The visit aimed to deepen young people’s understanding of Albania’s communist past and encouraged reflection on the importance of resisting totalitarianism, valuing freedoms and defending human rights.

Former political prisoner Demir Abazi shared his moving testimony, offering students a firsthand glimpse into life under a repressive regime.

Students explored the ruins of cells, isolation rooms and forced labor sites—witnessing the inhumane conditions prisoners faced.

This visit raised awareness about the importance of remembrance, honouring the suffering of the victims of communist crimes, recognizing former prisoners as symbols of national resistance and promoting transitional justice as a form to confront and address the past in Albania.

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In her remarks, the head of the Authority for Information on Former State Security Documents, Gentiana Sula, highlighted importance of documenting the country’s past and build a fairer and just future.

“The Spaç Revolt and the stories of over two thousand political prisoners are a testament to the power of the human spirit to not give up. We cannot change what happened, but we can document, educate, and restore dignity to those who suffered unjustly,” Sula emphasized.

Sula also underlined institutional efforts to address injustice and the stigma haunting the former politically persecuted people.

“The Authority has proposed legal changes to officially recognize their woes, including forced labour, pension right for the former prisoners working in mines and building Spaç museum. These are necessary steps to eradicate discrimination and build a more just and humane society,” she said.

German Ambassador to Albania, Karl Bergner, praised the role of remembrance in strengthening democracy, and congratulated the Authority for creating the digital archive, which not only preserves the memory of the past, but also conveys lessons to the new generation.

Authority for Information on Former State Security Documents renewed its commitment to preserving historical memory and ensuring that the suffering of the former persecuted is not erased, but serves as a source of education for future generations.

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