The following article is from The Great Soviet Encyclopedia (1979). It might be outdated or ideologically biased.

Hoxha, Enver

Born Oct. 16, 1908, in Gjirokastër. Albanian state and political figure.

Hoxha graduated from the lycée in Korçë in 1930 and then studied at the University of Montpellier in France. In 1941 he helped found the Communist Party of Albania-(since 1948 the Albanian Workers’ Party, AWP); he was a member of the party’s Central Committee and became the party’s general secretary in 1943. From 1942 to 1945 he was a member of the Presidium and chairman of the National Liberation Front of Albania (since August 1945 the Democratic Front of Albania).

Hoxha commanded the National Liberation Army (since 1945 the Albanian People’s Army) from 1944 to 1954. He was minister of defense from 1944 to 1953. He also served from 1944 to 1946 as head of the Provisional Democratic Government, from 1946 to 1954 as chairman of the Council of Ministers, and from 1946 to 1953 as minister of foreign affairs.

Hoxha was general secretary of the Central Committee of the AWP from 1948 to 1954, when he became the Central Committee’s first secretary. He was made chairman of the General Council of the Democratic Front of Albania in 1945. In 1954 he was elected a member of the Presidium of the People’s Assembly. In 1976, Hoxha was named commander in chief of the armed forces and chairman of the Defense Council.

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Southern Slavs, Vampires and the

References in periodicals archive

The long-term leaders of the People's Republic of Albania (PRA) and of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV), (1) Enver Hoxha and Ho Chi Minh, belonged to the group of leaders of socialist countries fascinated during the last period of Josef Stalin's life by the scale of his personality and by his political "wisdom".

Moscow-Hanoi-Tirana relations in the context of the split in the "socialist camp"

My favourite beard story though relates to Albania's communist tyrant, Enver Hoxha, who famously outlawed beards fearing that they represented a show of 'individualism.'

A case of hair today, gone tomorrow ..

The engineer was ordered before by Enver Hoxha to test the defensive capabilities of its design.

The engineering behind monumental political stupidity

JEREMY CORBYN COURTS CONTROVERSY WITH ENVER HOXHA QUOTE AT CHRISTMAS PARTY

The latest news from around the world Morning news headlines: Politicians unite to condemn Donald Trump's remarks about Muslims, Flood-hit communities facing more severe weather; The latest news from around the world

The bookEs chronological chapters give details and analysis on the demise of Stalinist dictator Enver Hoxha, the development of the democratic movement and the Democratic Party, the rule of ex-communists in 1998, the Kosovo War of 1998-99, and the politics of transition since 2000.

Modern Albania: From Dictatorship to Democracy in Europe

His working class characters and his pained cry of "Mr Grimsdale" even made him a hit in Albania where his movies featuring his accident-prone character Wisdom Pitkin were the only Western films that used to be allowed by dictator Enver Hoxha.

The wise man of slapstick comedy; Comedian NormanWisdom was born 100 years ago. Marion McMullen looks at how he overcame a harsh childhood to bring laughter to millions

His working-class characters and his pained cry of "Mr Grimsdale" even made him a hit in Albania where his movies featuring his accident-prone character Wisdom Pitkin were the only Western films that used to be allowed by dictator Enver Hoxha.

The wise man of slapstick comedy; Comedian NormanWisdom was born 100 years ago. Marion McMullen looks at how he overcame a harsh childhood to bring laughter to millions

The bunker was built by the late communist dictator Enver Hoxha near Tirana, the capital, in the 1970s to prepare for a possible nuclear attack by ''American imperialism or Soviet social-imperialism.'' Hoxha, whose regime built up to 700,000 bunkers of different sizes and tunnels all around the country, died in 1985.

Albania opens communists' secret bunker

He said: "Unless you're Uncle Albert on Only Fools And Horses, Demis Roussos or Abu Hamza, the BBC is generally as pogonophobic as the late-lamented Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha. I may keep it or I may shave it off, but I think I'll make my own decision."

DAYBREAK'S FACE-SHAVER; Beards banned after Chiles shocker

"Unless you're lucky enough to be Uncle Albert on Only Fools And Horses, Demis Roussos or Abu Hamza, the BBC is generally as pogonophobic as the late-lamented Albanian dictator, Enver Hoxha.

"Bristling over Jeremy's beard? No, it's hot fuzz!