The International Holocaust Memorial Day will be celebrated in Tirana on 27th of January this year, and on this occasion the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation is going to endow the Honorary title of ‘House of Life’ on Albania as the only country in Europe that saved thousands of Jews during the World War II.
A press release issued by the Foundation whose mission is to develop educational programs and public awareness campaigns based on the values of solidarity and civic courage, ethical cornerstones of the Saviors of the Holocaust, has recently announced on its webpage that “in an unprecedented resolution, the International Raoul Wallenberg Foundation has decided to proclaim the Republic of Albania as the “House of Life.” This European country was the only one that after being occupied by the Nazis, ended the Second World War with a larger number of Jews than before war.”
In addition the press release noted: “The Albanian Jewish community had around 200 people when the Second World War began, but in an orchestrated effort that implied a great risk to the local population, not only the Albanian Jews were saved, but also thousands of refugees from Germany, Yugoslavia, Greece, and Italy that managed to flee to the Albanian territory. Unlike what happened in other countries that were occupied by the Nazi regime, in Albania there are no known cases of denunciation. All the Jewish refugees were collectively protected, as it was also the case with the Italian soldiers who took refuge in that Southeast European nation.”
“During the Holocaust, the ‘Besa’ concept was manifested through helping those who were in misfortune, offering them hospitality even at the expense of the security of the hosts and their families. This effort was supported by King Zog, Queen Consort Geraldine Margit Virginia Olga Maria Apponyi de Nagy-Appony, and the Albanian government itself,” it was said.
The program for the endowing event of the Honorary title of ‘House of Life’ to Albania will include the premiere screening of the new film “The Albanian Code” by Professor Yael Katzir which unfolds the story of the rescue not of a single family by a single good hearted Albanian family but it gives, on the one hand, the big picture and, on the other, there is a rescued woman in Albania who comes to say thank you to the Albanian People.
Professor Yael Katzir is an Israeli historian and documentarist for 30 years and she owns Katzir Productions, which is a Tel-Aviv based production company for Documentary films.
“I cannot be the judge of the film but others say that their eye did not remain dry,” said Mrs. Katzir. “I have also included in the film a sequence about the rescue of Italian soldiers who have been the occupiers the day before by the Albanians and their number amounted to 20,000-Italians.”
Asked in an exclusive interview with Albanian Daily News on what prompted her to make the film Professor Katzir said that she believed in showing the positive side of the world. “Albania and Albanians were unique in what they did regardless of their ethnic origin, religion or race. They helped people because they were persecuted human beings. The film is unique in the fact that it is not another voyage to tell the terrible things the Germans and their followers did. The film is a journey to say ‘thank you’ to the Albanian people who behaved differently than all of Europe,” Professor Katzir said in the following interview:

-The 27th of January is the international Holocaust Memorial Day. Which is its significance for the Israeli people in their country and worldwide?

– I believe that the International Holocaust Memorial Day is mostly important for people outside Israel. In Israel we have the Holocaust Day in May and generations of people are raised with the notion that all Jews share this tragedy. Moreover, today when the last survivors slowly disappear from our streets there is a new tendency in Israel to do on the eve of the Israeli Holocaust day what we call “Memory in the Living Room”. Young people assemble or complete classes to listen to someone who lost a relative or wrote a book or did a film.
I think that it is very important that the International Holocaust Day will become a landmark for learning from a tragic past, in order not to repeat the mistakes.

-The program for the endowment ceremony will include the premiere screening of your new film “The Albanian Code” in Tirana on January 27 this year. Could you please unveil the main topic of the story of the film?

– Indeed, I have volunteered to give the Wallenberg foundation my film “The Albanian Code” as a central token on the event of the ceremony of bestowing the honorary title on Albania.
The main topic of my film is: the journey of Annie Altaratz (who was saved as a girl with her family in Albania) and her daughters to say ‘Thank You’ to the Albanian people who saved her family and her. Through this journey they learn about the bigger picture, beyond their family history how the Albanian government under the occupation played as a role model for the people in giving Jews and other persecuted people (Italian soldiers after the capitulation of Italy) a safe haven in Albania.
The film is full of surprises and moving encounters with the last testimonies to what happened in Albania during World War II.

-What prompted you and your team to undertake such a project?

-You asked what prompted me to do the film: I believe in showing the positive side of the world. Albania and Albanians were unique in what they did regardless of their ethnic origin, religion or race. They helped people because they were persecuted human beings.
The film is unique in the fact that it is not another voyage to tell the terrible things the Germans and their followers did. The film is a journey to say ‘thank you’ to the Albanian people, who behaved differently than all of Europe.
My own father was a Senior Dr. at the Moabit Hospital and was chased out by the Nazis. It is in the film how King Zog invited Jewish Doctors persecuted by the Nazis and they started modern medicine in Albania. My father came to Israel where he and others started modern medicine in our country but to find this affinity made me wonder about untold facts in the history books.

– Professor Katzir, you are an historian and documentarist for 30 years. Which are your impressions on the Albanian people and country, their history, traditions and culture?

-Being an historian and documentarist for the last 3 decades, I have found in Albania human warmth, hospitality, friendship and readiness to help. This is something which I did not encounter in many other places in the world.
I and my team have undertaken the project because we think that there is an urgent need to show to the world what and how the Albanians acted and reacted during the occupation of the Italians and later the Nazis in WWII.
Unfortunately, due to the dictatorship of Enver Hoxha, the story of Albania during WWII remained hushed. It is now the time and the International Holocaust Memorial Day is the exact right time to come back to this chapter in history and bring it to the consciousness of the entire world.
In Europe, where black winds are threatening, it is more than necessary to show a different option- the Albanian story. In a world flooded by refugees only few open the door as Albanians did.
I think that everybody should ask himself: When have I opened my door to the needy?

-How do you assess, according to your studies, the Albanian people’s cultural principle ‘Besa’, which literally means “commitment of honor”?

– RegarThe program for the endowing event of the Honorary title of ‘House of Life’ to Albania will include the premiere screening of the new film “The Albanian Code” by Professor Yael Katzir which unfolds the story of the rescue not of a single family by a single good hearted Albanian family but it gives, on the one hand, the big picture and, on the other, there is a rescued woman in Albania who comes to say thank you to the Albanian People.ding the ‘Besa’, I think that this is the best way to keep a promise. In a world full with fake news a word of honor is worth much more than a signed-up contract.
I think that with all the wonderful technical developments the capacity to give ‘Besa’, and the opportunity to guard human direct contact, is a value that we must be careful not to lose.

-In conclusion, Madame Professor, which are your emotions and expectations from the Tirana event?

– My expectations from the Tirana event are modest. I hope that the people, who will see the film and read about the ceremony, will start to appreciate the courage of the Albanians, and maybe they will consider following this example in today’s reality.
I can see now the closeness between the Jewish and Albanian cultures especially for those who are ready to follow one of the Jewish greater scholars, Hillel the Elder, who said: “Love your fellowman as yourself, what you hate do not do to your neighbor!”

Source: https://www.albaniandailynews.com/index.php?idm=27220&mod=2