considered by some to be a hero in Albania for his actions during the war. When a Communist-dominated government was set up in Albania in 1944, Lleshi became interior minister and served in that position from 1944 to 1946. His name was mentioned in a CIA report of 1952 as an Yugoslavian informant, together with Myslym Peza.[4]

On August 1, 1953, Lleshi became chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania, a post equivalent to that of president. He was nominally the third most powerful man in Albania, behind general secretary Enver Hoxha and prime minister Mehmet Shehu. During Lleshi's time in power, Albania became known as one of the most independent communist nations, as it feuded with the Soviet Union, became an ally of the People's Republic of China,[5] and then feuded with China in the 1970s.

Lleshi retired from his position as chairman of the Presidium on November 22, 1982, after nearly 30 years in office, when Hoxha reshuffled the government. Hoxha died three years later, and during the early 1990s, the communist regime fell, but Lleshi continued to live in Albania. In 1998, he died from natural causes.

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  2. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 Katriot Myftaraj, E vërteta historike e Konferencës së Pezës (The historical truth of the Conference of Peza), 2007 (in Albanian)
  4. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  5. ↑ Albanian Communist Leaders mourning
Political offices
Preceded by Chairman of the Presidium of the People's Assembly of Albania
1 August 1953–22 November 1982		 Succeeded by
Ramiz Alia
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