A rare historical document from 1919 sheds light on Albanian diplomatic efforts to defend the Albanian state at one of the most critical moments of its existence: the Paris Peace Conference, following the end of World War I.
In the telegram sent from Lausanne on April 19, 1919, Mit'hat Frashëri writes to Fuat Dibra in Paris:
"viens télégraphiez surtout vigilance demandez Amérique aide politique"
In loose translation, the message means:
"Come. Telegraph. Above all, vigilance. Ask for American political assistance."
The document is clear evidence of the Albanian delegation's concern at that time, when the victorious powers of the war were discussing the territorial fate of the Balkans and there was a real risk of Albania's fragmentation among its neighbors.
At that time, the Albanian delegation sought support, especially from the United States and American President Woodrow Wilson, who had come out against the secret treaties and plans for the partition of Albania. It was precisely American support that was considered the greatest hope for preserving Albanian territorial integrity.
The telegram also has another symbolic value: it shows the early pro-American orientation of part of the Albanian political elite, long before Albanian-American relations took the form we know today.
In April 1919, Albania was still a fragile state, with weak institutions and insecure borders. In this context, every diplomatic contact, every telegram, and every international support had existential weight for the country's fate.
