GIVES BIOGRAPHIC DATA ON 5 ALBANIAN GENERALS

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP80-00809A000600290275-5
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: C
• Document Page Count: 5
• Document Creation Date: December 22, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 28, 2011
• Sequence Number: 275
• Publication Date: March 6, 1950
• Content Type: REPORT

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COUNTRY
SUBJECT
HOW
WHERE
DATE
LANGUAGE
CLASSIFICATION r - r 1^
COiuriii I1lAL(iCc....-L.uddNL
CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AGENCY REPORT
INFORMATION FROM
FOREIGN DOCUMENTS OR RADIO BROADCASTS CD NO.
Biographical - Military
Daily newspaper
Tirana
10 Jul 1949
nu .oouuxr co.r?ix. uroeunox unrnx. n,. xmoxu Quart
or r .uro ? . rx. x.?n.. o urwua
or mo'cownr.n?,. a unom~ ~n rtuannox o. rxunwno.
ann. n u.. .iioeua~ox or rxu ra~~ ~~ .xoxu,nu rxa
SOURCE Bashkimi, t: I L117, 1949.
SUPPLEMENT TO
REPORT NO.
Gi'E3 Bl0.RAPHZC DATA ON 5 ALBANIAN GEN ?AhS
General-Leitnan ' hmet. Shehu
Gjeneral-Leitnan I?fehmet %iehu was born in 1913 in the village of Corush
he vent to the techni c a l school In Tirana~ ntary education in his native village,
vas making a name for himself through hisrevolutionary graduating 1II and,ant -Zogist then, a, Shehu
he received f activity.
In 1935 a schoi;_r;hip to continue mi.__trry y. training, fo uich he
showed great aptitude, in th.. college in Naples, Italy. Zogist and Fascist spies
who were st,oing 'it,u Vollcwed his revolutionary activities and reported
them to tae Zngtc_t regiu;e, wni:n called him back to Tirana, cut off his sehclar-
ship, and arrested him.
in Italy, Sheri became still better acquainted with the r Yption
Fascism and developed still graat?er distaste for Fascism and the Zogist reg1w.
He volunteered for the war in Spain, and in November 1937 crossed the border
between France and Spain illegally. Once in Spain, he joined the 13th Inter-
national (the Garihalui) Brigade. Ai'ter a short time he became Deputy Commander
of the 4th Battalion of the Garibaldi Brigade. He was made a member of the
Spanish Communist Party in Dccember 1937.
After the war in Spain, when the International Brigades and the Spanish Re-
publican Army withdrew to France, Shehu was interned on 9 February 1939 is a
French concentration camp by the regime of Daladier, Paul Beynaud, and Fetain.
He remained there for 40 months. While there he was made a member of the Party
Committee of the camp.
On 10 August 1942 Shehu returned to Albania to take part in the st_,-,Zie
against the Fascist occupation. He was brought from France in custody, _,,ing
from prison to prison, uotil he reached the jail in Tirana, in wnich he served
24 days. Once free, he joined the underground, made contact with the Party
leaders of the Vlone ?lieirict, and at once began to organize and mobilize the
psople for combat. He was made a member of the Vlone District Committee and
later Organizational Secretary of the same committee. He helped considerably
ri eccisirenn.~ It4ir r
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in the organization and s;;n;_1sion of the Party membership. When the first
Partisan company in t4a11=_: cr was organized, Shehu was made its commander
or. 4 February 1943. Sneh,; was one of the leaders in the battles of Gjo,,m,
Patos, sad Selenice, and :they. He also played an important part in destroying
the anti-Communist faction organized in the Vlone district in the summer of 19.13
oy Sadik Premtja (Xh:pi).
In the first national r;,n='erence of the Llbanlan Communist Party, Mehmet
Shehu was made a `andidocc ialternate member) of the Central Committee of the
Party.
Shehu successfully led the forces of the people of Mallakaster in the cam-
paign of June and July 1913. On 15 August 1913, by order of the General staff,
he was made commander of the let Assaul 3rigade of the Army of National Libera-
tion. Under the leadership of Tik Jakova as Political Commissar end Mehmet
Shehu as commander, the brigade won great distinction.
Shehu was made a member of tie General Anti-Fascist Council and promoted
to colonel by the Congress. Upon the formation of the let Division he war. made
Deputy Commander and in August 1944, Commander. Shehu directeC. the liberation
of Tirana. In 1944 he was promoted to Gjeneral Major and Second Assistant to
the Chief of Staff.
She?cu co_itin ed his m'.i'.a:y i:: tie Voreshilov High Academy of the
General Staff of the Gcviet Army. He was recalled by the Central Committee be-
fore he had finished his course at the ccn;;ec{y, and made Chief of Staff in
August 1946. The Democratic F'ru-:t made him a member of its General Council and
of its Executive Committee. In 1917 the people of Tropoje elected him as their
deputy to the Popular Assembly.
As Chief of St^i.?
apply he progressive
military science of the Soviets to the Albanian Army.
In October 19,3 Shehu was appointed Ainister of Internal Affairs. and to
November was made Prime Minister, retaining his post as Minister of the Interior.
The First Congress of the Albanian Communist Party, in recognition of his
services in the L -uggle for national liberation and in modernizing the army,
and in recognition of his loyalty to the USSR and his campaign against Yugoslavia
and Yugoslav collaborators in the Albanian Communist Party, made Shehu a member
of its Central Committee, a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee,
nnr Secretary v.7 tha PPSh Ltthe Albanian Wurl:ers' Party, i.e., the new name of the
Communist Party On 8 July 1949 General-Major Shehu was promoted to G'coeral-Leitnan.
Gjeneral-Major Shefget Peci V
Gjeneral-Major Shef;et Peci was born in 1906 in the village of Picar in
Kurvelesh. His family were middle peasants. He went, to elementary echcol in
Albania and in 1931 finished 3 years in artillery school. From school he joined
the ArnW with the rank of sergeant-major of a;?tiliery, and at the same time made
contact with the anti-Zogist group in the Fumcy which was led by Dedri Spahiu.
For political activity against the Zog regirre, Peel was arrested in 1')3' w--th
a group of officers. Although imprisoned and tortured, Peci and his co:m-ades
continued :eir activities. After 4 months is nrisou he was freed and discharged
from Zog's Army. He continued his revolutiona.?y and anti-Zogist work, for which
he was kept under constant surveillance by Zog's agents.
Because of financial difficulties, Peci was obliged to go to work as a jani-
tor in the Normal School in Elbasan in 1938. Nevertheless he continued his revo-
lutionary and r.nti-Zogist work in close cooperation with his comrade;, in resistance
groups.
CrONi IDTS; T IAI
r:. 1
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After the arrival of the Italian Fascists, Peci become more disgusted han
ever with Fascism. Together with students in the Normal School in S'lbasan, he
organized anti-Fascist demon::trations. For his revolutionary activity he was
arrested in 1942 and spent 4 months in jail. After he was freed, he worked for
a time in the underground. In the Kardhiq and Kurvelesh Districts he organized
Cot'cils of National Liberation and mobilized the people. As soon as the
Albanian Communist Party was formed, he was made a member. He was also made a
member of the Gjinokaster District Council.
At the end of 1942 he was made Commissar of the "Cercis Topulli" Partisan
company, and on 7 August was made Commissar of the "Hasim Zeneli" Battalion.
He was appointed Commissar of the First Perzier Group, and in December 1943 was
made Commander of the 5th Brigade. For his distinguished service against the
Italians and Germans as the Commander of the 5th Brigade, in September 1944 he
was made Deputy Commander of the let Assault Division, in October Commander of
the Operational Staff of the 3d and 25t'?.. Brigades, and in November Commander of
the III Army Corps.
In May 1944 he took part in the Congress of Permet, and there was made a
member of the General Council. He was also promoted to the rank of major.
After the liberation Peci served as Inspector of the People's Army. In
March 1946 he was made Commander of the 3d Division, in May 1946 Commander of
the 5th Division, and in l 4.~ Director of Military Training. Later he was
appointed Commander cf the Dl `Division for the Defense of the People, i.e.,
the Security Polic3. In December 1945 he was elected a deputy to the Popular
Assembly from Kurvelesh.
At present Peci is a Yandidat of the Central Committee of the PPSh and
quartermaster of the People's Army. On 8 July he was promoted to G.jeneral-Major.
Gjeneral-Major Haxhi Llesh'_
Gjeneral-M?cjer Ha.:dii Llesh4 was born in 1913 in the village of P,er of the Anti-Fascist; Council of Nat-onr.i Liberation.
At this time he was promoted to colonel. At the beginning of 1943 he was made a
member of the PPSh. He served as Minister ~f lnternal Affairs from the second
meeting of the Anti-Fascist Council in Beret to the beginning of 1946. At present
he is Minister without Portfolio and chairman of the State Control. Commission ad
Interim.
At the First Congress of the Communist Party of Albania, Lleshi was elected
a Kandidat of the Central Committee of the PPSh.
On 8 July 1949 he was promoted to Gjcneral-AL_jor.
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Gteneral-Major Tahir Kau,are a
weapons, ending in 1931. From 1931 to 1937 he served as an artillery officer Ln
the Albanian Arm;'. During this time he associated with a group of officers with
internee, but he was perrdtted to move about freely in the city.
In 1938 he went to Greene, with the intention of acing on to fight in Spain.
However, he was arrested in Greece and handed over to the Albanian government.
When the struggle for national liberation began, he became an active partici-
pant in it. He was ri:.de a member of the Communist Party in 1942. He worked for
and helped organize the movem:nt in the Gjinokaster district. He worked there
illegally, under orders from the Party, from the spring of 1942 on. He was con-
demned to death in absentia by the Fascist court in Ginokaster.
In the gpring of 1942 Kada:e?a wasmade ommander of the "Zagcris" Partisan
company. This company conducted large-scale pr'naganda work in the villages it
passed through, set np councils, and built police stations in the Zagori, Pogon,
Lunxheri, and other districts.
In September 1942 he e'as put in charge of the forces of the Gj:nnkastsr
district. His work there included recruiting volunteers for combat. As a mem-
ber of the District Committee for Gjinokaster district he took part in the first
national conference of the Albanian Communist Party es a delegate from that dis-
trict. In August 1943 he was appointed Deputy Commander of the l:;t Brigade, and
he led it in "O ._ri^wz men..ts with thc CuC"+. In . r he w:i -
engage....-.,,.. ~y. T" ~'c'C"uw2i9~'r~ ic u Lgid2
Commander of the 6th Brigade. In August 1944 he commanded the 2d Division in the
liberation of northern Albania. In December 1944 he became Commander of the II
Corps.
In the Congress of Permet in 1944 he was made a member of the General Council.
He was promoted to lie?ten.ant-colonel, and in November 1944 to colonel.
In the Front Congress of 1945 KKacareja was made a member of the General
Council. After the liberation he studied in the Voroshilov Military Academy in
Moscow.
At present Kadarea is Uom cndant of Art'tier- in the Ministry of National.
Defense.
On 8 July 1949 he was promoted to Gjencral-Major.
2eueral-Major G tin !t rku
Gjeneral-Major Gt'n 1?:,rku was born in 1918 in Bas to Burrelit in a poor
peasant family. Be re::eived hi.s primary education in the orphanage in Tirana.
Be enrolled in the Technical School in Tirana in the Agriculture Branch and
spent 4 years there. He won a contest and was appointed Agricultural Technician
in Korce, a position which he held. until August 1,941.
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His revolutionary career began in 1936, when he took part in a strike in
Korce. In 1937 he joined the Korce fouth and the "Puna" (Labor) Suciety, and
became a member of a guerrilla Troup. Thereafter he devoted himself to agitation
and struggle against the Zoe; regime. After the occupation he worked against the
Fascist regime. On 15 August 1941 he began undercover activities. He J"ined a
guerrilla group in the Korce district and worked with it.
Around November 1941 he was sent to the Partisan company of Peze. He re-
me+aed with it until February 1942. On orders of the Provisional Central Com-
mittee of the Albanian Communist Party he went to Berat to organize the resistance
and to form the first Partisan company of Slaapar, in which he served as Com-
missar. In the B u?at district hr. organized Partisan companies and battalions.
When the General Staff of the Army of National Liberation was formed, he
was made Commissar of the Beret district, with the rank of major. In May 1944
.he became commander of the 7th Brigade, and in May 1944 commander of the 6th
Division. With this division he served in Yugoslavia, Montenegro, the Sandjak,
and in southern 9osnia as far as Visegrad. On 29 November 1944 he was promoted
to lleuteuaaL slonel. On 1 May 1945 he was appointed Comm..ndcr of the 1 Army
Corps, and in July 1915 was made a colon'..
In September 1945 he was sent to the Voroshilov General Staff Academy in
the USSR. HA finished his course in 1948. In June 1948 he was named Director
of Artillery in the hinistry of Daticnal Defence. At present he is Director of
Combat Training in the Ministry of National Defense.
Marla hoe been a member of the Albanian Conaunist Party since its formation.
On 8 July 1949 he was promoted to Gjeneral-Major.
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