Marsida T. Najdeni

The glory of Hysen Kusi, nicknamed Dake, as the winner of the first Albanian championship with Tirana in the 30s is well known, but what is not known is how the dictatorship ruined this champion by imprisoning him for 5 years, from which he never came out the same. Hysen was Qazim Mulleti's brother-in-law, so the entire family was mercilessly hit by the new rulers. Neither the love of his fiancée who welcomed him and married him after his release from prison, nor the family he created could return his life to normal, remaining, until the end, a bearer of great suffering.

Who was Hysen (Dake) Kusi?

He was born into an old Tirana citizen family on June 20, 1912. The Kusi family is part of those tribes that are both intellectual, hardworking and patriotic. Hyseni grew up in a healthy family, where love for each other prevailed above all. His father, Ismail Efendi Kusi, was an economist in the Muslim community. While his mother, Qamile Mara, also came from a Tirana citizen family.

The couple had 6 children, 4 sons: Ramazan Kusi, a military academic; Abdulla Kusi, shot by the communists in 1945, who had served as mayor of Petrela; Nazif Kusi, who died very young just after graduating from college in Milan; Hysen Kusi, not only an excellent athlete, but also a middle-class economist and knew Italian and French well.

The two sisters were; one Hajrie Kusi, who would soon marry Qazim Mulleti, the famous prefect of Tirana. The ordeal of her suffering after 1944, during the internment together with her son, Reshit, are a chilling story. While the other sister Lutfija, would die a young bride in the well-known Gjinali family. As can be seen, the misfortunes in Ismail Kusi's family were not small. Terrible misfortunes that also affected Hyseni.

According to Hysen Kusi's daughter, her father played professional football from the age of 17 until 1936, when he left the sport at the age of 24 and worked as a middle-class economist. In the book "Tirana Personalities", by the "Tirana" Association, on page 53, we learn that Hysen completed his primary education in Tirana.

He then attended the famous “Zosimea” high school in Greece. He had a large social circle and left a good name everywhere. Hyseni was very fond of football and played it since he was a child. He grew up watching the Tirana team's matches at the “Shallvara” field during the 20s.

These were years that would leave an impression on his formation, and even then, at only 17 years old, he would become part of the Tirana team. His talent was immediately noticed, so no one hesitated to take him to the team, even at such a young age. He early on earned the nickname "Dake".

We find the meaning in Hysen's character. He was not tall, but brave and energetic. He was not afraid of any duel on the field and was always the first in training. So, despite the fact that he was perhaps not big in body, he was big in character and spirit, strong as a horse. He did not tire in defense and in midfield.

He was like a postage stamp to the opponent. He gave his heart and soul to the jersey, so fans were not surprised when they saw him sometimes in attack. Dake Kusi belongs to the golden constellation of Tirana and Albanian football. He was among those who laid the first foundations of professional football in Albania.

He, together with “Tirana”, in 1930, won the first Albanian football championship. From the sports researcher and journalist, Besnik Dizdari, I learned that Hysen (Dake) Kusi is among the first (if not the first) Albanian player, who would be loaned with a paid sports contract from “Sport-Klub Tirana” to “Sport-Klub Teuta” in 1934.

At "Tirana" Dakja played alongside big names such as; Selman Stërmasi, Irfan Gjinali, Adem Karapici, Rexhep Maçi, Shefqet Ndroqi, Isuf Dashi etc. While at Durrës, he would create a very close friendship with the great Niko Dovana. Looking at the names of the Tirana team, it goes without saying that it was not in vain that "Tirana" would win 6 championships in the 1930s. Dake Kusi would be the winner of four of these championships in 30, 1931, 1932 and 1936. He did not forget the "Tirana" of his heart until the last day of his life.

Hysen's life from first champion to Maliqi swamp

And even though he was 10 years older than her, the tiron girl, Ikbale Cullhaj, had followed Hysen when he played football at the "Shallvares" Field. She told her daughter that when she was 14 years old, she went with her cousins ​​to watch football and that's where she saw Hysen for the first time.

The couple was to get engaged in 1942. At that time, tradition required that the engagement last at least two years. They did not get to enjoy each other because 1944 came along with the vicissitudes that shocked the couple. Hyseni had never been involved in politics, but being Qazim Mulleti's brother-in-law did not come without a price in communist Albania.

And even though he had not participated in any organization, even though he had been just a middle-class economist in the Municipality, even though he had never joined any political party, even though life for him was only sports, he was still seen as an enemy. So, his brother Abdulla was shot, and his sister, Hajrie Kusi, would end up together with her son, the little Reshit Mullet, in all the internment camps.

On November 17, 1944, the communists took power and without waiting at all, directly on January 21, 1945, they arrested Hysen Kusi. For three months they kept him in a dungeon, the most inhuman tortures as he waited for the day of trial, the court told him. He insisted that he had done nothing against his people.

On April 28, 1945, the Tirana Military Court sentenced him as a “war criminal” to 10 years in prison, forced labor, and confiscation of property. In 1946, Hysen would be sent to drain the Maliqi swamp. Hysen became deeply isolated from the torture and miserable conditions.

The nurses sucked his blood without rest and the hard work without food left health consequences on him. After 5 years in a serious condition, he was released from prison. Although alienated, that tyrant girl waited for him, loved him, and hugged him close to her. In 1950, the two were married, 8 years after announcing their engagement. The marriage brought two children, Mira and Ismail, but the marriage itself would not be healthy.

Hysen's health and psychological condition, aggravated by the many misfortunes and sufferings, also left its mark on his wife and children. He died at the age of 62 from cancer. A devastated couple, a suffering family, children who grew up and lived in fear, completely innocent./ Memorie.al