Isaac Herzog’s historic visit to Albania on Thursday marked the first time an Israeli leader has visited the only European nation to end World War II with a higher Jewish population than it began with.
During his brief trip, the Israeli president highlighted Albania’s heroic role in saving Jews during the Holocaust. His visit included a poignant ceremony at Tirana's Holocaust memorial and meetings with descendants of the 75 Muslims, Catholics, and Orthodox Christians recognized as Righteous Gentiles by Israel’s Yad Vashem. These individuals risked their lives to protect Jews from deportation to Nazi death camps after Germany occupied Albania in September 1943.
"Albanians hid Jews regardless of their background or wealth," said Petrit Zorba, head of the Albanian-Israeli Friendship Association. Zorba estimated that up to 3,000 foreign Jews found refuge in Albania during the war. "Just 100 meters from here lived the Kurmaku family, one of the many families that protected Jewish people. These homes are now tourist attractions for Israelis and others."
Despite this rich history, many Albanian youths remain unaware of this legacy, a gap highlighted by Florenca Stafa, director of the Albanian and Balkan Research Center at the University of Elbasan. "Under communism, the Holocaust was never discussed or taught in schools," Stafa explained. "Even after the regime fell, it remained largely unknown. As a professor, it’s crucial for us to address this."
To address the educational gap, Stafa recently organized a five-day conference in Elbasan for 25 teachers. The event, co-sponsored by the Albanian History Teachers Association and The Olga Lengyel Institute (TOLI), a New York-based nonprofit dedicated to Holocaust education, aims to promote awareness and understanding of Albania's unique and courageous history.
* The Jewish Telegraphic Association contributed to this article.