Albania Hero of the People / Hero of Socialist Labor

[Ed_Haynes]

[Bob]

And for some detailed scans of the star:

- weight total 18.8 gr

- weight star only (i.e. excluding suspension) 14.5 gr

- width ribbon: 19.93mm

- height (excl connector) 14.46

- startip to startip 29.82 mm

- top of hammer to bottom 10.05 mm

- thickness at tip of star: 2.03 mm

[Belaruski]

Very, very nice.

great to get something like that in the post! Have you asked Elvis to translate for you?

[Bob]

Yep - I'm very, very curious as to whether it's a "generic" inscription or something more specific to the recipient.

To be honest, every time I get something in the mail... small or large... I am just relieved it's arrived safely!

[Bob]

Got the translation in (thanks Elvis!) - it's not a generic description at all... it's very specific... in fact, so specific that if you'd read it without knowing it's Albanian you'd think it would be for a Mongolian award

Here it goes:

?Has continously been distinguished in careful labour and high spirit of sacrifice taking care of the flock of goats entrusted with. 10 years in a row has over passed the fertility, and milk production per goat. Through his hard labor has become an example of inspiration and mobilization for all the flock raising labors all over the region.?

Classic "Hero of Socialist Labor" in my eyes

[Ed_Haynes]

I was envious enough already, Bob, but you have just made it MUCH worse . . .

[Bob]

Doesn't it make you wish that each country in the world had a "Hero of (Socialist) Labour" award with corresponding gold star. I can picture it back home in the Netherlands: "awarded for tending to his windmill for 20 years with great devotion etc. etc."

There's definately some "best practices" that we should consider copying from the former socialist countries!

[Ed_Haynes]

Absolutely! We (all) need to rememeber that the awards that really matter are those awarded to those who do the most important tasks for the nation. Often (usually?) these are NOT the people in uniform. (Despite the forum's title.)

[Belaruski]

Absolutely!

I work 12 hours a day (or night) in a hospital, and we rarely even get our breaks, whilst overtime was cancelled 4 years ago. I think we have a lot to learn from (the best elements) of the former socialist nations.

[Bob]

Just in, another cased hero star. No documents unfortunately

However, from reliable source it is attributed to a senior member of Hoxha's government who was purged (polite way of putting it). Awarded for certain activities in WWII. More details offline for those with a special interest in Albanian awards.

The case is identical to the one shown before. Dimensions are roughly similar to the previous one but let me make a correction: max widtch star tip to star tip is not 17.4 but 27.4 mm. It is also a bit thicker.

No weight, battery ran out.

[Ed_Haynes]

, of course, !!

[Bob]

Back from a week's break in Albania... have some interesting things to share on the forum in coming days

Let's start with... the award document to an Albanian Hero Star! Not in my possession (this one stays in Albania) but at least we now know what one looks like. Will ask our Albanian forum friend to translate.

Also, this isn't just "any hero" as Elvis will hopefully be able to clarify.

A rather plain looking folder but with a very nice personalized document inside.

[Bob]

[Bob]

[Bob]

[Bob]

In the National Historical Museum in Tirana there's a "wall" of hero's of the people. Photographs / names of all. In total 77 (of which 12 female) which is probably less than the total number of awardees as some hero's were later branded "enemies of the state" and didn't make it to the place in the museum anymore...

Elsewhere in the forum Elvis has posted his list of all hero awardees. Substantially more!

[Bob]

Interesting (!!!!) addition to my documented Hero of Labor star... ANOTHER document (and thus award) for Hoxhollit!

Will be requesting translation from our Albanian forum friend but I can already hint at the fact that below Order for Distinguished Labor in Agriculture 3rd class was in fact also awarded for his skill in raising goats. Amazing, based on goats alone Hoxhollit progressed nicely through the award tree. Was lucky to get this doc in Tirana and expand the group, who knows of course what else he has been awarded.

[Bob]

The War Museum in Vlore (on the coast) had a small WWII section incl. on one of the Hero's of the People

[Bob]

[Bob]

A lot of the hero's of the people are buried at the martyr's cemetary (pic elsewhere on forum). For the rest, in the bigger towns there's frequently a small memorial with a few graves of heroes.

[Bob]

More pictures in various threads to follow in coming days.

Most impressive was actually to visit a private collector in Tirana... THE collector that is. Aside from antique furntiture, old swords / weapons, various unique artifacts related to the Albanian state and several dozen uniforms (some including awards... such as the rare remembrance medal!) he had a tremendous collection of awards... both precommunist (zog / wied era) and communits.

Most interesting (aside from a few "never seen before" communist items / prototype medals) was actually holding in my hand the massive (big / heavy) type 1 hero award (gold medaillon similar to Yugoslavian hero). Now I know at least 1 is in a private collection! And it also turns out there's 2 types:

- 1 on a neck ribbon

- 1 with more regular suspension (cloth) to be pinned to jacket

[Eric Schena]

Ok, keep killing me, Bob, with these GREAT finds! Please post more photos!

That Hero doc is AMAZING, especially since it was awarded to Haxhi Lleshi! I know who he was, but let's see if anyone else knows. Hint: his sig appears on a number of Albanian documents...

[Bob]

http://gmic.co.uk/uploads/monthly_10_2008/post-679-1222967091.jpgAs an encore, here's the beautiful front of the museum in Tirana.

Edited October 2, 2008 by Bob

[Bob]

Translation of the second Hoxhollit document: "He is a hard (untiresome) worker. Has had high results in milk production. He is an example for others."

Thanks Elvis!

[albania]

This person held de jure according to constituion the highest position in the Socialist Albanian Hierarchy. De facto we know very well who held that position. Haxhi Lleshi was the President of the Presidium of People Assembly of Albania during communism time

here is his cv

Haxhi Lleshi (October 19, 1913?January 1, 1998) was an Albanian military leader and communist politician.

Lleshi was one of the top commanders in Albania's fight against the Italians and Germans during World War II and is still considered by some to be a hero in Albania for his actions during the war. When a communist anti-fascist government was set up in Albania in 1944, Lleshi became interior minister and served in that position from 1944 to 1946.

On August 1, 1953, Lleshi became chairman of the Presidum of the People's Assembly of Albania. He was also sometimes referred to as the Speaker of Parliament, President or Head of State of Albania. He was nominally one of the three most powerful people in Albania's communist regime, along with general secretary Enver Hoxha and prime minister Mehmet Shehu. During Lleshi's time in power, Albania became known as one of the most independent communist nations, as it feuded with the Soviet Union, became an ally of China and then feuded with China in the 1970s.

Lleshi retired from his position as chairman of the Presidium on November 22, 1982, after nearly 30 years in office, when Hoxha reshuffled the government. Hoxha died 3 years later, and during the early 1990s, the communist regime fell, but Lleshi continued to live in Albania. In 1998, he passed away from natural causes.

This is the translation of the document Hero of People given to him

"Peoples Republic of Albania"

Presidium of Peoples Assembly of Albania"

AWARDS

Comrade Haxhi Lleshi

on the 50th anniversary of his birthday

TITLE HERO OF PEOPLE

WITH THIS MOTIVATION

(ITS A LONG LIST ARE YOU GUYS READY?)

"For active participation in the national liberation movement, fighting with bravery and perseverance as a distinguished leader of Albanian National Liberation units against the fascist occupants and enemies of our Party and our people, for liberation and independence of our fatherland, for the high contribution given in building socialism and strengthening of peoples power, for unlimited fidelity to the high interests of the people, our land and party, towards the prevailing lessons of Marxism Leninism and proletarian internationalism, for his principal battle against imperialism and its tools,opportunists and modern revisionists."