Albania at War, 1939-1945 (Central European Studies) [Paperback]

Bernd Jurgen Fischer (Author)

Book Description

Series: Central European Studies | Publication Date: July 1, 1999

"Analyzes the German occupation of Albania during World War II, rectifying a half century of amnesia and mythmaking by Marxist and nationalist histories and increasing understanding of the relationship between the Third Reich and wartime Albania. Includes b&w historical photos. Fischer is a professor of history at Indiana University-Purdue University." - Book News, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 338 pages
• Publisher: Purdue University Press (July 1, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1557531412
• ISBN-13: 978-1557531414
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,580,902 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #85 in Books > History > Europe > Albania

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Lessons for those who wish to make policy, July 13, 2000

By 

Charles Ashbacher (Marion, Iowa United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Albania at War, 1939-1945 (Central European Studies) (Paperback)

World War II was an event where mighty nations were pitted against each other and their national wills were focused on defeating the enemy states. However, among some of the smaller nations, the global perspective was masked by traditional local rivalries. In the area of the Balkans, the war was more a continuation of traditional ethnic and religious disputes and as much a civil war as a world one.
Albania was the most backward country in Europe at the start of the war, with very few paved roads, much less an industrial base. After the war, it was still the most backward in Europe, but it was ruled by a very hard line communist dictator, who rose to power despite the lack of industrial workers and being predominantly a Moslem country. Furthermore, unlike most of the other European nations who went communist after the war, there was no Soviet presence to execute the establishment of a communist regime. With so many unusual factors involved, the study of what happened in Albania before, during and after the war is a fascinating example of national structure based on many artificial internal and external borders.
If there is one broad lesson to be learned from this book it is that if your nation is invaded and occupied, a policy of cooperation with the invaders is a form of slow political suicide. The reason the communists were able to rise to power against such odds is due to the fact that they were consistent in fighting the invaders. When the more powerful groups vacillated and played both sides, their support declined until they were simply no longer credible as a national force. This left the small but generally disciplined and ruthless communists as the only viable national entity.
From the beginning of the Italian occupation in 1939 until the last organized German troops were driven out in 1945, the story is one of political opportunism, tribal rivalry, and shifting political alliances among the Albanian political factions and the invaders. However, the end result was a degree of national unity, albeit as a consequence of many executions and the most consistently repressive regime in Europe until the death of Enver Hoxha in 1985. Throughout all these years, there was also the exiled King Zog, a man who was the legitimate ruler until he fled the Italian occupation. Unfortunately, he was someone who commanded surprisingly little loyalty, either among the Albanian population at large or the foreign governments, who chose to ignore him as much as possible.
I found this book to be a forthright description of how difficult it is to govern countries in that part of the world and it contains many lessons for those who wish to intervene and make a difference in the events that transpire. It should be required reading for all those who wish to construct and implement a policy for that region.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars An excellent overview of Albania in World War Two, December 31, 1999

By 

David Ljunggren (Ottawa, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Albania at War, 1939-1945 (Central European Studies) (Paperback)

This is a masterful history of Albania's travails during the last war and relates in fine and often laconic detail how the Italians in particular made such a mess of first invading and then administering the country that it helped trigger their eventual capitulation in 1943. The author is also good on how the Germans picked up the pieces and made a much more professional attempt to manage the country before their efforts also soured. There are on occasion too many Albanian surnames littering the text but don't let this put you off. If you have any interest in Albanian history, this is the book for you.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An asset for Albanian scholars and Albanian history, February 4, 2003

By 

Adrian Isallari (Worcester, MA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Albania at War, 1939-1945 (Central European Studies) (Paperback)

A great book about a controversial period in Albanian history which was distorted by Hoxha regime glorifying the partisan war and the role of the Albanian Communist Party and recently by the socalled democratic political forces who threw everything in the garbage.
I am glad the book has been translated in Albanian. The book is a lesson for Albanian historians who are still guided by political passions.
The book tells you everything about everybody, Italian occupation, antifascist resistance, partisans, nationalists, puppet governments, British and American influence, Yugoslav influence, Albanian Communist party, Enver Hoxha, King Zog, German Occupation, Kosovo, Cameria, political trends, social and economical development, The Superpowers etc etc. I mentioned some of them.
The book is very proffessional but easy to read. I read it in 3 days. I simply could not wait to finish it. I grew up reading about the glorious liberation war of the partisans and communist. After the overthrow of the communist regime this war was not said and believed to be so glorious anymore. Even the actors changed places. The "good guys" became the "bad guys" and the "bad guys" became the "good guys".
Well this book will tell you who "the guys" were, what they did, what they did not do and why.