Today was inaugurated the first memorial to the Holocaust in Tirana, located on the hill of the Artificial Lake. The inauguration ceremony was attended by the Ambassador of the United States of America Yuri Kim, the Ambassador of Israel Noah Gal Gendler, the Prime Minister Edi Rama, the Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj, the World Grandfather His Grace Haxhi Dede Edmond Brahimaj and representatives of religious and family communities of those who contributed to the salvation of the Jews in Albania.
In her speech, the Ambassador of the United States of America, Yuri Kim, said that the act of the Albanians is “a shining example of humanity, an example to be followed”. “After Hitler came to power, dozens of Albanian families sheltered hundreds of Jews, and when the Nazis asked for a list of those in Albania, they refused. “Clerics, ordinary citizens, all worked to save these people, it is an inspiring story of humanism, courage and honor, in other words, of the Albanian faith,” she said.
Meanwhile, the Ambassador of Israel, Noah Gal Gendlerse, considered it an “excellent act from a small country that exemplifies the values of humanity, sacrifice and love.” “Values that still continue to be inherent in Albania.” He added that if many nations would learn this part of Albania’s history, it would be great. “For us Jews, Albania will always serve as a kind of generosity, as a symbol of nobility, as a torch of tolerance, as hospitable people. “If many nations would learn this part of Albania’s history, it would be great,” said the Israeli ambassador.
On the other hand, Prime Minister Edi Rama said that “the salvation of the Jews is a story which contains the obligations to preserve it not just as a story for ceremonial moments, but as a great value that must be inherited from generation to generation.” “Before the Second World War, Albania was the only country that in its legislation had approved the Sabbath, which means that all citizens living here and belonging to the Jewish people had the right not to work on Friday and no one had the right to terminate their remuneration for the work. Without going into the history that preceded the chapter of the Albanian-Israeli relationship in the war, Albania with the epic episodes of its righteous people who helped the Jews remains a stain on the Hollywood conscience that has created several masterpieces related to this era, but that would surely have created much more, even more incredible if it had referred to the episodes of rescue of Jews in Albania, “said Prime Minister Edi Rama.
From today, this memorial will be a point of reflection for the contribution of Albanians in the protection of the Jews and a point of remembrance for those millions of others who could not escape the Holocaust.