Liberation Day (Albanian:Dita e Çlirimit) inAlbania is commemorated as the day, November 29, 1944, in which the country was liberated fromNazi Germany forces by theAlbanian resistance during World War II.[1]
After Italy was defeated by the Allies, Germany occupied Albania in September 1943, dropping paratroopers intoTirana before the Albanian guerrillas could take the capital, and the German army soon drove the guerrillas into the hills and to the south. Berlin subsequently announced it would recognize the independence of a neutral Albania and organized an Albanian government, police, and military. ManyBalli Kombëtar units collaborated with the Germans against the communists, and several Balli Kombëtar leaders held positions in the German-sponsored regime.[2]
The partisans entirely liberated Albania from German occupation on November 29, 1944. TheNational Liberation Army, which in October 1944 consisted of 70,000 regulars, also took part in the war alongside the antifascist coalition. By that time, theRed Army was also entering neighboringYugoslavia, and the German Army was evacuating from Greece into Yugoslavia.[citation needed]
The holiday was first proclaimed in the early 1950s as a day of commemoration. During the era of thePeople's Socialist Republic of Albania, Liberation Day was the main state holiday, celebrated with amilitary parade of theAlbanian People's Army onTirana'sDëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard. The parade usually consisted of active servicemen and veterans of the UPS,schoolchildren from the localTirana school district, the men and women of theVoluntary Forces of Popular Self-Defense, theRepublican Guard Regiment and UPSh personnel from theDirectorate of State Security (Sigurimi), marching with musical accompaniment from theBand of the Albanian People's Army. It was held onjubilee years, including on theruby jubilee in 1984 and thesilver jubilee in 1969.[3][4]
A commemorative coin called"50 Qindarka" was issued by theBank of Albania in honor of the 25th anniversary of the Liberation of Albania.Qemal Stafa Stadium was renovated in time for the 30th anniversary in 1974.
In the 50s and 60s, Albanians at foreign universities such asPeking University andKim Il-sung University have held cross cultural events on the holiday.[5]
Liberation Day comes a day after theAlbanian Flag Day or Independence Day commemorating theAlbanian Declaration of Independence and the rise of theAlbanian flag inVlora on November 28, 1912. As a result, the celebrations are connected. The entire two day period is a non-working day.[6] Today, the holiday is celebrated with a national ceremony of some sort including theAlbanian Armed Forces. A wreath laying ceremony takes place in theNational Martyrs' Cemetery of Albania, where 900 war dead are buried.[7] These events are held in the presence of thePresident of Albania, thePrime Minister, theChairman of the Parliament, theMinister of Defense, theChief of the Albanian General Staff and MPs of theKuvendi.[8][9] In 2014, a military parade took place at theMinistry of Defense during theplatinum jubilee of the Liberation of Albania, which included anexhibition drill and a mass inspection.[10]
During the celebrations, war veterans often march in processions or sit at ceremonies while either carrying portraits of formerCommunist dictatorEnver Hoxha or performing the Hoxhaist Salute.[11] At the 70th anniversary of the liberation of Tirana in 2014, Prime MinisterEdi Rama ordered that veterans carrying Hoxha's portrait be asked to leave, and the US Ambassador later stated that the display had "stained" the ceremony and "offended the people of Albania".[12]
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