Nexhmije Hoxha Albanian communist, wife and associate of Enver Hoxha Date of Birth: 08.02.1921 Country: Albania

1. Nejmie Hoxha: A Force in Albanian Communism
2. Early Life and Political Activism
3. Ideologue of the APL Regime
4. Influence and Controversies
5. Journalist Fahri Baliu's Book
6. Fall of the Regime
7. Imprisonment and Legacy
8. Family and Demise

Nejmie Hoxha: A Force in Albanian Communism

Nejmie Hoxha, born as Nejmie Xhuglini, emerged as a prominent figure in Albanian communist history, serving as the wife and companion of Enver Hoxha. Her influence extended beyond the familial sphere; she held significant positions within the ideological apparatus and the Central Committee of the Albanian Communist Party.

Early Life and Political Activism

Hoxha's journey began in the Yugoslav kingdom, where she was born to Albanian parents. Her father, Teфик Xhuglini, reportedly had ties to the Albanian Fascist Party. In 1928, the family relocated to Albania, where Nejmie attended the elite Queen Mother's Pedagogical Institute in Tirana. It was during her youth that her political convictions crystallized. She joined the communist underground, participating in the Korça communist group and its activities.

In 1941, Hoxha became a member of the Communist Party of Albania, which later became the Albanian Party of Labor (APL) in 1948. During World War II, she served in the propaganda department of the 1st Division of the National Liberation Army, earning the party nickname "Delikatja" (Fragile). On January 1, 1945, she married Enver Hoxha, then the First Secretary of the Communist Party.

Ideologue of the APL Regime

After the communist victory in 1944, Enver Hoxha became the leader of the ruling party and the first head of government, effectively becoming Albania's supreme ruler. Nejmie Hoxha emerged as a leading ideologue of the Albanian Communist Party. She joined the Central Committee in 1952 and served as a Deputy in the People's Assembly from 1948. Hoxha also led various women's organizations in the country.

From 1966, Hoxha became the director of the Institute of Marxist-Leninist Studies under the APL Central Committee and the Lenin Higher Party School. Her role was pivotal in shaping the ideology of Hoxhaism, the Albanian variant of Stalinism. She staunchly supported and justified her husband's policies.

Influence and Controversies

In April 1956, Hoxha played a crucial role in the "Tricked Spring." She relayed information from Minister of Defense Beqir Balluku to Minister of Internal Affairs Kadri Hazbiu, alleging a planned attempt to remove Enver Hoxha at a party conference in Tirana. The conference proceedings were then subjected to strict control by the secret police, known as Sigurimi, and the delegates faced repression.

In 1973, Hoxha vehemently criticized Fadil Paçrami and Todi Lubonja for their "liberal deviations." Both individuals were sentenced to prolonged prison terms. In the 1970s, Hoxha formed an influential political alliance with Hysni Kapo and Manush Myftiu, influencing party and state policies.

Hoxha participated in the selection of Enver Hoxha's successor, supporting the candidacy of Ramiz Alia, who oversaw ideology and propaganda. After Enver Hoxha's demise in 1985, Hoxha took over as the chairperson of the Democratic Front of Albania. For several years, she retained her political and ideological influence.

While maintaining conservative Hoxhaist positions, Hoxha was somewhat tolerant of Alia's limited reformist plans. She did, however, exhibit a more relaxed attitude towards the easing of religious restrictions and famously invited Mother Teresa to Tirana in 1989.

Journalist Fahri Baliu's Book

Journalist and historian Fahri Baliu later published a book about Hoxha titled "The Black Lady," described in the French edition as "The Wife of the Devil." In the preface, writer Ismail Kadare noted that Hoxha "provoked her husband's paranoid fits," eliminated her opponents, and bore responsibility for the repression of entire families.

Fall of the Regime

Hoxha went into the 1989 anti-communist uprising with unwavering confidence in the strength of the communist regime. However, the events in Romania and the execution of Nicolae and Elena Ceaușescu shocked her. In 1990, mass anti-communist demonstrations erupted in Albania. Ramiz Alia attempted to portray himself as an "Albanian Gorbachev" and a "leader of democratic reforms," greatly disappointing Hoxha. Late in the year, Alia dismissed several conservative party leaders, including Hoxha herself on December 20.

On February 20, 1991, after demonstrators in Tirana toppled a statue of Enver Hoxha in Skanderbeg Square, Hoxha severed her ties with Alia. She did not run in the March 1991 elections and did not support President Alia's party reform that transformed the APL into the Socialist Party of Albania.

In May 1991, a general strike organized by the Union of Independent Trade Unions of Albania forced President Alia and Fatos Nano's government to hold new parliamentary elections. The opposition Democratic Party of Albania came to power, marking the end of communist rule in Albania. Soon after, the new authorities initiated legal proceedings against the prominent figures of the Hoxha era.

Imprisonment and Legacy

In December 1991, the 70-year-old Hoxha was placed under house arrest and imprisoned in January 1992. Convicted of abuse of power, she was sentenced to nine years in prison. Her attempts to appeal the sentence resulted in its increase to 11 years.

On February 13, 1995, Albanian President Sali Berisha issued Decree No. 1018, revoking all awards and honorary titles bestowed upon leaders of the communist regime, including Hoxha. She served her time in Tirana's women's prison, working in a sewing workshop. Former guards remember her as well-behaved and non-confrontational, unlike the more aggressive Lenka Çuko. Hoxha penned letters from prison denouncing the new authorities and defending her husband's policies.

Amnestied in 1997 after five years of imprisonment, Hoxha led a relatively quiet life. However, she continued to make political statements aligned with communist and Hoxhaist ideals. She joined the orthodox Hoxhaist Communist Party of Albania, founded in 1991 by writer Hysni Milloshi. In interviews, she emphasized Enver Hoxha's "gentle nature" and claimed that the repressions were "necessary." Yet, she acknowledged that her time in prison had given her a better understanding of those who had been repressed.

Hoxha's focus shifted to the defense of Albania's national sovereignty rather than communist ideology. She credited her husband's policies for this achievement, despite his ideological battles with Yugoslavia's Josip Broz Tito. Hoxha also supported NATO's military intervention in Kosovo, believing it necessary to protect Kosovo Albanians.

Family and Demise

Nejmie and Enver Hoxha had three children: sons Ilir and Sokol and daughter Pranvera. Ilir Hoxha is known as a communist activist and a representative of the Hoxhaist party established in 2002 as the Albanian Party of Labor (APL).

According to Ilir Hoxha, his mother passed away on February 26, 2020, at the age of 99. She was laid to rest in the Sharra Cemetery in Tirana.