Ali Kelmendi was born in Peja of Kosovo, a fighter for national liberation in Kosovo, activist of the democratic communist and anti-fascist movement in Albania, Hero of the People. He completed a teacher’s course and with Bajram Curri’s interest, studied pedagogy and psychology for two years in Vienna. He participated in the national movement in Kosovo against Serbian chauvinism. In 1920 he came to Albania, where he became one of the main activists of the “Bashkimi” (“Unity”) society. He participated in the Democratic Revolution of June 1924. After the failure of the Revolution, he went into exile first in Italy, Austria and then in the Soviet Union. In the years 1925-1930 he stayed in the Soviet Union, where he completed a school for a border officer in Leningrad and served with this duty in Odesa, continuing during this time his activity on the national issue, as well as his preparation as a revolutionary. In 1929 he joined the ranks of the Albanian communist group in Moscow. In 1930 he was sent to Albania for the organization of the communist movement and the creation of the Albanian Communist Party. He worked to strengthen the communist groups and to organize the resistance against the government of Ahmet Zogut. He helped to strengthen the Communist Group of Korça, in the creation of communist groups and cells in Tirana, Krujë, Vlora and Elbasan. He was one of the inspirers and organizers of the participation of Albanian anti-fascist volunteers in the Spanish war. He supported the new instructions of the Comintern for the creation of the Popular Anti-Fascist Front in Albania. Together with other activists, he elaborated the platform of the communist movement for the protection of independence from the fascist danger and the establishment of democratic order. He passed away in Paris, in 1939. (In the photo: Ali Kelmendi)
Text: Albanian encyclopedic dictionary – Vol. 2 , Academy of Sciences of Albania, “Kristalina-KH”, Tirana, 2008, page 1148-1149.
Photo: © http://orashqiptare.blogspot.com/2013/05/ali-kelmendi.html
Graphic processing: AHCF
