MPLIKIMET E SHTETIT SHQIPTAR NË LUFTËN CIVILE NË GREQI 1946-1949
ALBANIA’S IMPLICATIONS IN THE GREEK CIVIL WAR 1946-1949

Summary/Abstract: The historical literature has mentioned Albania as passing, mostly as a possibility for shelter or transit for the Greek partisans during the Greek Civil War. But the documents from the Albanian archives on relations with the Greek Communist Party (Kommounistiko Komma Elladas -KKE) and its army, (Greek Democratic Army -GDA), recently declassified, suggest that Albania’s investment was more than that. Albania was forced to pick up the slack, often finding itself in difficulty or in delicate situations. Starting from 1946 to 1949, Albania was heavily penalized from the UN more than her neighbors for assisting the Greek partisans. It was defined as “a center of aggression against peace and democracy in the Balkans and especially against peace and democracy in Albania.” At the beginning Albanian Communist Party (PKSH) leadership cooperated with Yugoslav Communist Party (PKJ) leadership to support the Greek Communist Party (via Interior ministries) but when the theater of the Greek war moved closer to the Albanian border, and especially after the Cominform Resolution, Tirana’s role in the Greek affairs became more pronounced to the Greek guerrillas: armament and food supply, Domosdova’s hospital for Greek partisans and civil population, movement partisan units via bordering lines, and relations between both leaderships, Albanian and Greek ones. So, Albania’s border was not only opened to wounded Greek partisans and refugees. Once in a while, it also became a site of military maneuvers. One of the most interesting point will be the relations between Albanian and Greek communist leaders, where is included Marco Vafiadhis too, before and after Commintern Resolution. Their relations have been at the meetings in person and through written letters (uncial copies) exchanged among each others. All the main Greek leaders had special passing documents released by Albanian Interior ministry. “In Albania we feel right at home,” noted the Greek leaders. It is against this background that a series of disagreements erupted between the PKSH and the KKE especially in 1949. My paper will shed light on the Albanian-Soviet relations on Greek -Albanian relations during Greek Civil war and little bit after. At last, evidencing the repercussions to Albanian state and Albanian people from the attitude of the ACP leadership, my paper will withdraw some conclusions why Albania undertook this difficult burden to involve in the Greek Civil war. Generally it was a disappointed epilogue for the Albanian - Greek relations and the Albanian people, who thought that was sacrificed for a right cause.

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