Bahri Omari, a life between idealism, national dedication and absurdity of political punishment

Albert Vataj

On April 13, 1945, the Special Court set up by the newlywed communist regime in Albania gave one of its most controversial decisions: the death penalty of Bahri Omar, a prominent Albanian intellectual, patriot and figure in the first half of the 20th century. Accused of being a « war criminal », his sentence would remain a rumored act that would arouse numerous discussions on political justice and the deletion of the heritage of ideological opponents.
Bahri Omari was born in Gjirokastra, in a family of civic traditions and significant national feelings. He was initially educated in his hometown, then addressed to the Civil School of Royal Administration in Istanbul, where he studied political and administrative science – an training that would prepare him for an important role in the Albanian political scene.
During World War I, he was one of the organizers and leaders of the patriotic gangs in southern Albania, engaging in efforts to preserve the country’s territorial integrity and confront the occupation goals of neighbors.
Omar’s contribution was not limited to weapons. He was also a engaged publicist, with a sharp pen and a clear political vision. During his stay in the US, he became director of the newspaper « Dielli », a body of the Pan-Albanian Association « Vatra », which represented one of the most powerful voices of the Albanian Diaspora in defense of the national cause. As part of the Albanian community in immigration, Omari significantly influenced the formation of public opinion on the Albanian issue in the international arena.
Upon returning to Albania, Bahri Omari became involved in the country’s political life, participating in the parliamentary elections of 1921 and 1923. He was one of the prominent figures of the Republican wing, and during the Fan Noli government (1924), he played a key role in the consolidation of the Democratic-National Party, a force seeking modernization of political and institutional life. He was elected secretary general of this party, as well as publisher of the newspaper « Shekulli », its official body.
Following the triaph of Legality in December 1924 and Ahmet Zog’s return to power, Omar was forced to leave Albania. He settled in Bari, Italy, where he stayed for almost 15 years. Only in 1939, with the major political changes in Europe and after the Italian occupation of Albania, would he return to the country.
At a time when Albania was experiencing one of the most complex periods of its modern history, Bahri Omari became a member of the National Front in 1942, a nationalist political organization that initially demanded the unification of all Albanian lands and the creation of an ethnic Albania, but would later enter into a contradictory alliance with the occupiers and influence.
In 1943, he was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs in the government of Rexhep Mitrovica, which was supported by German authorities during the occupation period. This involvement in the rule of time would later become the main reason for his accusation as « collaborator of fascism » and « war criminal ».
After the end of World War II and the establishment of the communist regime in Albania, the new authorities launched a wide wave of political cleansing. One of the most notorious instruments of this process was the Tirana Special Court – a temporary body created to judge the « enemies of the people ».
Bahri Omari was arrested, sentenced to death for « war crimes », and executed on April 13, 1945. Ironically, he was also Enver Hoxha’s brother -in -law, having been married to his sister, Faika Hoxha – a fact that did not escape the violent fate that awaited many of the regime’s political opponents.
The figure of Bahri Omar remained for decades under the shadow of the Communist anathema. It was only after the fall of the dictatorship did his story began to reconsider more objectively. He is seen today as an engaged intellectual, a patriot of European proportions, and a complex political figure who, although involved in dark periods of history, never lost his sensitivity to the national cause and civic values.