Albania Awards to Enver Hoxha

[Belaruski]

Hi!

I was reading Eric's book and I was thinking that Comrade Enver Hoxha must have been entitled to, or fulfilled the criteria for quite a few if not most of the Orders and Medals, as well as possibly the hero titles.

Does anyone actually know which, if any, awards he actually received?

[Eric Schena]

Hi Belaruski:

I am not 100% sure of the awards Hoxha received - the list may be published somewhere, but I have not yet seen it. That said, I do know he received the Title of "Hero i Popullit" twice, and also received the Bulgarian Order of 9 September 1944 first class with swords (the neck badge version, too!).

Cheers,

Eric

[Belaruski]

Thanks Eric!

I've read a fair amount about Hoxha, but it's difficult to find out which awards he had.

As I said, reading the criteria, he could claim almost all Albanian awards. But he seems to have been relatively modest in that in photos he isn't bedecked in ribbons or medals. On the cover of his 'with Stalin' memoir he appears to have 8 or 9 ribbons. But as you say some may be foreign awards.

Not even google seems to know!

Edited January 22, 2007 by Belaruski

[albania]

hi everybody! Lets see about enver hoxha. I know he was entitled twice hero of peple and twice hero of socialist labor. I have seen him wearing the order of scanderbeg the first version first page in Erics Book. seen photos of him wearing medal of liberation and understandably all medals given to those who participated in antifacist war WWII. I wish had more time and skills to show photos of enver hoxha Wearing medals. I have one album for sale that has most of him wearing military uniforms. but not many left. But my biggest concern is where are his medals and nobody knows it. I had a meeting with his successor Ramiz Alia early in semptember 06 but at that time I was too stupid to understand what important role do awards play in the history of a country.

[Belaruski]

Thanks for the information, and you met Ramiz Alia!

Wow! What is he doing now?

[Zaim Qyteza]

Thanks Eric!

I've read a fair amount about Hoxha, but it's difficult to find out which awards he had.

As I said, reading the criteria, he could claim almost all Albanian awards. But he seems to have been relatively modest in that in photos he isn't bedecked in ribbons or medals. On the cover of his 'with Stalin' memoir he appears to have 8 or 9 ribbons. But as you say some may be foreign awards.

Not even google seems to know!

Hi Belaruski,

This is a photo of Comrade Enver Hoxha in kolonel-general uniform, model M-47 in 1948.

Artan.

[Anatoly13]

Good picture,thx!

[bolgarin]

Excelent picture. Bulgarian 9 september on neck ribbon...... :cheers:

[Belaruski]

Nice picture Artan, I have come accoss a picture of him wearing a single Partisan Star Order recently.

I wouldn't be surprised if he had loads of awards, and chose not to wear them. Just the odd one depending on the occasion. With the obvious exception above!

[Eric Schena]

That is a fantastic photo. Notice he is also wearing the Yugoslav Order of the People's Hero around his neck below the Bulgarian 9 Sept 44 1st class with swords. Great stuff! Thanks for sharing.

[Anatoly13]

Eric,there is 1-st type of albanian People's Hero between bulgarian order and yugoslavian Hero.

[Zaim Qyteza]

Eric,there is 1-st type of albanian People's Hero between bulgarian order and yugoslavian Hero.

Hello gentlemans,

1945-1949, First type: Urdhri HERO KOMBETAR (National Hero Order),

1949-1954, Second type: Urdhri HERO I POPULLIT (Peoples Hero Order),

1954-1990, Star: Titulli HERO I POPULLIT (Peoples Hero Title)

regards,

Artan

[Bob]

Hello gentlemans,

1945-1949, First type: Urdhri HERO KOMBETAR (National Hero Order),

1949-1954, Second type: Urdhri HERO I POPULLIT (Peoples Hero Order),

1954-1990, Star: Titulli HERO I POPULLIT (Peoples Hero Title)

regards,

Artan

Hello Artan - could you show a scan of the real deal (front + reverse) please? I understand you may want to save it for the book. We will appreciate it either way :cheers:

[Eric Schena]

Hello gentlemans,

1945-1949, First type: Urdhri HERO KOMBETAR (National Hero Order),

1949-1954, Second type: Urdhri HERO I POPULLIT (Peoples Hero Order),

1954-1990, Star: Titulli HERO I POPULLIT (Peoples Hero Title)

regards,

Artan

Those are fabulous photos! I have seen a picture of the first type and it's illustrated in my book, which came from someone I know from Berlin who went to the Hungarian War Museum. I have never seen them in wear nor knew that there was an intermediate form. This is why sharing this information is important - we're finally documenting and studying these wonderful rarities and placing them in proper context :jumping:

[Bob]

I'm heading eastwards in a few weeks and have flexibility to drive around. I've seen a type 1 in Tirana (nice to hold it in my hands )

Besides that one (in a collectors hands) there apparently is also one in the State Library if I'm not mistaken.

So, the other ones:

- Hungarian War Museum - a www link?

- wasn't there also one in Vienna?

- others?

[Eric Schena]

- Hungarian War Museum - a www link?

I don't have a link. My friend in Berlin saw it when he was there in the 1970s and took a photo of it (it's the one I used in my book for the type 1)

[Zaim Qyteza]

Hello Artan - could you show a scan of the real deal (front + reverse) please? I understand you may want to save it for the book. We will appreciate it either way

Hi Bob and Eric,

I understand what is for a collector the desire to se a rarity. In Albania exist only two pieces of them. One of them is mine. Gold 22 kt, 75 gr. Obv. and rev. are identique.

Regards,

Artan

[Eric Schena]

Oh, and I forgot...

The first photo of Hoxha with his dress uniform, I was actually making reference to the last of his three neck badges. So in summation: he is wearing (from top to bottom): Bulgarian Order of 9 September 1944 1st class with swords, Albanian National Hero (the first type), and below that the Yugoslav Order of the National Hero.

Artan, thank you for posting these photos - they are superb and have helped me gain a better understanding and appreciation for Albania's decorations!

[Zaim Qyteza]

Oh, and I forgot...

The first photo of Hoxha with his dress uniform, I was actually making reference to the last of his three neck badges. So in summation: he is wearing (from top to bottom): Bulgarian Order of 9 September 1944 1st class with swords, Albanian National Hero (the first type), and below that the Yugoslav Order of the National Hero.

Artan, thank you for posting these photos - they are superb and have helped me gain a better understanding and appreciation for Albania's decorations!

[Anatoly13]

Hi Bob and Eric,

I understand what is for a collector the desire to se a rarity. In Albania exist only two pieces of them. One of them is mine. Gold 22 kt, 75 gr. Obv. and rev. are identique.

Regards,

Artan

Pictures not seen

I want to see,please!

[Zaim Qyteza]

Pictures not seen

I want to see,please!

Dear Anatoly13,

Here attached the obverse = reverse of the Order of the National Hero of my collection.

Regards,

Artan

[Anatoly13]

Thank You,Artan!

Nice order!

Is your order type 2?

If yes ,can you post picture of upper part?

[Bob]

Hi Belaruski:

I am not 100% sure of the awards Hoxha received - the list may be published somewhere, but I have not yet seen it. That said, I do know he received the Title of "Hero i Popullit" twice, and also received the Bulgarian Order of 9 September 1944 first class with swords (the neck badge version, too!).

Cheers,

Eric

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?profile=1&id=23324654747#!/photo.php?pid=1316178&id=23324654747

Guess: would that be what we see here? Are these old versions of the Hero?

[Eric Schena]

Hi Bob:

That certainly looks to be the case here: the Bulgarian order around his neck and the two old style hero decorations.

As a side note, I am very amused Hoxha has a Facebook page :whistle:

[Zaim Qyteza]

Hi Bob:

That certainly looks to be the case here: the Bulgarian order around his neck and the two old style hero decorations.

As a side note, I am very amused Hoxha has a Facebook page

Hi to all,

Yes, Comrade Enver was twice “Hero of the People” (one for his leadership during the WW2 and the second for his struggle to defend the Socialism) and one “Hero of the Socialist Labor” (for his role to construct the Socialism).

Regards,

Artan