Zaim Qyteza

Dave,

They are not gendarmes, but policeman.

The Gendarmerie was part of Army and, as such, it held the Scanderbeg helmet on their hat.

The police force held the eagle on their hat.

Regards,

Zaim

The ones in these pictures are not Albanians from Albania but Albanians from Kosovo. In general, the population of Kosovo was deeply anti-communist, as it linked communism with Bs and Serbs.
The Germans exploited much of this fear of the Kosovars from the Communists, to use them by mobilizing many under them, though without any real combat effectiveness.
For these reasons, the persons depicted in these photos have little to do with the Albanian Army at the time. Among them, there is only one uniformed person, since in Kosovo there was a civilian and military administration formally subordinate to the Government of Tirana.

Zaim

5 hours ago, puma77 said:

Don't recognise these dark uniforms, look like Italian dyed dark.

Local village home guard unit ?

The militias seen in this photo are not Albanian Army personnel, but municipal police in a comune of Kosovo.

Zaim

Hi to all,

As Puma77 requested, I brought some pictures from Albanian Army, model 1943, during German occupation.

Tirana, october 1943. Military oath ceremony.

September, 1943. Albanian officer with Italian model hat and badge of German period.

Mixed patrol in Tirana streets, 2 Albanian gendarmes and two German feldgendarmerie.

Albanian officer with Italian model hat and badge of German period.

Hat badge model 1943, Italian production stamped aluminum and local production melted bronze.

Tiranë, November 1943. Headquarters of the Albanian Army and Gendarmerie, in a meeting organized in the Royal Palace (today the Palace of Brigades).

1. Major Muharrem Liku.

2. Colonel Sami Koka, Commander of the Gendarmerie Department and later Commander-in-Chief of the Border Guard.

3. L/Col Faik Quku, Senior Gendarmerie Officer.

4. General Preng Pervizi, National Defense Commander.

5. General Gustav von Myrdacz, Chief of Staff of the Albanian Army.

6. Colonel Baron von Kirchner, Inspector General of the Albanian Army.

7. L/Col Hysni Dema, Commander-in-Chief of the Gendarmerie.

Regards,

Zaim

4 hours ago, puma77 said:

Are there any photos of General Pervizi when he defected to the British accompanied with a sizeable group of Albanian army soldiers ?

Would be interested in any photos showing the Albanian army in their Italian uniforms and reintroduced Albanian rank insignia.

The seated officer in the second photo wearing Italian uniforms and Albanian shoulder boards is General Pervizi.

Dear Puma77,

Since you requested, I opened a new topic dedicated to ALBANIAN ARMY DURING GERMAN PERIOD.

Regards,

Zaim

Thank you Mr. 922F, for the detailed and rare information, about this "mysterious" medal.

Regards,

Zaim

The gold class is gilded silver, but exist rare exemplars in solid gold.

Regards,

Zaim

7 hours ago, Lukasz Gaszewski said:

I have an extra question: the first medal is worn on a red ribbon with black edges, while that of the other medal is plain red. Does anybody know if these are the correct ribbons for both classes?

The official ribbon of Courage medal, is full red for the three classes, but for convenience or fantasy exist exemplar with different combinations of black and red.

The Trim class of the order of Courage is the same with the gold medal of Courage, but with a green ribbon.

Regards,

Zaim

Dear all, 

The Albanian officer on the second photo, is general Prenk Pervizi at that time commandant of the Albanian Army. Albania at that moment was theoretically "neutral state" with an own government and army. General Pervizi receive the rank of general during the Italian period, in 1940. Incognito hi was in contact with the British missions to find an personal solution for the post war period. 

After the war hi was sentenced to death by the communist government, but he escape first in the mountains and after that on Italy.

During the German period, the Albanian army return to the king Zog period uniforms.

Regards,

Zaim

HI to all,

I think the price 585 E (~650 USD) is out of the logic.

This is one from my collection.

Regards,

Zaim

On 23/12/2019 at 06:40, xjames said:

Hi all,

Does anyone here have or know where i can find Major General Army shoulder board epaulets for 1960s uniforms?

Please let me know if so. Much appreciated

Thank you

Hi Xjames,

The major part of the attributes of the albanian uniform M.61 came from USSR. This also goes for the shoulder board. So if you find a soviet general epaulet, you have the same an albanian general.

Regards,

Zaim

Hello to all,

I found this jacket here in Albania some time ago. Can any of you identify it and the matching type of buttons that go with it.

Regards,

Zaim

Hello Dave and Bayern,

I am happy for the information that I'm getting from you and the help I can give back. I am posting here a couple of pictures from my archive regarding the albanians on the French army. I require your help to define their uniform.

I would also appreciate if you could offer information over this topic.

Regards,

Zaim

On 17/06/2006 at 14:04, Bob said:

Known medals:

- medal for 10th anniversary

- medal for 40th anniversary

So logically you'd expect a 20th and 30th as well...

Anybody with pics - go ahead!

Hi Bob,

Does not exist a medal for 40-anniversary, or for any other anniversary post 10-anniversary.

Regards,

Zaim

Hi Redcross,

There doesn't exist an albanian red cross medal.

Only badges exist for the Albanian Red Cross.

Regards,

Zaim

Hi to all,

For your pleasure, attach here my ceremonial belts model M.1927, M.1936, M.1939.

Regards,

To help Mr. 922F, I brought here 2 pictures of a cased weding medal of Leka II.

Regards,

Artan

Dear all,

This is the assemblage of a parade uniform Model 1952 of an Albanian officer.  This jackets come from USSR in 1952 to serve as parade jackets, but with some changes. 

Regards,

His complete medalier was:

1. Order Hero of the People

2. Title Hero of the People

3. Title Hero of the Socialist Labor

4. Order of the Freedom

5. Order of the Partisan Star

6. Order of Scanderbeg

7. Order of the Flag

8. Order of the Bravery

9. Order 40 Anniversary of the PLA

10. Medal of Remembrance

11. Medal of Bravery

12. Medal of the Liberation

13. Order  of the Peoples of Yugoslavia, YU

14. Order of the Partisan Star, YU

15. Order of 9 September 1944, BG

16. Order of People's Freedom, BG

17. Order of Suvorov, USSR

This is the exact translation of the phrase of the Law.

A.

Hi to all,

As per Law 10.01.1928, the Order of Bravery (Urdheri i Trimerise) has 3 clases and the Medal of Bravery in 3 clases.

Order: Hero, Theror, Trim.

Medal: Gold, Silver, Bronze.

I the same law is specified:

-HERO, lst class, neck badge & star

-THEROR, 2nd class, neck badge

-TRIM, 3rd class, medal, 5 cm over the the belt.

The neck badge and the Trim class have a green ribbon and the three classes of medal have a red ribbon.

I think that the Rumbullaku has some wrong informations, including the image of Trim class that is a fantasy design. 

An attached, image of the original article of law, with the denomination of the different classes of the order.

Thank you.

Artan

Hi All,

Another super rare case of the Albanian Order of the Black Eagle "in action" !!!

Aqif pasha Bicaku of Elbasani, in 1916 with the grand officer star and badge of the Order.

More over, besides the Order, he also has the Medal of Princes Arrival in Durres.

Regards,

Artan

Hi, Bob, congratulations for your finds. 

To complete your albanian pieces, I am showing you my pieces.

Regards, Artan

Those are the GLA distinctives with letters in Italian and Albanian, each of them in two types of clips.

Those are the distinctives of the Albanian Fascist Party.

This is the badge of the PFSH.

Those ate 4 different types of the arm badge of the Albanian Fascist Militia.

1. In felt.

2. In stamped silvered thick tin.

3. In bachelite.

4. In stamped thin tin.

Chip, Bayern,

Thanks for your contribute.

Here is the belt and the sword know of Heaton-Armstrong, who were gifted to the National Museum of Tirana from his daughter. As you know he was a Price Wied officer. You can see that his sword knot has black and red colors. So, do you think the Heaton-Armstrong used an Wurttembergian sword knot, or was it made red and black specifically for Albania?

Regards,

Artan

Hi to all,

I find this sword knot. Can any one help me, if it is german, for what regiment? 

Regards,

Artan

Dear all,

This is the Partisan Star III class, first type (Mondvor).

A.

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