The liberation movement of Gani Kryeziu and his brothers in World War II in Albania was one of the most powerful in the North of the country, so much so that the British expressed a rare admiration and supported it. At its head were the brothers Gani, Hasan and Said Kryeziu. After the Italian invasion, they organized the anti-fascist resistance and then the armed struggle against the German invaders. Gani Kryeziu, the leader of the movement, with the help of the British Julian Emery and the coordinator, Oakley Hill, started the war against the Italian invaders as early as April 1941, in collaboration with Abaz Kupi, Mustafa Gjinishi, Muharrem Bajraktari, Mehmet Ali Bajraktari and others, but was later forced to withdraw because Germany began the invasion of Yugoslavia. The brothers Gani, Hasan and Said Kryeziu were arrested by the Germans and imprisoned in the concentration camp in Zemun.

They were then handed over to the Italian authorities, who interned them in Ventotene, Italy, for nearly two years. In December 1943, they would escape and return to Gjakova. There they began organizing for the uprising against the German occupiers, coming into contact with the British Peter Kemp, then with Hibbert, for a major military action in Kosovo and Northern Albania.

The battles of Gani, with about 1500-2000 fighters against the Germans, impressed the British. They then assigned a British mission to him, with Major Simcox at the head, who documented very important battles against the Germans in the Gjakova and Tropoja Highlands, such as those for the capture of the chrome mines, so important for the Germans, the fighting in the Bytyç region, etc. But the greatest battle of the Kryeziu movement was the one for the liberation of Gjakova, which took place from September 10 to 16, 1944.

In this war, 170 fighters from Gani Kryeziu's chetas were killed, who are still unappreciated today. But the Kryeziu Movement conflicted with Yugoslav chauvinist interests, but also with the power interests of Enver Hoxha, so both sides, in agreement, attacked Gani Kryeziu's forces militarily, precisely when they were fighting against the Germans: on one side, the 7th Assault Brigade of the National Liberation Army of Albania led by Manush Mufti and Shefqet Peçi, and on the other, the national liberation forces of Yugoslavia, led by Pavle Jovanovic and Fadil Hoxha.

Gani Kryeziu did not want to start a civil war among Albanians and dispersed his forces. Gani Kryeziu, British Major Simcox, the political advisor of the Kryezinj, Llazar Fundo, Said Kryeziu and other leaders of the Movement were arrested. Later, the OZNA forces massacred 26 comrades of the Kryeziu Movement in Herec, among them Hasan Kryeziu. British Major Simcox worked for several months in the Kryezinj headquarters and in December 1944 compiled a full report on their movement.

He reported to the British War Ministry that Gani Kryeziu was sabotaged by the previous British mission of Officer Hands, by not providing assistance and supplying only the communist movement of Kosmet. But Gani Kryeziu showed great values, becoming the strongest movement in Northern Albania. It is worth noting a detail, that Said Kryeziu had lived in France as an opponent of Zog and there he also supported Enver Hoxha with money. The dictator Hoxha had no mercy for the black leaders, considering them political opponents and enemies.

Before the war was over, Enver Hoxha ordered the liquidation of this patriotic movement. He killed their friend and collaborator, Llazar Fundo. Gani Kryeziu would be imprisoned until 1952, in the infamous Sremsko-Mitrovica prison, where he would lose his life in suspicious circumstances. The communists would also kill four other nephews. The only one who survived was Said Kryeziu, who, thanks to the insistence of the British, was extradited to Italy and then went to the USA, as a representative of Kosovo in the "Free Albania" Committee founded by Mid'hat Frashëri in 1949.

THE FULL DOCUMENT OF THE BRITISH MILITARY

The independence movement in Northern Albania, as part of the war Gani Kryeziu and his nationalists, is difficult to give a name to the followers of Gani Kryeziu. What happened to him is very important. He is a very educated man and is a true patriot in Northern Albania who fought the Germans, with the aim of liberating his country and at the same time, he has many credits to invite his voice to be heard at the Peace Conference. In order to honestly discuss his movement, the activity and work of the leader himself, Gani Kryeziu, has been documented.

Before the Italian invasion of Albania, Gani Kryeziu had contacts with the Serbs and was believed to have been part of a conspiracy to overthrow King Zog, but also to take control of Kosovo, which was held by the Serbs. In this regard, the topic was discussed by the inhabitants, but they were never fully aware of Kryeziu's ambitions.

I don't know anything concrete about this episode of his life, but knowing Gani Kryeziu, as I know him now, I can say with conviction that he always had the interests of the Albanians of Kosovo at heart, who were one of them who had suffered under the Serbian regime. It is difficult to unravel everything about this gentleman, although I was close to him as a military liaison officer.

But, I make it clear, what I report above is a deduction made from the small pieces of information I have gathered. The details of Gani's fighting, I believe, are already known and even confirmed by Colonel Oakley-Hill, but I must emphasize that Gani and his brother, with a force of 4 men, resisted the Italians at a time when the British were preparing for a German attack on the British Isles.

This cemented the conviction in Ganiu that, even though he saw entire nations surrender, Britain would triumph in the war, even if it were alone. He also had faith that the British government would step in to help Albania as it had done with other small nations, once the fighting was over. He knew very little about British foreign policy, which would be sacrificed for the sake of killing a few more Germans.

At this stage, the idea that Great Britain would support the Communists would not even occur to him. I can only pray and imagine the great disappointment he must have felt when he learned that Great Britain, not only did not ignore the fanatical politics of some organizations, but gave them constant assistance, strengthening these organizations, which were called militant, but which in fact helped them to achieve their objective, and further, which could force him to join the pro-German elements.

After resisting the Italians and Germans for some time, Gani Kryeziu's forces were disbanded and he and his family were forced to flee Yugoslavia after the capitulation, and would later be captured and forced to go to a concentration camp in Italy. It is very interesting to note that none of the "heroes" of the National Liberation Front were in that prison.

In fact, the only known person who took action early on, who fought with Ganiu and was a pro-nationalist element within the National Liberation War, was Mustafa Gjinishi, whose mysterious death in a recent action has caused much consternation within other “right-wing” elements in the LNC. While in prison in Italy, Ganiu always hoped to escape from there. With that idea in mind, he planned to raise a movement against the Germans.

His hopes began to take hold when his brother, Hasan Kryeziu, returned to Albania and started the movement. Using every means possible, Gani Kryeziu, his brother, Saidi, and Llazar Fundo, who was their friend, although he had been a communist, but who openly supported Kryeziu's ideas, escaped from Italy and arrived in Albania in late 1943. At that time, Major Kemp had set up a mission for intelligence purposes in Kosovo.

In his report, you will find details of his discoveries, but it should be noted that upon his immediate return to Albania, Ganiu immediately contacted the mission and began the resistance in the hope of receiving British aid. It is unfortunate what happened with Kemp's activity in Kosovo, where interests and suspicions about Tito were accused (since at this time he was hated by KOSMET) after these conditions, Kemp left in order not to damage relations with Tito.

The success of Gani's movement would have to be supported by immediate assistance with weapons and clothing. Kemp's withdrawal, as well as the existence there of the very pro-partisan British officer, Hands, made it impossible for Gani to receive the attention he needed, and in particular the materials for fighting. Gani's relations with KOSMET were very good, despite the fact that his political ideas did not allow him to join the forces of the National Liberation Front or with KOSMET.

However, he was quite prepared to fight the Germans in cooperation with KOSMET. This did not sit well with our staff there, led by Hands, who sought to be the main controlling force in the north. Therefore, they refused to supply weapons to Gani Kryeziu, who insisted several times to discuss the matter with the British officer Hands, but he completely ignored the two letters written by Gani.

In his reply to the third letter, he told Gani that he would be attending a conference and that under no circumstances could he discuss the issue of military aid, as he had received orders from Cairo “to support the partisans.” The German attack of March 1944, against the British mission and the partisans, gave Gani Kryeziu the opportunity to gain British support.

The British officer, who was left in the lurch by KOSMET, was informed that Gani Kryeziu would provide him with life and a safe place. But he ignored this message and his mission went to the south of the country, to escape this situation.

Reports from some of our liaison officers that the people in the north were “reactionaries” and would never fight the Germans, spelled the death knell for Gani Kryeziu’s ideas for a major uprising against the Germans in the spring of 1944. Gani played a major role in presenting the real situation and received moral and material support from Great Britain, and his movement would be stronger than the FNC, but not as long as Officer Hands was in the north.

The help that Ganiu received was small and always late in time. During this time, I have been working in the Dibra area and I have never been convinced that there is no hope of inciting fighting in the north. This was based on conversations I had with many officers who had spent a lot of time in that region and I immediately expressed the desire to go to the north in order to clarify the situation.

It was emphasized that I would not be stingy in this regard, given that I had no doubts about the reports of other officers who had been in the north. But, for three months, from March to May 1944, there was no British military mission in the north, beyond the Drin River, and therefore it was not understood what was happening there. Gani Kryeziu continued to work to create his pro-British movement and had begun activities by gathering a large number of supporters. / Memorie.al