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| Inside the museum of Shkodra that bears witness to the crimes of communism |
In the tourist guide of the city of Shkodra, apart from the Historical Museum, the "Rozafa" Castle, and the National Museum of Photography "Marubi," the Museum of Testimony and Memory is also included. Situated in the premises of the former branch of internal affairs during the communist period, this museum, according to Xheraldo Nikjari, is unique in Albania and is part of the identity of the city that suffered the most during the years of the communist regime, VOA reports.
"It's a typological museum, not found anywhere else in Albania, and it also has significant educational value for the younger generation to learn what communism truly was and what its consequences were."
In the Museum of Testimony and Memory, the cells of former prisoners, the places of torture and interrogation, as well as the suffering and resistance of anti-communist elements from the city of Shkodra, have been preserved. In the second pavilion of the museum, photos of hundreds of former political prisoners and those executed between 1944 and 1990 are exhibited, a period when communism was toppled in Albania.
"Shkodra had a number close to 3,000 political prisoners, there were executions, with or without trials, of 620 individuals, among whom 61 were clergy of all faiths," says Xheraldo Nikjari, adding that, according to research, in the city's various prisons, 138 individuals, political opponents of the regime, died during interrogations or torture.
The museum is a local initiative from 8 years ago, but with a national dimension in terms of its content and purpose, making it quite popular among both locals and foreigners, says the Museum's curator, Pjerin Mirdita, who adds that the citizens of Shkodra are the best conservators and contributors to the museum.
"The museum is intertwined with the city, and we all contribute to its protection, as it is an identity marker for the city of Shkodra. In the near future, I believe that, with the help of the Municipality of Shkodra, there will be a new project for the museum."
Like all museums, the Museum of Testimony and Memory in Shkodra showcases glimpses of the past, says Pjerin Mirdita, but from a past that should not be forgotten to avoid its repetition.