Mehmet Shehu was born in Çorrush, Mallakastra, activist of the anti-fascist and communist movement, one of the leaders of the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War, high ranking official of the state and the Party of Labor of Albania, prime minister, Hero of the People. Graduated from the Technical High School of Tirana (1932). In 1935 he won a scholarship to attend the Military Academy in Naples, but was expelled because of his anti-fascist activity. In the summer of 1937 he volunteered in Spain, where he participated in the XII International Brigade (1937–1939) and became a member of the Communist Party of Spain. After the volunteers left Spain, in February 1939, he was interned in a concentration camp in France, where he became a member of the Italian Communist Party. In August 1942, he returned to Albania and joined the Anti-Fascist National Liberation Movement. Member of the Albanian Communist Party since 1942. Commander of the first detachment of Mallakastra (February 1943), then organizational secretary of the Albanian Communist Party for the district of Vlora. Commander of the 1st Assault Brigade since its creation (August 1943). At the 1st Anti-Fascist Congress of Përmet (May, 1944) he was elected a member of the National Liberation Anti-Fascist Council. In August 1944 he was appointed commander of the 1st Assault Division. In the years 1945-1956 he studied at the “Voroshilov” Military Academy in Moscow. Since the First Congress of the Albanian Communist Party (1948) he was elected a member of the Central Committee of the Political Bureau and was charged with important duties: Chief of the General Staff of the Army (1946-1947), Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Internal Affairs ( 1948–1954), Chairman of the Council of Ministers (1954–1981) and Minister of Defense (from 27.12.1978). At the beginning of the 80s of the 20th century, due to the aggravation of the power struggle within the leadership of the Party of Labor of Albania, Mehmet Shehu was targeted. The reason for this was the middle son’s engagement to a girl from a family that the regime considered to have political problems. In a meeting of the Political Bureau, held especially for him on 17.12.1981, Mehmet Shehu was severely criticized for softening the class war, for arrogance with subordinates and for shortcomings and weaknesses at work. Not being able to face the situation that was created for him in the meeting and foreseeing the consequences that could result after it, as had happened to other leaders of the Party of Labor of Albania, on December 18, 1981 he committed suicide, leaving a letter to Enver Hoxha, in which he explained the reasons for this act. The day after this event, making assessments of the case, Enver Hoxha described him as an enemy and a multiple agent, while the Plenum of the Central Committee expelled him from the party (after his death). Afterwards, the wife and one of the sons were arrested and sentenced to prison, while the eldest son committed suicide. (In the photo: Mehmet Shehu)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 3 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2009, page 2437.
Photo: © https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mehmet_Shehu
Graphic processing: AHCF
