On August 10 every year, we commemorate the loss of Havzi Nela’s life — the poet, teacher, and dissident — who on August 10, 1988, was hanged by decree of the Presidium of the People's Assembly, led by Ramiz Alia, the last leader of the communist regime, in the center of the city of Kukës.
"Until when do I endure, until when do I hope?"
*No, no, don’t tell me these words — I don’t want them.*
*Endurance and hope must not die.*
*“If there is life and death, they both deserve.”*
*You don’t deserve anything when you remain a gravestone.*
*So I sit and wonder whether to put an end to life.*
*Let the enemy be pleased, let the fool laugh!*
*Freedom calls me, death does not shake me.*
*O Freedom, O Death,*
Havzi Nela, 1987
“Albania in 1988, on the eve of the fall of communism, was still a black spot on the map of the continent—a stain of shame and crime on a global scale.. The poet Havzi Nela is a bell that still rings for Albanian society. To ignore this bell means to continue trampling on the freedom of Albania.” writes Ismail Kadare during the commemorative ceremony of the poet’s birth anniversary (2009).
The tragic story of the dissident teacher, who was kept under constant pressure and surveillance by the authorities, took a fatal turn on the night of April 26, 1967, when he fled with his family to former Yugoslavia together with his wife.
A few days later, on May 6, 1967, the Yugoslavs returned Havzi and his wife Lavdie at the Morina border crossing, in exchange for Albanian patriots from Kosovo whom Enver Hoxha’s communist government handed over to the Yugoslav secret police, the UDB.
On May 22, 1967, the poet was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for crossing into Kosovo. All his property was confiscated. His wife was sentenced to ten years in prison, according to data from Formular File No. 5925.
On August 8, 1975, he was given an additional eight years in prison. On December 19, 1986, he was allowed to leave prison, but only for a short time. Less than a year later, on October 12, 1987, he was arrested again and sent into internal exile in the village of ArrënOn June 24, 1988, the Supreme Court of Albania decided that Havzi Nela would be sentenced to death by hanging. The final approval of the death sentence by the members of the Presidium of the Assembly led to the execution of Havzi Nela.
Text: Migena Demirxhiu,
Supporting documents from the AIDSSH archive, Formular File No. 5925.
