Hysen Hoxha
Efendi Hysen Hoxha (1861-1934, also known as Baba Çeni) was an Albanian nationalist and the uncle of Enver Hoxha.
Life
Hysen Hoxha was born in Gjirokastër. His father Beqir was involved in the Gjirokastër section of the League of Prizren. Hysen Hoxha was responsible for opening the first Albanian-language school in his region (named "Liria") and at the time of Enver Hoxha's birth in 1908 chaired a committee of national renaissance in the province. He also served as President of the "Bashkimi" and "Pleqërisë" societies, along with founding a folk ensemble called "Drita". In 1912 he served as a delegate from Gjirokastër to the Vlorë meeting which proclaimed the Albanian Declaration of Independence. He also opposed the Greek invasion of southern Albania in the 1913-1914 period.
His impact on the early life of Enver Hoxha was felt due to Enver's father, a Bektashi cloth merchant, having been overseas in the United States of America for economic reasons. As an atheist he played a role in fostering Enver's own atheistic views at an early age.
References
- Enver Hoxha. Vitë të vegjëlisë. Tirana: 8 Nëntori. 1983.
- Enver Hoxha: 1908-1985. Tirana: Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies at the Central Committee of the Party of Labour of Albania. 1986. p. 17.
- Elez Biberaj. Albania: A Socialist Maverick. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. 1990. p. 16.
- Pero Zlatar. Albanija u eri Envera Hoxhe Vol. II. Zagreb: Grafički zavod Hrvatske. 1984. pp. 23-26.
- Studime historike Vol. 40, No. 23. Akademia e Shkencave, Instituti i Historisë. 1986. p. 163.