YET ANOTHER TIME TO REMEMBER MARK GJOMARKAJ

Nr. 12 SHKODER, ALBANIA February 2020

Remembering Kapidan Mark Gjon Marku today on his birthday 2.12.1913. May he rest in peace with the angels.

"Albania always, one way or another, will find her way” - MARK GJOMARKAJ

Written by TAHIR KOLGJINI

In the l'ALBANIE LIBRE gazette, which used to be the publication body of the ‘Independent National Bloc’, it was recalled that whenever we remembered Mark Gjomarkaj, we were shown his qualities as a well-deserved Albanian.

All Albanians, who have sacrificed their lives for a Free Ethnic Albania, should be remembered often and with respect. We need to remember them in order to be grateful to them and thus to encourage the nationalist party in general.

For this reason we need to remember, so that the future historian has genuine sources in describing the events of the Albanian world during the Second World War. We have a duty. Especially for Mark, whatever was written, is not enough for such a valuable personality. There are very few writings. Then I, too, will try to tell you about this HERO, remembered with deep reverence.

It was the period of Royal Albania when I first met Mark in Tirana. I don't remember the year. He would go on to continue his studies in Italy. I was introduced to him by chance by some friends, who had come to accompany me. Pleasant and pure in body; elegantly dressed and charming. I was drawn by his alertness and noble demeanor. In order to form an opinion, I started with several different discussions. His answers were clear and overwhelming in our dialects. Since then, I was very pleased. My hope for this young student, as a man from a good House, was for him to become someone in Albania sooner or later.

He was a truly idealistic Albanian student. I later saw him as Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs in Tirana when he came to power (the government headed by the late Mustafa Kruja at the beginning of 1942). I was in charge of Kukes. I visited him. I saw that he was an attentive listener and very good at expressing himself. I was not fooled by my prediction of him when he was a student.

After this meeting, whether for business or social reasons, we met often. And, whenever we met, he spoke cordially and with extraordinary courage, giving first-rate importance to national problems and interests. He was aimed at keeping the Albanian authority intact, without ignoring the circumstances which could have upset the delicate situation of the time.

gjonmarkagjoni.com When it came to Albania and Albanians, he never faltered in this world. Nor was he impressed by death. Later, with the resignation of Mustafa Kruja's government, he at once returned to private life. Afterwards, with the capitulation of Italy in the fall of 1943, he attended the National Assembly in Tirana. At this time, the Communist element, benefiting from a lack of authority, began to assassinate left and right, killing prominent nationalists, in order to plant terror in the people and in the government.

It was at this precarious time that Mark Gjomarkaj with his three hundred friends and well-wishers, who had been brought from Mirdita, secured the protection of the parliament from any threat. He succeeded in allowing the legislature of that time to work calmly and cooly.

Kapidan Mark Gjon Marku (Gjomarkaj) - seated

In the summer/fall of 1944 the Communist brigades had penetrated into some of Tirana's neighborhoods, and the government's position had begun to shake badly. I was in charge of the Director General of Police. We had to return to Shkodra with some of the staff and equipment we still had at our disposal. At night, all means were destroyed by the bombardment of Anglo-American aircraft, and we were left on the road on foot. We also lost some people. However, most of them arrived in Shkodra. I went to Kapidan's house first. At that time Mark was also in Shkodra.

It is known that in Shkodra at that time, the "National Committee of Shkodra" was formed under the leadership of the late Sylce Beg Bushati and Kapidan Gjon Markagjoni. Mark Gjomarkaj was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the National Armed Forces. The purpose of this Committee was to prevent the Communists from hiding in this last seabed of Albanian land; to facilitate the eventual dismissal of any Anglo-American force in Albania or in any other area in and around Shkodra.

Kapidan Gjon informed me that I had been assigned the position of Prefect of Shkodra and, as such, had been assigned to serve on the Committee. I thanked him and told him that I was headed to Germany that week, along with two other German officers, with a military plane leaving for Vienna.

"Oh Tahir," Kapidan tells me, "either we will be saved together or we will die together." Over and over I accepted this assignment. Man accepted death more as a matter of shame than of courage, as I saw with Sylçe Beg Bushati, when I received the Prefecture of Shkodra.

As the war continued in Mirdita and from there poured into other parts of Albania, Mark made this proposal:

“The knife has run out. Communism cannot be reduced to half measures. Then, with an order, we have to reclaim the money and real property of the banks and merchants of our area, without exception. Let’s ask for evidence, giving a short deadline. Who doesn't give the required amount within the deadline…on the rope!…We have guns. With 1000 franks a month we can build a force of 15,000 ourselves, put the war at the forefront and mobilize the vacant countries. How to push the communists back; we march them to the Greek border. With the creation of a national government, it is likely that an Anglo-American unit will land. And the state, to stabilize the

Mark, his wife Marta and children; Celestina, Gjon and Kristina

situation would be interested in paying the people the requisite wealth."

“Our goal is to win, since Yugoslav and Greek communists are no longer helping Albanian communists. After all, suppose we could not reach that goal, then we are rifling with this power; we are entering Greece and surrendering to General GOBI."

Mark Gjomarkaj - Deputy Minister of Interior 1941

it to Kapidan Gjon. He accepted it. But when we asked Sylce Begi, he did not agree, as his nature was not inclined to implement such measures, which entailed heavy responsibilities. We felt that Mark, plus or minus a few, accepted this view. We presented

Even this measure, which was the only hope, remained unanswered.

The circle was tightening for days. It was November 23, 1944. We had dinner. Others went to finish their work. Only Kapidan was left with me and Mark in the narrow edges of the table, facing each other.

On this occasion Mark addresses me:

"Oh Tahir, you must prepare to leave with my father tomorrow."

"Where oh Mark?"

"Where the Lord wrote it. First for Germany. My father, since he doesn't speak any foreign language, will be accompanied by one of my brothers. You will start with the German army which is retrieving."

"We have started all this together, as we are, and you too or we must all stand together as we are."

“Father is old; he’s not a mountain. You Tahir, you are very tired. We have loads of services in different countries. You're alone here. Then you have to leave. As for me, I'm the eldest son of the Kapidan of Mirdita. The main burden weighs on me because I was tasked with authority. I have put a lot of friends, a lot of our people and a lot of dear ones and relatives in charge. I can't leave them alone. At that very moment when I leave Albania, the door of the Kapidan of Mirdita is dead. And if I die, the door of the Kapidan of Mirdita lives on. Then I will stay in the mountains of Albania.”

And excitedly Mark went on:

"I know. It will be impossible to stay in the job when the rigid systems of communism are implemented. I will be killed, but that’s nothing. I accept death for the national ideal and for not abandoning the friends of this ideal. Albania always, in one way or another, will find her natural way. And I wish you well.”

On the morning of 24 November, 1944, together with Kapidan Gjon Markagjoni and his second oldest son Ndue, we left Shkodra to our escape route.

Mark Gjomarkaj Minister of Interior Feb-May 1943

The characteristic that distinguishes Mark Gjomarkaj from other Albanians is this: He stayed in the mountains of Albania to kill while others stayed to save it.

Of course, some nationalist men will have taken notes and described the events in detail. Here I am briefly outlining a few key points for the sake of national history.

Mark, on the 26th of November, left Shkodra, with a force of about three hundred men. Since his comrades had left him free to surrender, or pursue the escape route with the German army, part of that force was lost. With his remaining force he continued on his way through various mountainous areas, crossing rivers, gorges, difficult hills and swamps, battling with rifles many ambushes, with people considered deceived by communism. On the field a lot of blood was shed on both sides. For this reason, Mark decides that the forces will be dispersed here and there, where they can reasonably be on the lookout, keeping communication open on a regular basis. And with some friends he heads to Miredita.

During this time Mark creates a national organization, which spread throughout Albania. But even that, alas, fails, because a part of this organization initiates the action before the scheduled date. This time Tirana decides to avoid this new risk and seriously increases and intensifies the persecutions.

And Mark Gjomarkaj, on 13 June, 1946, in a skirmish which takes place in the town of Prosek, Mirdita, was fatally wounded. On the morning of 14 June, 1946, at about 07:00 he inflicts upon himself, with his revolver, the mortal shot, lest he be delivered to the Communists alive.

After the suicide, Communist forces exposed Mark's body in Shpal, Lesh and Shkodra, dragging and kicking him.

This banal behavior in itself, displaying the body, shows the inhumanity of communism.

Albanian nationalism will never forget its martyrs.

God's grace be with Mark Gjomarkaj and with the friends of his glorious ideal.

Taken from "The Exile's Messenger", no. 12, Year 7, July 1976, p. 11 - 15

CREDITS-CONTACT Bianca Gjomarkaj Nakovics biancagjomarkaj@gmail.com