See all Posts in the Wanderlust – A Travel Blog Series
(Adapted from “Extraordinary Popular Delusions of Our Times,” by Daniel Martin)
Albania? Who would ever go there? Honestly, who could even find it on a map?
But the Republic of Albania is as beautiful as any other European country, not that far off the beaten path, resource-rich and not touristy. It is situated on the Adriatic Sea in southeastern Europe (bordering Greece).
Albania was occupied by Italy before World War II and later by Nazi Germany. After World War II, Albania became a one-party communist state (the People’s Socialist Republic of Albania), dominated by dictator Enver Hoxha for four decades until he died in 1985.
Albania became known as the “Hermit Kingdom” under Hoxha’s rule. His delusions and paranoia led to ruthless control of a society that saw threats everywhere. Hoxha was deeply afraid of an invasion by the Soviet Union, NATO, the United States, Yugoslavia, Greece and others. For many years, no one was allowed to leave the country. Many risked their lives to escape.
Albania became a police state, where you either spied on your friends, family and neighbors or were spied upon (or both).
Hoxha waged a decades-long campaign of repression against Christian and Muslim believers. Clerics were jailed and even executed. Hoxha proclaimed Albania the world’s first atheist state in 1967. The secular realm was not much better, as Hoxha routinely and ruthlessly purged and killed many of his colleagues whom he feared might threaten his hold on the reins of power.
The most striking symbol of Hoxha’s paranoia and delusion still exists today. The regime created a network of over 750,000 concrete and steel defensive bunkers (in a country roughly the size of Maryland). That is nearly 15 bunkers for every square mile, not just on the borders but throughout the country. This project was a massive drain on the Albanian economy.
In the event of an outside attack, Albanian reservists were expected to take to the bunkers and defend their homeland. Their training was poor, fuel was scarce, equipment was poor quality, and antiquated rifles were issued without ammunition.
Extraordinary delusion would have been required to conclude that bunkers full of unarmed civilians without means of communication or resupply would be useful in defense.
Many of these bunkers have since been torn down and sold for scrap, but thousands still exist scattered throughout the country. Some larger bunkers have been repurposed as shelters, storehouses, or even restaurants and cafés. Smaller ones gather dust, graffiti and tourists.
The communist regime in Albania collapsed in the early 1990s, leading to economic and social unrest. This resulted in an Albanian diaspora estimated at more than 800,000 people (out of a population of 2.8 million). Albanians joke that there are more Albanians outside the country than inside.
Albania is just beginning to recover from 50 years of isolation and repression. Today, Albania is a parliamentary constitutional republic rich in natural resources. They became a full member of NATO in 2009 and have applied to join the European Union.
Freed of Hoxa’s delusion, Albania can look forward to significant economic growth, enhanced access to regional and global markets, and, yes, even tourism.
Break out your maps on your next trip to Europe, and plan to spend a few days off the beaten path. You will be glad you did.
(Dan Keyport is a CCLN board member and former Chaska business owner, now retired. His home base for international travel has been Chaska for over 30 years.)
