The memory of the forgotten: the persecution of cultural and educational «deformations» in socialist Albania (1973)

The celebration of the 11th Song Festival in Socialist Albania provoked a large controversy. Several press articles accused its main organizers, Fadil Paçrami and Todi Lubonja, of having included liberal, foreign and modernizing influences. Enver Hoxha, leader of Albanian socialism, removed Paçrami and Lubonja from office and sentenced them to several years in prison. In this paper we analyse the persecution of cultural and educational “deformations” in socialist Alba-nia, and how these should be contextualized within military purges in various ministries, in an environment of growing tensions between Albania and Mao's China.