In the village of Baz (Mirditë), Gjin Marku was born, a participant in the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War general. He completed the agricultural school in Kavaja and worked as an agricultural technician in the district of Korça. From 1937, he took an active part in strikes and anti-fascist demonstrations. Member of the Albanian Communist Party since its formation. At the First National Conference of the Albanian Communist Party (March 1943) he was elected a member of the Central Committee. During the period March 1942 – March 1944, he led the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War in the district of Berat. On March 17, 1944, he was appointed commander of the VII Assault Brigade; on November 18, 1944, commander of the VI Assault Division. In the Plenum of the Central Committee of the Albanian Communist Party in Helma (Skrapar), in May 1944, he was criticized for compromising with the Germans and opportunistic attitude towards the National Front in the liberated city of Berat and was expelled from the Central Committee. After the liberation, he first served as a military attaché in Moscow, where he also attended higher military studies at the “Frunze” academy (1945-1948). In 1949, he was promoted to general. During 1948-1961, he worked in the army as commander of the United Officers School; in 1961-1964, he was head of the Military Branch in Vlora. In 1964 he left the army and was appointed director of the Llakatund farm (Vlora). After two years, he was exiled to the island of Zvrnec (Vlora) and then arrested and sentenced to 10 years in prison for agitation and propaganda against the popular government, a sentence that was repeated 10 years later. He died in the prison hospital of Burrel, in 1986. (In the photo: Gjin Marku)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 2 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 1634.
Photo: © https://www.gazetatema.net/
Graphic processing: AHCF
