Stalinism, that particularly brutal phase of the Communist experience, came to an end in most of Europe with the death of Stalin in 1953. However, in one country - Albania - Stalinism survived virtually unscathed until 1990. The regime that the Albanian dictator Enver Hoxha led from 1944 until his death in 1985 was incomparably severe. Such was the reign of terror that no audible voice of opposition or dissent ever arose in the Balkan state and Albania became isolated from the rest of the world and utterly inward-looking. Three decades after his death, the spectre of Hoxha still lingers over the country, yet many people - inside and outside Albania - know little about the man who ruled the country with an iron fist for so many decades. This book provides the first biography of Hoxha available in English. Using unseen documents and first-hand interviews, journalist Blendi Fevziu pieces together the life of a tyrannical ruler in a biography which will be essential reading for anyone interested in Balkan history and communist studies.

Complete biography of pivotal figure in twentieth century history.

Introduction by Robert Elsie1. Death Comes Knocking2. 28 November 19443. From Gjirokastra to Korça4. From France to Belgium: the Dropout5. Teacher of Moral Education6. The Founding of the Communist Party7. A Leader with an Iron Fist8. Nationalists and Communists9. Head of the Provisional Government10. The Plenary Meeting in Berat - an Interlude11. Tirana and the Wedding12. The Reign of Terror13. Departure of the British and the Americans14. The Yugoslavs: a Matter of Love and Hate15. Stalin and the Soviets16. The Bllok17. Enver Hoxha and Mother Teresa18. Split Personality19. The Medical Team20. The Great Purges21. Demise of a Prime Minister22. The Final Purges23. The Years of Solitude24. Death and What RemainedChronology of the Life of Enver HoxhaGlossaryBibliography